Equal Opportunity for Nova Scotians – Interim Report

Here is the Introduction.  Read the complete report here. 

Introduction

The new Liberal government of Nova Scotia has promised to enact legislation to address the circumstances of people with living with disabilities. ProBono student volunteers at Dalhousie law school have been working with the James McGregor Stewart Society to outline legislation to be enacted in Nova Scotia. The purpose of the draft is to ensure the government is provided with context, information and background when addressing the situation of people who are prevented from the full enjoyment of society. In our research, we have come to realize that this is not just a human rights issue but a civil rights issue as well. In the best sense, this is about fulfilling the promise of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for all Nova Scotians.

Our overarching goal was to determine a way to offset individual differences with accommodations, and to make that a requirement of the legislation. Abilities do vary, but they should not be defined by intentional or accidental barriers.

We examined the Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, in particular the 5 year review mandated in 2005, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.  They are summarized below.  We tried to account for the complexities of The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to reconcile our efforts with some of its obligations.

We kept a log of important concepts in the form of Principles.  Three fundamental requirements quickly emerged:

•  Written standards for infrastructure and process
•  Enforcement by government
• Application to private and public entities

Our draft legislation, in narrative form, which we have called the Equal Opportunity for Nova Scotians Act, follows the summary of our research.  The Act is intended to create standards, and to hold the provincial government accountable for the commitment they made. The Act covers employment, transportation, accommodation, communications and the provision of goods and services.

Following the draft act is a summary of an on-line survey we administered.  We circulated it to about 150 people, generally activists and got about a 50% response.  The summary is based on the first 65 responses.  Generally, the priorities expressed in the survey are consistent with our vision of the legislation.  It is important to note that there is an undercurrent (not always well hidden) of frustration with government, especially among those who identify themselves as disabled. 

For ease of understanding, we use  the word “disabled” in a conventional sense.  We do so reluctantly, because it implies that a person has some condition that prevents participation.  Almost always, exclusion results from a barrier, intentional or accidental.  Perhaps the new legislation can help us understand that we are all different and stand to benefit equally from removing barriers.

Important as a piece of legislation may be, any law cannot succeed without the commitment of the government, organizations, businesses, and community members.  Attitudes towards any marginalized person in our province are transmitted through various bodies and individuals. When the leaders in our community project an attitude that highlights the importance of equality and encourages accommodations, that attitude will become pervasive in all aspects of our community.

If you wish to provide feedback on this draft, please email the James McGregor Stewart Society at wcreedh@gmail.com.

- Gus Reed, Kelsey Evaniew, Ben Corkum & Lisa Wagner

Kelsey Evaniew is in her third year of law school. When she is not in the library, she can usually be found in one of Halifax's many cafes, reading.  

Lisa Wagner graduated from the Schulich School of Law in 2012 and completed her articles in Vancouver. She transferred to Nova Scotia in 2014 and she currently practices personal injury law.

Gus Reed is the co-founder of the James McGregor Stewart Society

Ben Corkum is in his second year of law school with a passion for studying criminal law, mental health problems and the fine arts

Pro Bono Dalhousie is the organization through which most law students first connect to the broader Halifax community. Pro Bono Dal is the local chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC), a nation-wide program that serves as an access to justice initiative providing legal services without charge to organizations that cannot afford independent legal advice. PBSC has chapters at all 22 law schools in Canada. Each year, PBSC provides 1400-1500 law students with volunteer opportunities to connect with their local community, and develop their legal skills, by working with lawyer supervisors and up to 400 organizations coast to coast.

Snowden v. Shannon

Edward Snowden did the world a service by exposing the uncontrolled spying activities of the US National Security Agency. Dave Shannon did no less for the people of Nova Scotia (Human rights vs. red tape in N.S. - Chronicle Herald January 7) by exposing the Byzantine bureaucracy, paralysis and consequent ineffectiveness of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. He makes serious allegations that go to the heart of what makes government legitimate.

Shannon doesn't provide the detailed evidence that Snowden does, and the Chronicle Herald needs to dig deeper with credible investigative reporting.  They must finish what they started.  But the barn door is open.

Shannon`s condemnation of the NSHRC`s "bureaucratic paper-pushing, “internal petty bickering” and personnel problems" exactly mirrors my experience. I filed a complaint in 2006, thinking it could remedy much of the discrimination visited upon disabled Nova Scotians.  I was helped by a professor at Dal Law School, who seemed to think we made a pretty good argument.  We expected at least a consideration of the issues.  Instead we found a secretive organization obsessed with using the proper paper form (Complaint forms prepared by someone other than Commission staff will not be accepted ), sloppy in its "investigation" (no opportunity for me to speak to the Commission`s sources), and relieved to find jurisdictional grounds to dismiss the complaint. In short a culture without any interest and understanding of Human Rights.  Says the Chronicle Herald:

Shannon found he couldn’t steer the ship toward advancing “the dignity and self-worth of the individual” under the terms of Nova Scotia’s Human Rights Act. “Not everyone in the office shared that perspective.”

He doesn't stop there:

“There were also the impediments of having to work around key people who attempted to undermine the vision of the commission, and that was highly frustrating,” Shannon said.

“Essentially, they were individuals trapped in a linear and bureaucratic paralysis that advanced paperwork rather than human rights,”

I'm wondering what other perspective might be at work in a Human Rights organization, especially since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights begins:

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world..........

But this isn't about me, it's about Nova Scotia.  When you are subject to discrimination because you're poor, a minority, fired, bullied, disabled, a woman, gay, ill, a Mormon, over 65, under 12,  a Jew, does Shannon's description of the performance of the Human Rights Commission give you confidence that your interest will be served?  Shannon calls into question the vision and commitment of this commission and the administration of justice in the Province.

There are 12 commissioners, including the present director.  The NSHRC website says commissioners "are responsible for the strategic direction of the Commission as well as for making decisions on human rights issues" By Shannon's account, they have failed at both. For their own credibility, they should explain themselves, embrace transparency, and invite an independent review. They owe us that. Every decision of the NSHRC is under a cloud.

The main asset of acting director Tracey Williams is  "more than 31 years of experience at all levels of government, half of which have been in senior executive roles".  She's an experienced bureaucrat, and that might be exactly the problem.  Surely there are more pertinent job qualifications.  Is she an attorney?  Is she experienced in the field of Human Rights?

Shannon's indictment of the NSHRC should raise alarm bells.  Is it sour grapes?  I doubt it, but the air needs to be cleared before the NSHRC can have a shred of credibility.  The government needs to work very hard to overcome the now widely held perception of the NSHRC as bureaucratic, ineffective and rudderless.  Fortunately, the new premier and his government bear little responsibility for the Commission's shortcomings, and should seize this opportunity to restore confidence in a vital agency. 

The Chronicle-Herald adds: "The government says things have improved at the commission."  Now there's a halfhearted endorsement!  We need evidence.

