Thank you, Mr. Speaker. June 2nd to
8th is Disability Awareness Week in Canada. It
continues the tradition of National Access Awareness Week, established in 1988, to promote better community access for people with disabilities.
The impetus behind these national campaigns was Rick Hanson’s Man in Motion world tour. A Canadian icon, Rick Hanson dreamt of creating an accessible and inclusive world and finding a cure for spinal cord injury. For 26 months he wheeled over 40,000 kilometres through 34 countries. He averaged 30,000 strokes a day, through tough terrain, harsh weather, illness and injury. Through his breathtaking achievement, he defied dominant perceptions about disabled people.
The disabilities umbrella includes a diverse list of conditions: blindness, deafness, brain and spinal cord injuries, speech disorders, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, FASD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the list goes on.
Hundreds of my constituents are disabled in some way or another. At least four require intense, highly specialized care. As their MLA, I represent them to the best of my ability.
I am supporter of the NWT Disabilities Council that has been visibly preparing for this week’s events, including Thursday’s high tea with the Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities and Saturday’s Grand Prix event on School Draw Avenue, a full day of races and family fun.
This organization’s mandate is to swing open the doors of access and promote full citizenship through equality, inclusion and participation. This organization performs a range of extremely valuable services, yet it’s chronically underfunded. In fact, despite a widespread perception that the GNWT delivers effective public programs for disabled persons, that isn’t the reality.
Comparatively little government spending is allocated for the needs of disabled persons. I believe it’s time for a designated territorial facility for disabled persons. Ideally, such a facility would serve as a resource hub and provide state-of-the-art rehabilitation services. It would also be warm and inviting, a place that feels like a home.
I will have questions later for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.