Overview and Highlights of the National Independent Living Conference

By Fraser Valentine

The National Independent Living Conference "Progress Through Partnerships" was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from August 24 to 27, 1994. In the spirit of partnership, this national conference brought together members of the Independent Living Movement, the government of Canada, the province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, Canadian corporations and voluntary community groups.

Throughout the planning stages preceding the conference, it was clear that a primary goal of "Progress Through Partnerships" was to act as a vehicle in sharing ideas between and among persons with disabilities, government officials / policy makers, researchers and the community at large. Now that the conference has come and gone, it is fair to say that its accomplishments go far beyond simply sharing ideas. Indeed, concrete outcomes have resulted.

"Progress Through Partnerships" has marked a turning point in the Canadian Independent Living Movement. This four-day event has given national and international prominence to Independent Living (IL) in Canada through three key developments: the federal government’s commitment to IL; the national televised phone-in program; and the keynote speakers and the breadth of presentations and workshops.

The Hon. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Human Resources Development (HRD), addressed the conference delegates during a power breakfast at which he firmly committed his government to the principles and values of the Independent Living Movement. In fact, recently Axworthy has struck a Working Group on Independent Living with representatives from the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC) and HRD. It is expected that this working group will directly contribute to the important Social Security Reform process undertaken by the Liberal government and has the potential to re-enforce the need that Independent Living approaches become a regular part of Canada’s overall social policies and programs.

Sandra Lewis of CBC Manitoba and Paula Kierstead from the Independent Living Resource Centre (ILRC) in Winnipeg hosted a two-hour live televised phone-in program, along with a studio panel, on the Canadian Parliamentary Channel (CPAC). This program played a central role in presenting the Independent Living philosophy by focusing on four themes: individual empowerment; the role of professionals; legislation and government; and the role of IL in the community. Many people have remarked that the most exciting part of the conference was this televised portion. For the first time in history, the incredible energy experienced by individuals in the IL Movement was beamed by satellite to be shared with people all over Canada.

"Progress Through Partnerships" attracted the attention of several key players in the Independent Living Movement both within Canada and the United States. Professor Gerben DeJong, Mr. Mario Bolduc, Professor John Lord and Ms. Traci Walters addressed delegates at different times during the course of the conference. Respectively, they offered information concerning the concepts of IL and public policy; a new conceptual model of disability; the notion of partnerships and their feasibility; and, finally, the manner in which empowerment can lead to full participation in society. As well, close to 70 presentations and workshops were organized around four central themes (program, policy, research and family), allowing delegates to choose from a variety of topics. The spectrum of presentations and workshops is evidence that Independent Living is an all-encompassing philosophy which affects many different people in many different ways.

It’s worth noting the observations of one consumer who told me: "Attending the conference was like being with family." Many important developments took place in Winnipeg and I believe that everyone learned a lot, met many new people and, most importantly, had fun!

(Fraser Valentine is the Project Development Coordinator at CAILC.)


CAILC A.G.M.

CAILC held its 1994 Annual General Meeting just before the "Progress Through Partnerships" National Conference on Independent Living. CAILC is pleased to announce that the following individuals were voted to office by the membership.

Dan MacLellan (Nova Scotia), Chair
Muriel Keeling (Alberta), Past-Chair
Anne Marie Desmarais (Quebec), First Vice-Chair
Guy Fangeat (B.C.), Second Vice-Chair
Roy Steckley (Ontario), Secretary
Allan Simpson (Manitoba), Treasurer
Pat Sisco (Manitoba), Executive Member at Large

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

Linda Cairns (Ontario)
Marnie Elliott Stevenson (Ontario)
Henry Enns (Manitoba)
Bill MacDonald (P.E.I.)
Georgina Morin (Saskatchewan)
Peter Morin (Saskatchewan)
Florence Reimer (B.C.)
Paula Saunders (Ontario)
George Simpson (Ontario)
Sandra Smith (Alberta)
Marlene Ward (New Brunswick)

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTRES (CAILC)
1004-350 SPARKS STREET
OTTAWA, ON K1R 7S8
TEL: (613) 563-2581
FAX: (613) 235-4497
TTY: (613) 563-2581
E-MAIL: cailc@magma.ca
WEBSITE: http://cailc.ca/