Gus Reed

A Framework built on sand

This post is longer than usual. It addresses Nova Scotia`s misguided and counterproductive policies toward people with disabilities.  It explains why no one cares about you.  I hope you'll read it.

In their 2009-2010 Annual Report (the newest; we should have three more), The Disabled Persons Commission (DPC) refers to a government program called Access 2020:

5.1  Access 2020 
In the 2007-2008 Budget, the Government of Nova Scotia committed to making all public government buildings barrier free by 2020. That year, a budget of $300,000 was made available from Public Works Special Projects through the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) to implement accessible design in all new government buildings and existing properties under renovation. The Disabled Persons Commission is working closely with the Department to meet the 2020 objective. The Commission is co-chairing the Accessibility Policy Development Committee (APDC) with TIR. In July 2009, TIR hired a project manager for the Barrier-Free Access to Government Real Property Project, a significant step toward accelerating the initiatives started by the APDC.

This could be a significant development for people with disabilities and really for all Nova Scotians who care about a just society.  Since the program was meant to last 12 years, next year will mark the halfway point, yet I can't find any information on the progress of this initiative.  So on July 25 I wrote to E. Anne MacRae, the director of the DPC asking

• how many existing buildings are meant by 'all'
• how many are barrier-free
• how many aren't
• what the schedule is for the renovations
• what progress has been made

And asking about the involvement of the Disabled Persons Commission

• how often are there meetings? 
• what is the staff commitment?
• what reports have been written?

Yesterday I finally got a partial response:

Dear Mr. Reed

I am responding to your email dated July 26, 2013 in which you requested information about government progress regarding accessibility to government owned and leased properties through the Access 2020 project. As you have correctly noted in your email, the Government of Nova Scotia under Premier MacDonald committed in the 2007-2008 budget to making Government public building accessible by the year 2020. The Disabled Persons Commission (DPC) and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) were very pleased with this announcement and agreed to work closely to support the work of the Access 2020 project. 

Although much discussion occurred around the necessary work, infrastructure and budget for the Access 2020 project, funding to meet the commitment was not provided by government and work on the joint DPC- TIR committee was unfortunately discontinued. This was a disappointment to the DPC and TIR since the joint committee had been working on the issue of government accessibility for a number of years prior to the Access 2020 announcement.   During this period, the joint committee developed a Government of Nova Scotia Accessibility Evaluation Guideline which resulted in an audit of government owned and leased properties.

Although the joint DPC- TIR committee is no longer active, TIR continues to make government buildings accessible where possible through a limited yearly budget that is dedicated to building accessibility. In addition, the DPC has continued to raise the importance of this issue at Commission meetings and with the Coordinating Committee of Ministers. Although government has understood the importance of accessibility, the high cost to bring all existing government buildings up to provincial accessibility standards has admittedly caused delays in making progress. 

Recently, the DPC wrote to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal about the issue of accessibility of MLA offices in the province, providing the Minister with an overview of the work the DPC has done in the past around the larger issue of government-wide accessibility

The DPC will be meeting with TIR in September to revive discussions on the issue of government accessibility. We are hopeful that this meeting will result in constructive work towards making government owned and leased properties accessible for persons with disabilities.

As your work to ensure MLA offices are fully accessible to persons with disabilities demonstrates so well it is essential that government provides persons with disabilities the same level of access to government owned or leased real properties as the general public. Access enables participation which fosters community development and engagement. In this regard, the DPC is committed to working towards a more accessible Nova Scotia for persons with disabilities.  

Sincerely,

E. Anne MacRae

Executive DirectorDisabled Persons Commission

Which brings me to the point.  The entire program of the DPC is based on the notion that people with disabilities can best be served by remembering to include them in the other programs of government.  The DPC calls this the Framework. 

Barrier-free transportation for people with disabilities, for example, would be handled by making sure that the provincial policy is to buy accessible buses, build accessible bus stops, require taxis to be be accessible and so on.  Responsibility for the policy would lie with the appropriate department.  Except for 2 throwaway lines, you will look in vain for a reference to barrier-free transit in the Sustainable Transportation Strategy. And as we discovered in looking at Metro Transit in Halifax, under half of all bus stops are accessible (47%), there are no accessible taxis, the plan to renovate older bus stops is vague, and the solution for public transportation of people with disabilities is to herd them onto separate buses with separate schedules and separate rules.  Accessibility is far from the mind of Metro Transit director Eddie Robar.  He's got more pressing problems.  

As the letter from E. Anne MacRae clearly demonstrates, remembering people with disabilities in planning and renovating government buildings lasted around a nanosecond. The government has a disability called ADHD.  Let's see.  People with disabilities can't work where they can't get in, so the Jobs Framework is fiction too. The Minister of Labour and Advanced Education could not hire a person with a wheelchair because his constituency office is not accessible. 

Remembering kids with disabilities fell by the wayside in yesterday's announcement by Education Minister Ramona Jennex  about opening early years centres in four communities. The centres provide families more access to services and supports for young children.  Trouble is, Rockingstone Heights School, the Halifax location, is on a street with no sidewalks; the main route for pedestrians has stairs with 21 steps.  The playground at Rockingstone is not wheelchair accessible.  The bus stop is 1000 feet down a steep hill.  The idea that Kids and Learning First has any promise for people with disabilities is ludicrous.  This choice of location screams "We don't care about access".  

Nope, the Framework is a house of cards, smoke and mirrors, a bad idea administered irregularly and without leverage.  People with disabilities need jobs, education, transportation and housing.  The way to get them is the same way they got access to MLA constituency offices.  Now even the government acknowledges that equal treatment of people with disabilities requires enforceable regulations.

The new regulation requiring accessible MLA constituency offices has all the hallmarks of what is needed:

• a simple statement of purpose
• The constituency office space of a member who is elected at or after the next general election must comply with the barrier-free requirements 
• incentives and penalties
• No member may be reimbursed for  constituency office accommodation expenses for constituency office space that does not comply with the barrier-free requirements
• written rules
• “barrier-free requirements” means the barrier-free access and design requirements applicable to offices under the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations, as amended from time to time;
• a timetable
• within 12 months after the member is elected.

This is the beginning of a Nova Scotians with Disabilities Act.  Other Provinces have such an act.  Nova Scotia should have nothing less.

Gus Reed

Constituency Office Survey

Updated and Complete June 11.

Our excellent summer intern, Kelly McKenna, called or emailed all 52 constituency offices and reached 51*.  This is the result. We asked 5 simple questions and scored as follows:

Parking

• 0 for gravel or none
• 1 for paved 
• 2 for paved & designated accessible

Power door Button

• 0 no 
• 1 yes

Entrance

• 0 step or stair
• .5 for portable or questionable ramp 
• 1 for level, ramp, elevator

Transportation

• 0 for not on accessible bus route
• 1 for on accessible bus route

Washroom

• 0 for none
• 1 for big enough for a wheelchair
• 2 for accessible (grab bars, wheel-under sink)

Added together, the scores give a general measure of accessibility.  Our scoring is generous and reflects what the occupant said.  We double-checked results with a confirmatory email and received 35 responses, all in agreement.

