Which Party Is Willing To Change The Clock?

By Donna Jodhan

On Sunday September 07 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper went before the Nation and announced that he had asked the Governor General to dissolve Parliament so that he could call a general election. Elections come and elections go but there was one thing that bothered me about this particular call. On a Sunday no less, when Mr Harper knew that he would get most of our attention, he made the call without even stopping to think that Sunday was the day for many of us to keep the Sabbath and worship in our own way. It dismayed me to see that this Prime Minister could not have waited till the day after to make his call.

What difference would it have made but dare I say that maybe, just maybe, he was more concerned with getting the most attention for himself and his government rather than respecting the privacy and quietude of others?

A little over a week has gone by since all of the leaders started campaigning and as of yet, I am still waiting to hear if or when any of these leaders is going to wake up and start addressing the plight of disabled Canadians. Will they either choose to once again ignore our plight or deliberately ignore us as a group? Will they once again forget about our existence but instead have the bold faced ness to count on our votes? Which of these leaders is really willing and ready to change the clock?

I continue to listen, watch, and expect and part of me desperately wants to believe that this time around one of these leaders will decide to make my day but... Which of these leaders would have the sense and dignity to change the clock for disabled Canadians? Which of these leaders is going to wake up and realize that all Canadians include disabled Canadians? Which of these leaders is going to right a wrong and realize that if disabled Canadians pay taxes then surely they have the right to be treated equally?

Mr Harper is busy trying to convince Canadians that he is a softer, warmer, and gentler man and father that we can trust but I am yet to hear him say that he is going to reinstate the court challenges program so that disabled Canadians will be able to protect their rights.

Mr Dion is busy trying to convince Canadians that he is the right person but I am still waiting on him to tell disabled Canadians that he cares enough to do something to rid our group of poverty.

Mr Layton is busy telling Canadians that he is applying for the job as Prime Minister but he of all persons who has direct connections to the blind and visually impaired community has not even uttered one statement to convince me that he is going to change the clock for disabled Canadians. You see, Mr Layton's grandfather founded the Montreal Association for the Blind so he of all of the leaders should be thinking of us at this time.

I am going to borrow some of John Rae's sentiments and pose the following questions to the party leaders if they are elected:

1. What definitive steps would your government be willing to initiate in order to help overcome the chronic level of unemployment that continues to plague so many disabled Canadians?

We need to have a Federal government that is going to take the bull by the horns and say enough is enough. We need to have a Federal government that is going to recognize that special needs Canadians have something to contribute through their skills and motivation. We need to have a Federal government that will remove the barriers to employment within the Public Service Commission and set firm and definite targets for both private industry and governmental agencies to follow and if the targets are not met, then there should be stiff penalties handed out. We need to have a Federal government that would become leaders and take responsibility for creating a barrier free Internet and one that will become the role model for companies across Canada. We need to have a federal government that will move to end poverty among disabled Canadians. Let me state here that for at least the last 20 years, over 70% of disabled Canadians have been living below the poverty line and for blind and visually impaired Canadians, this statistic is much worse. The government is only too aware of this because Statistics Canada published a report that highlighted these statistics in 2005.

2. What is your government prepared to do in order to make Canada's election system fully accessible to disabled Canadians including the blind, deaf blind, and partially sighted?

Blind, visually impaired, and partially sighted Canadians must have access to party websites, campaign literature and anything else in the same way that mainstream Canadians have access to, during an election. It is our Civic right to be able to cast our vote and it is only right that we have all of this made accessible. Not a luxury or a nice to have, but a must.

3. Is your government ready to take on an expanded role when it comes to fighting and reducing the chronic level of poverty that continues to confront disabled Canadians?

As stated above, more than 70% of disabled Canadians live below the poverty line and this statistic is far worse for blind, visually impaired, and partially sighted Canadians. The level of poverty among disabled Canadians is a national disgrace and what would the rest of the world think of Canada if it knew how this country continues to treat its disabled citizens and their families. The incidents of poverty are even worse among First Nations people and disabled aboriginals.

4. Is your government prepared to reinstate the Court Challenges Program, or institute a new Program that will assist individuals and organizations to take test cases to court under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Rights and opportunities to challenge the infringement of rights go hand in hand so that when the Harper government cut the court challenges program, it effectively stifled our ability to challenge them in court if we felt that our rights were being trampled upon.

5. If elected, would your government undertake to improve access and inclusion in Canadian society for people with disabilities?

Would your government be willing and ready to ensure that the transportation industry respects the rights of disabled Canadians and if it does not, hand out stiff and meaningful penalties?

6. Over the last decade, there has been significant economic growth in Canada, but the gap between the rich and poor has increased. Ordinary Canadians are working harder, but their incomes have stagnated. Will your government attempt to reverse this trend, and how would your government do this with respect to tackling the embarrassing levels of poverty among disabled Canadians?

I wait and anticipate with bated breath to see which of these leaders is going to take the big step to change the clock but in the meantime, there is something that we as a group can do and that is:

• 1. Start challenging all of the leaders to recognize us as human beings who need to be treated like everyone else.
• 2. Demand that we be given equal opportunities to jobs both within and outside of the government.
• 3. Challenge the government to create a barrier free Internet.
• 4. Make ourselves heard from coast to coast.

It is up to us now to force the issue because if we don't then no one else is going to do it for us.

I'm Donna J Jodhan your free lance writer and reporterwishing you a terrific day. If you require accessibility, research, and writing services visit
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