Sign the Petition. Every time I fly I make a silent apology to my wheelchair. I leave the chair at the gate, fingers crossed, as I’m transported to the cushy seat on the plain with a small screen in front to distract me from what’s happening to my wheelchair in the cargo hold. For my wheelchair this … Continue reading Wheelchairs are Not Suitcases: a great opportunity for some #RealChange
disability
Real Change means an Accessible Canada for All
#On December 3rd, let's remind Trudeau what an #AccessibleCanada4All looks like. Canada has a new government, and with that new opportunities for change, new potential, new possibilities. Among those possibilities is the Canadians with Disabilities Act. It seems that Trudeau has taken up the call, and made this potential Act a part of the mandate … Continue reading Real Change means an Accessible Canada for All
Disabled People making more waves than Election Candidates?
For those of you who might not know, we're having a federal election here in Canada. I'm not a huge fan of electoral politics. I think there's much more that we can do to influence social policy than cast our votes, and let's be honest, the choice between three white one-percenters in 2015 says a … Continue reading Disabled People making more waves than Election Candidates?
“Here in Canada, we won’t see your disability”…unless we can profit from it.
The Parapan Am Games, August 2015. I was at the Torch Relay a few weeks ago, and one of the speakers, a well-known member of the disability community, and founder of a disability organization said, “Here in Canada, we won’t see your disability”. My jaw dropped. I wanted to believe that he hadn’t just said … Continue reading “Here in Canada, we won’t see your disability”…unless we can profit from it.
This election, it’s time for an Canadian Disabilities Act
This election, it's time for an Canadian Disabilities Act*. From coast-to-coast across Canada, disabled people and organization have been breaking down barriers without the support of or federal government, the individualized "solutions" miss the mark; access to society and quality of life is not created through tax breaks and savings plans. Now is a time … Continue reading This election, it’s time for an Canadian Disabilities Act
Why Canada needs more Disability Stories
I grew up in a small town of about 6000 people in rural Ontario. There were a few of us with disabilities in the area, but a small enough number that it was possible for those of us within that group to be at least vaguely familiar with each other. One I remember very clearly … Continue reading Why Canada needs more Disability Stories
My Picture
Take my picture take it if you dare Paint it in your mind an keep it there No gloss Every curve every scar Chin up chest out I am not what you see My true story Bared in imperfect harmony
Strange Situations – June addition
Between the double-takes in office buildings and people who think they’re “helping” when trying to push my wheelchair without asking, there’s a few amusing/uncomfortable stories that come up. These are real interactions I’ve had, just in the month of June 2015. Aside from the last one, none of these situations involved people who seemed as … Continue reading Strange Situations – June addition
Disability…the final frontier for marriage equality?
This week Americans finally achieved marriage equality, and my fellow Canadians cheered (and quietly gloated over the fact that we've had it for the last ten years). While this is truly awesome, it also tugged at a small quiet chord of pain for myself and many others. Amongst the cheers, some quiet whispers: we're not quite … Continue reading Disability…the final frontier for marriage equality?
The Grocery Shopping episode
My attendant mentioned that she hates grocery shopping with me because people stare at her with pity. I can’t say I blame her, it happens every week. What I did find strange was that she’s been working with me for a year, and only mentions this today. Maybe because when I backed out of the … Continue reading The Grocery Shopping episode
Sit Down, Fight Back 