Because access to public transportation is largely beyond the control of the MLA, we have left the transportation score out of the calculation.  Thus  the maximum score is 6 and MLAs in the rural parts of Nova Scotia are not penalized.

The mean score of 51 offices is 3.2.

The mean score of members of the House of Assembly Management Commission, which makes the rules bout MLA expense allowances is 2.7. Two of them scored zero.  They recently punted on a chance to change the rules to mandate accessibility

The distribution of scores is:


The distribution of improvements is:

Many offices have ramps or level entrances, but few have commonly accepted features like accessible washrooms, designated parking or low-power doors.

Here is a map showing results.  Click a balloon for details.  A blue balloon (score -1) represents those who have not responded to an email or who just haven't answered the phone.  As you can see, the rural ridings don't fare so badly....


*Cape Breton South is vacant
Rent:
Our 51 respondents paid an average rent of $936.33 in March.  Here is a chart comparing rental cost with accessibility:


You can argue that, on average, the most accessible offices have the highest rent.  On the other hand, the average difference between offices with the lowest score (0) and the highest (6) is $228 - just $50 more than we guesstimated in a previous post.

Gus Reed

Disclaimer:  Good reader, please forgive any errors or omissions.  I believe the data to be entirely correct, but I am transcribing by hand some information that the province makes hard to gather.  As you might guess, we are trying to do in a few weeks what the Disabled Persons Commission and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission have failed to do in many years....

email me with concerns.

The price of democracy: $177.25/mo

Yesterday, the House of Assembly Management Committee, which sets the rules for MLA expenses, passed up an opportunity to affirm democratic rights for up to 28,000* Nova Scotians who use wheelchairs.  

The HAMC was presented with a plan for requiring constituency offices to meet the barrier-free standards of the province's own building code.  Timed to coincide with the upcoming election and the expected large turnover, the proposal also made the case for renovating existing offices, with landlords recapturing the costs in increased rent.

Alas, the price of democracy was too high for the HAMC, which decided further study was needed.

Chris d'Entremont, Progressive Conservative MLA for Argyle, says he has been searching for accessible office space for 10 years.  He pays $1,182.44 a month to rent his constituency office, which has a gravel driveway, a step at the entrance and no accessible washroom.  Becky Kent, Cole Harbour/Eastern Passage pays $1,130.44 for slightly more accessible space.

In ten years, that totals $141,892.80 transferred from the taxpayer to Vaughne Holdings, d'Entremont's landlord.  A tidy and reliable income.

Assuming $69.99 for a portable ramp is too much of an expense for d'Entremont, let's do a hypothetical.  I don't have a picture, but let's figure he has 3 steps for a total of 20 inches.  That would require a 20 foot ramp.  Here's a spiffy one for $1682.00 US.

For an accessible bathroom renovation Fixr.com reports:

• To do a bathroom "update" which replaces the tub, toilet, vanity, and flooring would cost approximately $9,020. 
• This pricing structure assumes that carpenters charge an average of $70 per hour, electricians between $65 to $85 per hour, and plumbers between $45 and $65 per hour.  (Hmmm)

d'Entremont doesn't need the bathtub, but we'll let him have it.  36" doors are a must.  One outside door, and one inside for the washroom.  This handy guide says they can be done for under $1000 each.  

2" asphalt paving is $1.80/sq ft.  Guessing the driveway is 100' long and 15' wide, that's $2700.

So the total cost of democracy is $15,402.  At a usurious 6.8% a ten year loan will run $177.25 a month, with cumulative payment of $21.269.44

Who should bear that expense?  The landlord?  So Vaughne Holdings would get $120,622.56, some writeoffs, an accessible space, and a 10 year tenant.  They'd be dumb not to do it.

The taxpayer?  In the last six months we paid d'Entremont's cell phone bill, averaging $229.16, most of which immediately leaves the province.  The $177.25 would mostly stay in Tusket and serve the good people there.  Taxpayers can afford it, landlords can afford it - just make a rule, willya?

By the way, since d'Entremont lives so far away, he gets $1285/mo to rent an apartment at Garrison Watch.  We taxpayers pay for that because we want him to do a good job representing his constituents.  You'd think it might be worth a tenth that amount to get to know all his constituents.

Chris!  We're generous to you, be generous to us.

Gus Reed

*based on a 2006 survey by Statistics Canada

Two Nova Scotias

The Tale

• In this Nova Scotia, it is the best of times because Anne, recent Computer Science graduate of Acadia, has a job at the shipyard, an MSI card and a health benefit to pay her pharmacy needs.
• In the other Nova Scotia, it is the worst of times because Brian, recent Computer Science graduate of Acadia, is what we call 'hard to employ'.  He needs assistance to live by himself, requires expensive medications, needs a barrier-free apartment.  At work, he would need some special technology and an accessible washroom.  Navigating the bureaucracy to obtain services, although excellent experience in itself, is frustrating and time-consuming.  Taxpayers have invested more than $50,000 in Brian's university education, yet getting a job is proving difficult.

• In this Nova Scotia, it is the best of times because Anne hops on the bus for a 20 minute ride to work.  If she works late, she takes the next bus.
• In the other Nova Scotia, it is the worst of times because Brian waits 20 minutes for the Access-a Bus to ride 40 more minutes downtown for a job interview.  The potential employer is looking for  people who can work long hours on an innovative project.  If Brian were to get the job, if he works late he will be charged for the Access-a-Bus anyway and may not get home at all.  Brian could get on an accessible low floor bus, but the nearby bus route is not equipped with them. He could take a taxi, but none are accessible.

• In this Nova Scotia, it is the best of times because Anne volunteers for her MLA, helping in the busy constituency office.
• In the other Nova Scotia, it is the worst of times because Brian, who took courses in Political Science at Acadia, can't volunteer at his MLA's constituency office which doesn't meet basic access requirements.  He can't get in, there is no washroom he can use.  The MLA rents the inaccessible space for $700 a month at taxpayer expense.

• In this Nova Scotia, it is the best of times because Anne stops into the YMCA employment center to check out better jobs.
• In the other Nova Scotia, it is the worst of times because Brian stopped at the Y with his service dog but was ordered to leave.

Government neglect

The people responsible for this unequal state of affairs are:

• the Minister of Community Services
• the Minister of Health and Fitness
• the Minister of Advanced Education and Job Training
• the Minister of Government Services
• the Minister of Labour
• the Minister of Municipal Affairs
• the member of the Executive Council who is charged with the administration of the Housing Act

They make up the Coordinating Council of the Disabled Persons Commission. This group of 7 government ministers is charged "to facilitate the planning and development of services and programs for disabled persons" according to the Disabled Persons Commission Act.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, we obtained 10 years of minutes of the meetings of this body (see below).  In the 3,956 days since January 1 2002, the Coordinating Council of the Disabled Persons Commission has met 6 times, or once every 659 days. The Minister of Health missed 2 of the 6 meetings. One set of minutes has been lost, so we don't know if that minister missed another. The Minister of Health has been busy facilitating the planning and development of services and programs for disabled persons once every nine hundred eighty nine days.  The member of the Executive Council who is charged with the administration of the Housing Act has never attended at all.

