Independent Living's Impact on the United Nations International Day of the persons with Disabilities in Canada

FORUM - Independent Living Canada Independent Living's Impact on the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Canada

By Mike Martin, Director of Operations

As recently as seven years ago, there was no formal recognition in Canada by organizations or governments for the United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities. That’s when Independent Living Canada decided that this day was just too important for Canadians to ignore any longer.

IL Canada’s Marketing Committee had been struggling for some time, brainstorming and trying to figure out how to raise the profile of the independent living movement in Canada and to promote the work of our network of Independent Living Centres. At first, we thought of getting a day specifically designated as Independent Living Day, but then realized that we didn’t need another day of recognition for a cause – what we needed was to raise the profile of the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities here in Canada. If it was good enough for the United Nations, then surely it would be good enough for Canada. From the first year of national and local activities seven years ago, we have witnessed a groundswell of support and activities take off throughout the country.

We can’t take all the credit, but today in Canada, dozens of organizations – disability and non-disability organizations, universities and governments – make statements and sponsor events to mark the day.

There are many celebratory events, including receptions, open houses, workshops on disability issues, political speeches and much more. There are statements by government ministers and members of parliament, declarations by provincial premiers, and proclamations by mayors of small and large communities across the country.

IL Canada set out to model our events in the way that the United Nations had envisaged by involving, organizing, celebrating and taking action to further the rights of persons with disabilities in the community. Every year, we have a major national event in Ottawa to focus attention on the contributions of people with disabilities and to remind the federal government of their responsibilities to support Canadians with disabilities. But right from the beginning, we also wanted to involve consumers, communities and our Independent Living Centres across Canada in this day of action and celebration.

The first year, we coordinated national and local IL Centre events based on the theme colours – black and white. We believed that inclusion, access and independent living and their benefits were so clear, so simple, like black and white.

That year, we held a power breakfast in Ottawa with business leader David Chalk and held a press conference with two sitting federal ministers. IL Canada guests were invited to sit in the gallery of the House of Commons as the government formally recognized the day. Later on, the speaker of the house hosted a wine-and-cheese reception with IL Canada to mark the occasion. Many Centres held similar events and were able to get their mayors and even some premiers to declare the day as Independent Living Day within their communities.

Every year since then, IL Canada and IL Centres have held events to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Canadians with disabilities and to highlight what still needs to be accomplished in order to support and enhance further economic, social, cultural and political contributions. It is important to note that our local and national campaigns have encouraged many other groups, organizations, unions, educational institutions, government departments and politicians to work in partnership with us or to host their own events, announce new initiatives, release reports, and much more. It is a day for us to stop and positively recognize how important persons with disabilities are to our society.

In Ottawa on December 3, 2008, our national event, held at the Canadian War Museum, was a great success. It featured a screening of The Freedom Tour, an amazing film about a journey by people who once lived in institutions and are now trying to help end the practice of institutionalization and expose the shocking conditions of the past and present. It is also a riveting look at achieving dignity for people with disabilities and the challenges we still face.

There was also a keynote address by the minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and statements from all federal political parties, followed by a wine-and-cheese reception where consumers, representatives of the disability community and politicians shared ideas and views about improving the lives of Canadians with disabilities.

Throughout the country, IL Centres also staged activities to mark December 3, 2008. Here are some of the highlights from the 2008 United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities activities from across Canada:

In Toronto, Ont., the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) continued a partnership with the City of Toronto and other community partners that has celebrated December 3 for the past four years. The day included Mayor David Miller proclaiming International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3 at Villa Colombo to an audience of approximately 250, and a presentation by the chair of the Toronto Transit Commission on accessibility achievements and future plans for accessibility improvements to Toronto’s public transit system. There was also a presentation of “Unsung Hero” awards to eight persons with disabilities from the City of Toronto, a poetry session that featured submissions of many excellent poems on disability-related themes, and an open forum that gave consumers and the general public an opportunity to discuss how the City of Toronto can further enhance access to services.

In Halifax, N.S., the Independent Living Nova Scotia Association participated in an all-day symposium on inclusive employment and education hosted by the Disabled Persons Commission and the Human Rights Commission, and a luncheon hosted by the Community Partners Network, a network of disability employment support services from Nova Scotia. In the evening, they held a gala dinner-dance for about 130 people, mostly consumers and their guests, sponsored by many local businesses and politicians, including the premier, four members of the legislature and two municipal councillors.

In Cowichan, B.C., the IL Centre held an open house with approximately 250 in attendance, including the mayor of Duncan, the mayor of North Cowichan and several members on the Cowichan Valley Regional District board.

The Independent Living Centre London & Area hosted a seminar, which heard from Lana Kerzner, a staff lawyer from ARCH Disability Law Centre in Toronto, who spoke about the rights of people who are consumers of attendant care and the various options available when taking steps to solve an abuse issue or to deal with consumer complaints.

In St. John’s, Nfld., the Independent Living Resource Centre sponsored an open house and reception with guests from the community, including Susan Sullivan, minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment and minister responsible for the status of persons with disabilities. She received a copy of the “Voices of the People” report, created by researchers travelling across the province to hear consumers’ opinions on issues they face every day. The minister accepted the report on behalf of the provincial government and agreed that there are problems across the province related to people with disabilities, and this report would help her work toward resolving them. The St. John’s Centre also worked with human rights organizations to include disability topics and disability leaders to speak at numerous events on Dec. 10, the international Human Rights Day.

In Regina, Sask., the South Saskatchewan IL Centre convened a public education event, sponsored by Service Canada, with presentations by the City of Regina and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission and displays from a variety of community service providers and disability advocacy groups. Later that evening, they held a gala dinner and silent auction, attended by 150 people.

Other IL Centres across the country issued press releases and made public statements about the importance of Independent Living in Canada, and in Richmond, B.C., the IL Centre was very pleased to have the mayor of Richmond proclaim December 3, 2008, as “Independent Living Day.”

Already, plans are under way for an even bigger United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities for 2009. This day has become an important date on the calendar, not just for people with disabilities in Canada, but for anyone seeking justice and dignity for all.

To learn more about IL Canada, please visit www.ilcanada.ca.