A suggestion for the Executive Council

I happened to reread Cynthia Bruce's excellent essay on ableism, and it set off a long train of thought.

Ableism is a useful term, capturing the cluelessness of the vast majority, and their ignorance of the barriers imposed on people with disabilities by simple oversight.

Ableists certainly don't appreciate the value of alternative viewpoints.  They are dinosaurs looking at shrews.

Consider Nova Scotia's diversity and inclusion policy which offers three reasons for expanding the diversity of government employees:

• It's the right thing to do
• We have a shrinking workforce
• It's good for business 

How about expanding the diversity of Agencies, Boards and Commissions, which are an effective way for citizens to influence policy?

When you look at the governance of Nova Scotia's institutions, as I did in 2016, you find that 92% of  Directors, Commissioners and elected officials are white, only 39% female and half a percent (Kevin Murphy) are people with a disability.

I set out to update that today, starting with Develop Nova Scotia.  A visit to their website shows a board of 14, 7 men, 7 women, one second generation immigrant, no African or Indigenous Nova Scotians (I could be wrong) and no people with visible disabilities.

I don't doubt that Develop Nova Scotia would like to lead on accessibility, so why don't they have a board member who can speak in the first person for people with disabilities?

There are a ton of openings in Agencies, Boards and Commissions, and many people with disabilities who have a lot to contribute.  Although the Executive Council, which runs the appointment process to ABCs pays lip service to employment equity, there is a dearth of routine information that would encourage applications:

• Are meetings held in accessible locations?
• Will I be able to be accompanied by a support person?
• Are there services for the deaf and hard of hearing?
• Are documents available in alternative formats?
• Are meetings timed to coincide with limited transportation options?
• Can I attend meetings by Skype or Zoom?

For example, the Advisory Council on Heritage Property meets in the Cambridge Military Library, Royal Artillery Park, Halifax.  Given the routine exclusion of  people with disabilities from their heritage at historic properties, who knows if this is accessible?

Doesn't 'employment equity' extend to ABCs?  Time to be more welcoming!