Here's the summary:

In their neglect, the Ministers have been aided and abetted by the staff of the Disabled Persons Commission, a $406,000 arm of the Department of Community Services, with a staff of 4, and 13 commissioners chosen from the community and government. Currently commisioners number 8 and 5 respectively

I have already documented the ineffectiveness of the Disabled Persons Commission, with their 1 annual report in 10 years and a website that is so out-of-date it urges us to celebrate the International Day of Persons With Disabilities in 2008.  The website does not meet any accessibility standard.

Let me be clear; For Nova Scotians with disabilities, in the past ten years time has stood still  Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent, yet the most intractable problems of people with disabilities - chronic unemployment, low income, inadequate housing and isolation are perpetuated.

There is no way for a member of the public to determine if the Disabled Persons Commission helps anyone.  It is simply invisible.  This in itself is a tremendous injury to misunderstood and undervalued citizens who are subject to much discrimination.

Supporting Data

Under the Freedom of Information Act, Parker Donham and I asked for the minutes of the meetings of the Coordinating Council of Ministers and supporting documents on August 19, 2012. In the 92 days since we made our request, after 2 extensions, 295 pages of information have been assembled. 33 pages were duplicates and 8 were deemed to be too sensitive to include, making 254 pages. The pages are summarized thus:

 

In ten years the Ministers have been exposed to

• 3 pages of statistics
• 2 pages on the United Nations Treaty
• a 6 page Strategy
• an 8 page Framework

The Framework

Most of the briefing documents regurgitate information easily found on the web.  The most revealing of the policy documents is the Framework, which was specifically named as part of our Freedom of Information Request.

Framework is the fashionable word for Plan.  

The purpose of the strategy presented in this proposal is to build on consensus between government, the disability community, the private sector and society as a whole to take action to recognise the right of persons with disability to the benefits and responsibilities of full citizenship. 

That's a start, although the rights of citizenship are absolute and not subject to consensus.  What's most alarming about this document is that it is dated October 2006 and foresees completion by October 2007. Evidently the plan was floated to the Coordinating Council of Ministers at the November meeting in 2006, but no action was taken.  Citizens don't need lectures on responsibility from government officials who can't be bothered to show up.

But the Framework is premised on the idea that the place of persons with disabilities in Canada is up for negotiation.  Under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms it isn't, and that's why the place to begin is with a Nova Scotians with Disabilities Act, not an exercise in consensus building.

A key goal articulated in the Framework is:

Empowering the disability community by increasing their means of affecting policy making in the province, and by using their valuable knowledge and ideas to push change forward.

Here's a much better plan than the utterly failed experiment currently in place.  It's hard to imagine a less effective arrangement than the Coordinating Council of Ministers.  What grade would your child earn if they only went to school once every two years?

People with disabilities should take the government's offer of self-determination.  The budget and staff of the Disabled Persons Commission should be transferred to the Nova Scotia Disability Strategy Partnership, a coalition of 21 community groups committed to a fair deal and a bright future for people with disabilities.  The budget should be tripled, accessible office space provided, and the transfer should happen on January 1.  There is plenty of precedent - the province currently grants $666,000 to "Sector Councils" to "help address skills development and HR issues". This program is administered by the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education.  That ministry is long overdue to help people with disabilities.

A better idea

Here is a four part plan:

1. The Disability Strategy Partnership develops guidelines for provincial government departments to address the situation of people with disabilities in regard to programs, services and activities.  Guidelines are in place by June, 2013.  Self assessment must be complete by December, 2013. 
2. The Disabled Persons Commission, now reporting to the Disability Strategy Partnership, will have a modern and accessible website in 90 days and will continue to refine and improve it as a resource to 
1. Persons with disabilities
2. Business
3. The general public
4. Government
3. The government files legislation in 2013 titled "The Nova Scotians with Disabilities Act" with these explicit purposes:
1. to provide a clear and comprehensive foundation for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities; 
2. to provide clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities; 
3. to ensure that the Provincial government plays a central role in enforcing the standards established by the act on behalf of individuals with disabilities; and 
4. to invoke the sweep of legislative authority, including the power to regulate business, in order to address the major areas of discrimination faced day to day by people with disabilities. 
4. To be eligible for reimbursement, all MLA Constituency Offices (see article) must meet the following standards within 60 days:
1. Wheelchair Accessible
2. TTY services
3. Accessible Washrooms
4. Accessible parking
5. Power doors

The Disabled Persons Commission has been in existence since 1989.  It's time to abandon a bad idea and actually do something useful.

Gus Reed

Incarceration of Information

Are you dying to find the latest annual report of the Nova Scotia Disabled Person's Commission (DPC)?  Look no further than the Disabled Persons Commission Annual Report 2002-2003.  Although Canada signed the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities on March 11, 2010, it's still 3 years in the future for the DPC.

These 5 to 9 year old reports are among the most current documents on the website of the Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission, which today (October 26, 2012) proudly announces

This page and all contents Crown copyright © 2004, Province of Nova Scotia, all rights reserved.  Comments to: williaye@gov.ns.ca - Page last updated 2007-August-16. 

Five years.

What has this secretive commission, costing over $400,000 annually, whose director earns $86,621.28 been doing all that time?

That's what motivated me to write a detailed email to E. Anne MacRae, the executive Director, in late June, requesting copies of reports and minutes from their activities.

I received a response on July 12, which is reproduced in full here, and contains details of:

• efforts to increase the commission’s staff, to create a Disability Strategy for the province and to redesign the website to be fully accessible.
• A new and fully accessible website currently in the testing stage with the expectation that it will be rolled out by early Fall. 
• Links to 3 additional statistical reports, published in 2009 and 2010, all reviewing 2006 data 
• A list of current Commissioners
• Caution that many of the issues are complex and progress can be incremental. 
• And concluding with pride
• "I’m proud of our work and look forward to an expanding role for the commission as we embark on developing the Disability Framework." 

Nice, but not exactly the flood of pent-up information I was looking for.

So with my friend and fellow blogger Parker Donham, I filed a Freedom of Information Request on July 16, asking for the minutes of the Minister's Steering Committee meetings (twice a year for ten years) and the draft Disability Strategy and Disability Framework (whatever that is).

Not having heard by August 16, I inquired and learned there was no record of my request.  Should I have spent $10 to send registered mail?  

• So the 30 days for the DPC to respond actually started running August 16.
• September 16, a 30 day extension is sought 
• October 18, another 30 day extension, granted by the Freedom of Information Review Officer without consulting us.

90 days is way too long.  I think these people

• don't do anything
• have never written another annual report
• have confused 'disabled' with 'stupid'
• have confused 'disabled' with 'passive'
• need to be held accountable

As a disabled person, I'd like to be wrong about the people who are supposed to protect my interests.  So maybe I could get an answer before the UN Convention is signed.  3 years ago!

