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October 29, 2022

Note to Eddie Bartnik

You remember the ongoing Human Rights inquiry about the people with disabilities who were improperly institutionalized?  Now it's metamorphosed into an inquiry about systemic ableism in the area of poverty and housing, complete with a mediator from Australia.

The mediator, Eddie Bartnik is being paid by the Province and presents an "opportunity to contribute to meaningful change in how people with disabilities are supported to live and thrive in their communities."

The website of the Disability Rights Coalition which supplies the lawyers is reasonably up-to-date, mentioning a meeting on October 3.

Wait, wait! Don't we have an Accessibility Directorate in the Justice Department? Budget $2,837,000?  A staff of 14, with this mission:

....a central government mechanism to ensure that the concerns of persons with disabilities respecting policy, program development and delivery are advanced and considered by the government.

Sounds like they're the point people on meaningful change, though their website doesn't provide any clues.  Oops, they're part of the Justice Department, whose lawyers are negotiating with Eddie B.  Double oops!  The Minister is sitting on the first completed standard and doesn't want to upset this particular apple cart.  The 'systemic' negotiations don't get a mention here. 

Or maybe the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives ($4,803,000, 24 staff) has a role:

We're responsible for making sure government identifies and addresses underlying and systemic differences that people experience with access to opportunities and resources

The 'systemic' negotiations don't get a mention here. 

Or perhaps 

Engagement, Equity and Belonging at Labour, Skills and Immigration ($437,000, 6 staff)  Invisible web presence, but clearly in the budget

The branch works across the department to ensure our workforce is representative of the communities that we serve, and we continue to be responsive to the department’s needs to ensure our working environments are safe, accessible, equitable, and inclusive for all employees 

The 'systemic' negotiations don't get a mention here.  

Or even the Human Rights Commission ($2,880,000, 25.5 staff)

The Human Rights Commission administers the Human Rights Act by investigating and resolving complaints of discrimination and promoting awareness and respect for human rights through public education, training and outreach.

Oops, they're part of the Justice Department too.  They work for the people that are negotiating with Eddie.  The words 'fox' and 'henhouse' leap to mind.   The 'systemic' negotiations don't get a mention here.  

So four agencies, ($10,957,000,  69.5 staff) all beavering away with the same goal as Eddie B.  Bold larceny of taxpayer funds.  How can Eddie compete with such practiced ineffectiveness?

It's a wonder Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness ($2,383,000, 16 staff) hasn't discovered this classic example of government inefficiency and malingering 

The Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness has a mandate to lead Nova Scotia’s collective efforts to develop and promote a strong, agile, and efficient regulatory environment to the benefit of our citizens, businesses, and all organizations.

Eddie!

  • The complete absence of contact info for you makes me doubt
    • Your existence
    • Your sincerity
  • The government wants
    • to pay you
    • for the report to be a secret
  • To understand your mission, please read
    • 1984
    • Alice in Wonderland
    • Evangeline
    • This blog
  • Talk, not action is the watchword of government
  • Conflicting loyalties, like Covid, are epidemic
  • All orchestrated by Communications Nova Scotia, AKA MinTru
  • You could be a hero, but the government will find a way to muzzle you.
  • It just doesn't like people with disabilities
  • The ableism is part of a history of cruelty dating decades back
    • Blankets with Smallpox
    • Acadians
    • Africville
    • The Marshall Inquiry
  • It goes way deeper than housing and poverty
    • Health
    • Transportation
    • Education
    • More
  • Remember, this is the government that calls murders "casualties"
  • Good luck!

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