Gus Reed

PS Here are a half dozen studies that should have been done:

• Making Departmental Websites and Services Accessible
• The Payoff for Accessible Tourism
• Physical and Programmatic Barriers to Employment
• Accessible Transportation in Rural Nova Scotia
• Recreational Opportunities for Nova Scotians with Disabilities
• Moving Beyond a Medical Model of Disability

Correspondence

June 24, 2012

Dear Ms. MacRae,

I am researching an article for my blog on the efforts of the Disabled Persons Commission in relation to its vision and focus as articulated by the commission in testimony before the legislature in 2010:

"our vision is to be a leader in areas of education and awareness, accessibility, research and policy analysis, and the employability of Nova Scotians with disabilities"...."the biggest area that we focus on is creating information"

I am having trouble locating the documents and reports listed under the 'Duties' section of the act:

(a) advise the Co-ordinating Committee on matters pertaining to disabled persons in the community, including the provision of technical aids and the Building Code as it pertains to disabled persons;

(b) identify and study issues of concern to disabled persons and recommend action where appropriate;

(c) promote opportunities for self-help for disabled persons in the context of the family and the community;

(d) review programs and policies affecting disabled persons;

(e) respond to requests from the Co-ordinating Committee for advice on specific issues;

(f) prepare an annual guide book on programs serving disabled persons, including both programs administered by the Province and by other organizations;

(g) submit to the Government through the Co-ordinating Committee an annual report outlining the Commissions activities and achievements; and

(h) advise the Co-ordinating Committee on which community in the Province has done the most in any year to improve awareness of the accessibility for disabled persons. 1989, c. 4, s. 7.

Report on certain matters

8 Where the Commission reviews, considers or inquires into any matter at the request of or with the approval of the Co-ordinating Committee, the Commission shall make a report to the Co-ordinating Committee with respect to that matter at the conclusion of its deliberations. 1989, c. 4, s. 8.

Can you please provide me with copies of the reports, studies, guide books and reviews mentioned above? I am particularly interested in the annual reports and documents relating to the building code.

By way of illustration of the difficulty of locating the documents, here is some information on the timeliness of your website:

• Home Page last updated August 2007
• Last Annual Report posted April 2004
• Resource Directory from 2003
• Words and Expressions document does not exist
• The link to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is for 2008

Finally, please forward

• the list of the 12 current appointed commissioners along with their emails.
• your staff list and emails
• an updated budget (you said $400,000 in your 2010 testimony)

Thank you in advance, 

Warren Reed
**********************************************
June 26, 2012

Hello Mr. Reed:

Thank you for your email.  We will be getting back to you with the information you have requested. Just to say as a start, you are right our website is out of date, and in fact we have been working on modernizing it and making it much more accessible to persons with disabilities. That testing is underway as we speak. We hope to have this work completed by the end of the summer at the very latest.
I will be back in touch with a longer email with some documents, if not by the end of this week, early next week, as we currently have some deadlines we have to meet by  Friday.

Sincerely,

Anne
**********************************************
July 12:

Mr. Warren Reed
406-1540 Summer StreetHalifax, NS B3H 4R9

Dear Mr. Reed:

Thank you for your e-mail of June 23, 2012 regarding your request for information about the Disabled Persons Commission.

The Disabled Persons Commission does have a vision statement resulting from a consulting process. The vision is ambitious and while we have made strides in some areas, there are others that are developmental.

Over the past five years, while we have focused on key issues as described in our vision, we have also on three additional: to increase the commission’s staff, to create a Disability Strategy for the province and to redesign our website to be fully accessible.

We have experienced a modest staff increase to a total of four positions. The commission is taking a leadership role in partnership with the disability community to create a Disability Framework. We’re close to completing an ambitious redesign of our website to become fully accessible.A new and fully accessible website is currently in the testing stage with the expectation that it will be rolled out by early Fall. Much of the information that you have requested will be available at this time.

For instance, we fully expect to include links to a series of our annual reports which are in production now. These reports contain detailed information regarding our daily activities and projects. They also report on meetings with the Coordinating Committee of Ministers. Meetings are held to update the Ministers about issues being raised with the commission. It is also a useful mechanism for Ministers to report on disability-specific programs within their own departments.On a regular basis, the commission publishes statistical manuals on persons with disabilities in Nova Scotia. The intent is to link these to the new website as well. If you prefer, you can also obtain them through the Community Counts website maintained by the Department of Finance.  They are as follows:

Persons With Disabilities in Nova Scotia: A Statistical Report 2010
Employment Statistics for Persons With Disabilities in Nova Scotia: A Statistical Report 2009
Income Statistics for Persons with Disabilities in Nova Scotia – Part A: A Statistical Report 2009-10

As requested, I am also sending you a list of our current Commissioners (see attached). Please note that our main telephone lines are conduits to staff and members. All of the commission’s staff respond to information requests from these lines daily: (902) 424-8280 (toll free (800)565-8280), TTY: 424-2667 (toll free (877)996-9954)

In closing, I wish to emphasize the Disabled Persons Commission’s commitment to serve all those living with disabilities across the province.

As you can appreciate, many of the issues we deal with on a daily basis are complex and progress can be incremental. I’m proud of our work and look forward to an expanding role for the commission as we embark on developing the Disability Framework.Sincerely,


E. Anne MacRae,Executive Director

Disabled Persons Commission Member’s List

Community Representatives
Mr. Ralph Ferguson – Pictou
Mr. William (Bill) Crawford – Yarmouth
Mr. Brian Tapper (Chair) – Dartmouth
Ms. Jane Warren – Wolfville
Ms. Marcie Shwery-Stanley – Sydney
Mr. John Cox – Dartmouth
Mr. Jeff Overmars – Dartmouth
Mr. Brian Cooper - Halifax
Government Representatives
Department of Community Services
Ms. Lorna MacPherson, Acting Director Services for Persons With Disabilities
Department of Health and Wellness
Ms. Patricia Murray, Acting Executive Director Mental Health, Children’s Services and Addiction Treatment Branch
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
Ms. Georgina Dimock, Planning and Development Officer
Department of Labour and Advanced Education
Ms. Kimberly Kennedy, Regulatory Impact Specialist
Department of Education
Mr. Don Glover, DirectorStudent Services Division

Disabled Persons CommissionOperating Budget 2012-13

Salaries and benefits $273,800.00
Operational $132,200.00
Total $406,000.00

**********************************************
September 19 extension

September 19, 2012

Mr. Warren Reed & Mr. Parker Donham
1540 Summer Street, Apt. 406
Halifax, NS B3H 4R9

Dear Mr. Warren Reed & Mr. Parker Donham:

RE: Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Application

We processed your application for access under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act on August 16, 2012. Your request reads:

• Any and all minutes of all meetings of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers from Jan 1, 2002, to the date of return of this request.
• Copies of any and all presentations or submissions made by the council or its executive director to the Coordinating Committee of Ministers from Jan 1,
• 2002, to the date of return of this request..
• Copies of the latest draft version of the Disability Strategy.
• Copies of the latest draft version of the Disability Framework.

We have extended the response time of 30 days, as provided for under Section 9(1) of the Act, for an additional thirty days to October 16, 2012. We advise of this extension for the following reasons;

(b) /there is no (a)/ a large number of records is requested or must be searched and meeting the time limitwould unreasonably interfere with the operations of the public body

(c) more time is needed to consult with a third party or other public body before the head of the public body can decide whether or not to give the applicant access to a requested record.

If you do not agree that there is justification for an extension of time, you can complain to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer by calling or writing as follows:

Ms. Dulcie McCallum,Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer
PO Box, 181, Halifax, NS B3J 2M4
Toll-free: 1-866-243-1564Fax: (902) 424-8303TTD/TTY: 1-800-844-0511

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns.
Sincerely,

E. Anne MacRae
Executive Director
**********************************************
October 18 extension

Date October 18, 2012

Mr. Warren Reed and Mr. Parker Donham
1540 Summer St. Apt. 406
Halifax, NS

Dear Mr. Reed and Mr. Donham:

Re:  Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy ApplicationThis letter is in regards to your request:

• Any and all minutes of all meetings of the Coordinating Committee of Ministersfrom Jan 1, 2002, to the date of return of this request. 
• Copies of any and all presentations or submissions made by the council or itsexecutive director to the Coordinating Committee of Ministers from Jan 1, 2002, to the date of return of this request.. 
• Copies of the latest draft version of the Disability Strategy. 
• Copies of the latest draft version of the Disability Framework.

I wish to advise you that we are seeking an extension beyond the initial 30 day extension that we claimed in my letter to you on September 19, 2012.  To do so we have requested the additionalextension from the Review Officer who may be contacting you to seek any representations you may wish to make on our request.  The reason for this additional extension is that a large number of records has been requested and more time is needed to consult with third parties.  We are thus seeking this extension under Section 9(1) (c).  An extension has been granted until November 18, 2012.

You have the right to ask the Review Officer to review this decision.  To do so, use Form 7, a copy of which is attached.  Send the completed form to:

Review Officer, P.O. Box 181, Halifax,N.S. B3J 2M4.

A modest success regarding The Future of Nova Scotia’s Natural Resources

Our submission to Voluntary Planning on the subject of accessible Provincial Parks found a receptive audience. Find our submission here and the interim report of Voluntary Planning here. This is the relevant section:

Specific recommendations were made regarding accessibility or equitable treatment of persons with disabilities:

• To raise the level of accessibility to international standards, the parks divisions in the Department of Natural Resources should formally commit to standards for parks and outdoor recreation as set out in Britian’s accessibility regulations and Proposed Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas. It should also institute formal and binding accessibility review and approval procedure for all capital projects and programs and commit to remediation of non-complying facilities.

This begs the question about what the Disabled Person's Commission is doing. Shouldn't they be looking after this sort of thing?

Until November 14, comments can be submitted to Voluntary Planning by e-mail at volplan@gov.ns.ca , fax at (902) 424‑0580, or by mail to:

Voluntary Planning
Suite 600, 1690 Hollis St.
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 3J9

Agenda for Access in HRM

It is estimated that 20% of Nova Scotians live with a disability. In order to achieve a fully accessible and barrier free HRM, the James McGregor Stewart Society seeks your support for some important measures. Most of these measures require only common sense and consideration of the needs of disabled Haligonians.

Fair Government

• All public meetings must be held in accessible locations, with appropriate amenities (signers, accessible washrooms) served by scheduled and accessible public transportation.
• There will be continuing emphasis on HRM website accessibility
• There will be an accessibility section in the Annual Report, detailing accomplishments
• HRM sponsored or funded events will be accessible to everyone
• A higher profile will be given to the HRM Advisory Committee on Persons with Disabilities

Barrier Free Infrastructure

• The HRM Municipal Service System Guidelines (Redbook) will be continually monitored to include modern standards of accessible design for infrastructure
• Heritage properties which are public accommodations will have a plan for accessibility
• HRM will develop plans to eliminate barriers in currently Inaccessible public facilities and budget accordingly

Effective Municipal Services

• A fully accessible public transportation system, including taxis, remains one of HRM's highest priorities
• Public Safety and services must pay special attention to the needs of people with disabilities – for example:
• Include disability considerations in snow removal standards (curb cut clearing, bus platforms, tactile clues)
• zero tolerance for crimes against disabled people
• Emergency measures should address planning and protection for disabled people.

Disabled not welcome in Constituency Offices

Constituency Matters do matter

The regulations of the Legislature Internal Economy Board pursuant to
the House of Assembly Act set out the expenses Nova Scotia MLAs can be reimbursed for maintaining an office in their riding and other constituency matters as follows

Admittedly, this is not a lavish sum. A secretary or administrator would cost $1,500 maybe, the rent on the office in the stripmall another $1500. Heat, light, stamps, copying – it adds up.

There are no strings to this allowance, so MLAs are free to have offices wherever they want.

We surveyed the 52 Constituency Offices maintained by MLAs. We visited a few, but most were telephoned. We were polite, and on the whole, respondents were polite. It is fair to say that the idea of accessibility does not figure prominently in the choice of location.

We asked about 6 categories of accessibility

• Parking
• Barrier Free approach
• Doors and entrance – power doors or doors with a 2kg opening force
• Washrooms
• Information – Braille, visible alarms, etc.
• Meeting Space

Each category got a “1” if present in any way, and a “0” if absent.
We were generous.
The ratings were totaled for each office
38 surveys were completed by phone or visit – 73%

This chart shows the frequency of accessible services

• So most offices represented that meeting rooms were accessible, although we did not press this question in detail
• Few offices could meet the commonly accepted standard of door pressure
• 9 offices had accessible washrooms

This chart represents the distribution of the totals for all offices surveyed

• For example, 17 offices had 2 accessible services
• The average number of services is 2.47
• One person made the case that access wasn’t needed because the MLA made home visits, forgetting that a person with a disability might be qualified for a job at the office

It is indefensible to use taxpayer money in a way that physically excludes a large proportion of voters. Disabled employees are, as in all locations with poor accessibility, openly disqualified.

Therefore, the James McGregor Stewart Society proposes that the legislature institute a few simple requirements for constituency office accessibility:

Parking

• Paved Lot
• One van accessible space with signage

Barrier Free approach

• Curb cut
• Ramp
• Sidewalk

Doors and entrance

• Level threshold
• 1000mm width
• Sized and spaced for accessibility
• 2 kg door opening pressure or power door

Washrooms

• Raised toilet
• Accessible sink
• Sized and spaced for accessibility
• Grab bars
• Appropriate dispensers
• Installed at correct height
• Braille signs

Meeting Space and general accessibility

• Braille signs
• Sized and spaced for accessibility
• TTY access
• One computer optimized for access
• Audible and visible alarms

The government is in the enviable position of being a desirable and reliable tenant. Accessibility can be accomplished by giving landlords the list and saying “make it so”, or by shopping for suitable space.

It may cost a bit more, so we propose that the constituency allowance be increased by an appropriate amount per month, provided the MLA files a declaration of compliance. Without the declaration, none of the stipend is allowed. The new regulations are in force as of January 1, 2009.

This small effort will be a symbol of government’s commitment to meaningful access for all Nova Scotians.

Have wheels, will travel

Not to mention service dogs, white canes, hearing aids, oxygen, walkers, crutches and attendants.

Americans don't have a lot of vacation choices anymore. Their dollar is in the toilet, they're reeling from record (for them) gas prices, the economy is a shambles. A vacation in the Maritimes might be the only affordable alternative. But it's business as usual down at the Ministry of Tourism, where primitive access standards are the order of the day. Chalk up another loss for Nova Scotia.
-Gus Reed

With agencies, resorts and cities eagerly catering to the growing number of travellers with disabilities, the countless obstacles faced by someone in a wheelchair are starting to fall

ALLISON DUNFIELD Special to The Globe and Mail

April 23, 2008

After a car accident put Daryl Rock in a wheelchair in 1983, the Vancouver native became determined to put his life back together - and that meant continuing to follow his dream of seeing the world.

"I considered it a part of my rehab," he says.

Fast-forward 25 years, and his Facebook world map has 31 countries and 190 cities checked off - he has been to every continent but Antarctica and Africa.

And he's certainly not alone on the road. While people with disabilities say they face definite challenges to touring the world, with a bit of planning and because of improving accessibility, it is becoming easier and increasingly common.

A 2002 study by the Chicago-based Open Doors Organization found the travel market for Americans with disabilities to be worth about $13.6-billion (U.S.) - and that it could double if accessibility were improved. In a 2005 study, the organization found that the number of leisure trips in the United States was up 50 per cent over 2002.

Quebec's Kéroul, a non-profit organization dedicated to accessible tourism, says people with disabilities are just as likely to travel as the rest of the population, with more than half of the 4.2 million in Canada taking at least one overnight trip a year.

"It's a normal thing to do for everybody. People with disabilities are the same as everybody else in the sense that it is important for them to experience what this life and this world have to offer, and travel is a big part of that," says Ray Cohen, publisher and editor-in-chief of Abilities Magazine.

But although the "world is in transition," he says, the visually impaired or physically disabled are still encountering problems everywhere from buses to train station washrooms to airplanes. "These are issues that people with disabilities cannot take for granted because it means the difference of being able to go someplace or not."

It certainly hasn't been easy for Rock, who has encountered unsympathetic hoteliers, lost wheelchairs, long waits to disembark from planes and blown tires on the road.

He recalls one trip when he arrived late at his hotel, checked in and went up to his room - only to realize he could not get through the doorway of the washroom. He went back down to the front desk and told the staff the room was not wheelchair-accessible as advertised. They told him that they had had disabled people stay there in the past, "so it's obviously your problem."

"By this time it was midnight. I ended up having to find another hotel," he says.

For most travellers, booking flights, rushing to the airport and getting on a plane with your luggage can be trying, but "if you have a disability, just multiply everything by four or five," says Sandra Carpenter, the acting executive director of the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto. She uses a wheelchair to get around and travels to conferences as part of her job.

Air travel poses one of the biggest hurdles, especially for those who are dependent on a medical assistant for mobility, eating and going to the washroom, or those who are too obese to fit into a standard seat; such passengers must book a second seat - though Air Canada may offer a discounted fare during some flights.

The Council of Canadians with Disabilities argues that having to pay for an extra seat is unfair because it makes travelling by plane prohibitive, with trains, ferries and interprovincial buses already required to allow attendants to travel free.

In 2002, the council launched a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency. "I would love to be able to travel on my own. But [because I have attendants] ... I'm the one that has to bear the cost," says Joanne Neubaur, one of the principal complainants in the case.

Three months ago, the agency ruled that Canada's three major carriers - Air Canada, WestJet and Air Canada Jazz - must provide an additional seat at no cost to people with severe disabilities who require an attendant to help them during a flight and to clinically obese passengers.

But a month later, both Air Canada and WestJet filed for leave to appeal the decision. Richard Bartrem, WestJet's vice-president of culture and communication, says his airline "believes there were errors in law in the decision. It was for those reasons that we launched this."

The Federal Court of Appeal has yet to decide if it will grant the leave to appeal, and the Council of Canadians with Disabilities fears the case will drag on.

"Of course I was very disappointed. I thought it just made sense that they provide this accommodation," says Neubauer, who lives in Victoria and requires attendants because of her rheumatoid arthritis.

EXTRA PLANNING IS KEY

The key to planning a trip with a minimum of snags - and there will always be snags, the well-travelled Rock notes - is to know and communicate your needs and rights.

Experts in the field of accessible travel generally agree that doing all your booking online - especially for a complex trip requiring multiple stops or accommodations - is next to impossible if you have special needs because it may not be possible to make specific requests; it's best to phone the airline or hotel to outline exactly what you are expecting.

Brian Simms, a travel agent with Toronto's Access Holidays, which specializes in accessible travel, says it's important for people to consider all the equipment and medical supplies they will use, as well as their requirements on the plane and in a hotel. For example, a passenger needs to figure out whether they will need to be transported from the gate to their seat via an onboard wheelchair. Will there be room to store crutches? How will they get from the check-in counter to the gate?

Rock says it's also critical to pack necessary medical supplies in a carry-on bag.

And many travellers recommend bringing tools and a manual, as wheelchairs are loaded in the cargo bay and can arrive dismantled or damaged.

Simms says it's also important to have a Plan B in case of a flight delay. "An able-bodied person can say, 'Oh, I'll get on the next flight.' A special needs person can't do that." His company will find an accessible hotel for each leg of the journey - just in case.

In many situations, it's simply a matter of knowing your rights. For example, under the Canada Transportation Act, people in wheelchairs or with other accessibility issues can request that their seat be the most accessible one on the plane - i.e., on the aisle, with a movable armrest - when they book, at no additional cost.

Rock notes that airlines are also required to pre-board passengers with disabilities. But often airlines try to help him to his seat last, he says, adding that it's both "irritating" and embarrassing to be lifted into his seat in front of everyone.

During a flight, crews will help to open a meal tray or transport a passenger to the washroom with an aisle-sized onboard wheelchair, but they are not required to assist a person inside the washroom, so solo passengers are advised to consider using a catheter.

Once you've arrived, it's important to have booked a room that will meet all your requirements.

"First off, when you make a reservation, don't just ask for an 'accessible room,' as they all have different features," says Candy Harrington, editor of Emerging Horizons, a U.S.-based magazine on accessible travel. "If you need a specific access feature, such as a roll-in shower, you have to ask for that. All accessible rooms do not have roll-in showers - some have tubs with grab bars. So terminology is important - describe the features you need."

As well, many hotels - even the larger chains - may not have more than two or three accessible rooms, so booking well in advance is essential.

Rock says he usually finds chain properties such as Hiltons or Sheratons to be the best bet for the first night; once he finds his bearings, he usually searches for a smaller, cheaper option.

People should also carefully consider the type of vacation and location.

"I always start with a cruise," travel agent Simms says, if the person hasn't ventured out much. For one thing, a passenger in a wheelchair can spend a week aboard without much worry because most cruise ships are very well equipped.

Other popular choices are Las Vegas, San Diego, Disney resorts and most major cities in the United States. Travellers such as Rock and Adam Lloyd, who runs the website Gimp on the Go, an online repository of accessible destinations, say it's because the Americans with Disabilities Act has substantially improved accessibility in all corners of that country.

"Most U.S. vacation spots do very well," Lloyd says. Worldwide, he adds, travellers consistently rave about Britain, Australia, Germany, France and some parts of Latin America.

Sadly, Vancouver is the only Canadian city commonly mentioned in terms of accessibility. Pat Danforth of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities says that while Canada was ahead of most countries in that respect in the 1980s, since the U.S. disabilities act came into effect in 1990, this country has fallen far behind because we don't have similar across-the-board regulations.

By doing some online research, however, vacationers can get a good sense of what they will encounter. Websites such as Gimp on the Go have an up-to-date list of accessible hotels, tourist spots and restaurants.

Obviously, the trip should suit the individual, not the wheelchair, Harrington says. "There's a whole world beyond theme parks, and just because you are disabled doesn't mean you are automatically going to like theme parks. If you didn't like them pre-disability, you're not magically going to think they're real cool when you suddenly use a wheelchair."

JUST GO

Toronto's Walt Balenovich, a wheelchair maverick who has written a book about his journeys, Travels in a Blue Chair, excels in choosing adventures far from the tourist traps.

He never books his hotels in advance and is always able to find someone to help him get around. He doesn't even worry about finding an accessible shower - there's always soap, water and a washcloth, he says.

"I travel alone so I have to rely on people to help me," he says. "Who wouldn't help somebody in a wheelchair? It takes five minutes out of your day and you come away from it feeling good."

He says that because he's "looking to rough it," he enjoys staying in hostels, where he meets interesting people and often has a more unique experience.

Even a medical emergency abroad did little to deter him. "I had a bad experience in Zambia where I fell out of the wheelchair and broke my leg." A doctor with a "blurry X-ray machine" slapped a cast on him, and Balenovich continued on his way.

He's proof that experiences are limitless for the traveller with a little chutzpah. He has soaked in the spray of Iguazu Falls in Argentina, visited rice paddies in Indonesia and floated on a catamaran over the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

"I just find a destination. I don't worry about whether the wheelchair is going to be a problem or not. The world is not built with a ramp."

ONLINE HELP

Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality

Council of Canadians with Disabilities

Open Doors Organization

Access-Able Travel Source

Access Holidays

Centre for Independent Living in Toronto

Emerging Horizons

Gimp on the Go

Canadian Transportation Agency

TRAVEL TIPS

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to research your vacation - some experts recommend spending up to a year if the trip is out of the country, such as a cruise or a safari.

Identify yourself to the airline and/or travel agency as someone with a disability. Under Canadian Transportation Agency guidelines, you are not required to go into detail - simply describe what you need.

Be sure to keep all your medical documentation, wheelchair instructions and medications with you in case of an emergency.

Confirm and reconfirm all your flights, transportation to and from the hotel and any reservations as far in advance as possible, again stating your needs.

Travel during off-hours or off-days to allow more time for yourself and for airline and hotel staff to help you out; ideally, book your flight early in the day in case of delays.

Determine what sort of flight you will need. Planes that carry more than 30 passengers in Canada are required to have an on-board wheelchair that you can use to get to and from the washroom; however, you will not get help in the washroom, so make sure you will be able to manage.

Request the most accessible seat possible - i.e., an aisle seat with an armrest that folds up, preferably close to the washroom.

Provincial Party Platforms

Waiting patiently since requesting details of party platforms in August, your society has at last some information to help voters decide where their interests lie. It would be a stretch to call these policies a cohesive plan, and you will have to read the statements (in topics -> provincial to the right) in detail to decide for yourself what makes sense.

Here is a rough categorization of the substance of the statements as provided by the provincial NDP and Progressive Conservatives:

Category	Conservative	NDP	Grand Total
Assistive devices	1	2	3
Education	5		5
Employment	3		3
Housing	5	4	9
Income Assistance	1		1
Rights	3	3	6
Support Services	8	2	10
Transportation	1	1	2
Grand Total	27	12	39

A complete list is posted here.

Despite promising a statement on September 11, 2007, the Liberal Party has not sent any information. The PC document arrived this February 27 (190 days) and the NDP arrived in a lightning fast 17 days on September 4.

The PCs have combed through their various departments and programs to enumerate anything that might intersect with the interests of persons with disabilities. Not all of these programs would disappear under a new regime – things like self-managed care are here to stay, we hope.

The NDP does not have the luxury of being able to take credit for existing programs, so provides a more general statement of areas of interest.

The 8 categories tabulated above do not cover all areas of interest to persons with disabilities. For example, where is any mention of health? Much is made of Nova Scotia’s commitment to healthy lifestyles, yet many community recreational facilities are inaccessible. Or public safety? Crimes against persons with disabilities are a growing concern.

The NDP forgets education and income completely, while the debate rages about devoting educational resources to mainstreaming. A young woman with a disability was denied support for seeking a higher degree. Many people with disabilities struggle with low incomes and a system that discourages initiative.

The answer, of course, is a Nova Scotians with Disabilities Act, which would require government and business to treat persons with disabilities identically with other citizens. If all departments of government were required to review all of their programs with the objective of neutrality on questions of disability, we would have no inaccessible municipal swimming pools, no libraries without Braille books, and no taverns without wheelchair washrooms.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

A few of the programs earn special mention

• Bad ideas
• The PC program in partnership with the Abilities Foundation, which began with a $1 million payment in March 2005, and had helped just 33 individuals in time for the foundation’s annual report in 2006. (PC)
• Cost sharing of private workplace accommodation. Which amounts to bribery to hire individuals with disabilities. This encourages the perception of persons with disabilities as people who need a handout. (PC)
• Public sector diversity talent pool – 49 hired in 2007 . (PC)
• Adopt UN Convention – Send your complaints to Geneva . (NDP)
• Income Assistance programs – people need incentives, not handouts . (PC)
• Good ideas
• Visitability Standards in public housing – ending isolation for those who can’t always get out. . (PC)
• Accessibility standards for public housing. Finally, something in writing! (NDP)
• Independent living – everyone is a winner . (PC)
• Tax credit – to account for the often heavy start-up costs to enter the work force. . (PC)

Gus Reed
March 14, 2008