“You know, that might be the answer – to act boastfully about something we ought to be ashamed of. That’s a trick that never seems to fail.” – Joseph Heller, Catch-22 “The calculated simulated of enthusiasm…is also common within contemporary culture. In a variety of configurations, the applause sign has become a social principle.” Stuart McEwan,…
On May 16, 2018, the City of Vancouver, BC voted unanimously to proceed with a ban on single-use plastic straws. They did so despite the fact they are necessary for some disabled people and that alternatives (metal, paper, bamboo…) are not suitable for different reasons for different disabled people. The City had originally…
ableism / Bruce Pardy / Canadian Politics / Disability / disabled / education / Higher Ed / Journalism / Uncategorized / Universities
On August 17, 2017, a few weeks before thousands of university students will head off to class, the National Post ran an opinion piece by Queen’s University Professor of Law, Bruce Pardy under the headline “Mental disabilities shouldn’t be accommodated with extra time on exams.” Both the content and the context of this…
accessibility / BC Politics / British Columbia / Canadian Politics / Disability / disabled / Human Rights / public policy / Uncategorized
This is the first in a series about disability policy in BC. Part one is intended to deal with why we need a dramatic shift in approach. We have a new provincial government in British Columbia. Will it offer us a new approach to disability policy? If so, what should it be? In…
#inclusion / #politics / accessibility / BC Politics / British Columbia / Canadian Politics / Cities / Community / Disability / disabled / Health / Human Rights / local politics / Municipalities / recreation / Transportation / Uncategorized / Universal Design / Urban Design / Urban Planning / urbanism / wheelchair users
This is the sign you hang on your window when you design to exclude. Inaccessibility is discrimination.
There is no other group of adult citizens in this country, not convicted of violating criminal laws, who are forced to fight for their right to live in the community, except disabled people. Council will vote tomorrow (July 25, 2017), at 2:00 pm on whether to approve the Pearson Dogwood Rezoning Application. …
Dear Mayor and Council, I am writing to express my opposition to the Rezoning Application for 500-650 W 57th Ave (Pearson Dogwood) in its current form. We need social housing, specifically individual private apartments, for all disabled people – with attendant care as required – integrated into the community. Vancouver should…
Time: 3:00 pm EST/ Noon PST/ 7:00 pm UTC 1: What are your top 5 accessibility concerns? Tell us about the worst attempt at accessibility you’ve encountered. Send a photo if you have one. 2: Tell us about the best access experiences you have had. Send photos if you have them? 3: Tell us…
This opinion piece about the BC Government’s transfer of publicly owned and operated housing to private non-profits was published last week. This is the part that was left out: Defending Public Housing is Not Attacking Private Non-Profit Housing – They are Different On moving in day, I surrendered use of the reserved elevator three times…
No room to turn around
They know the price of turning
No one bothered to calculate the cost of not
Once upon a time I was a good crip. A good crip doesn’t get annoyed when strangers walk up and ask ‘what is wrong with you?’ Not hello. Not ‘nice day isn’t it? ‘ Just ‘what is wrong with you.’ They don’t really ask so much as they demand. Sometimes they put ‘do you mind…
Dear Mayor and Council and Appropriate City Staff, Re: Accessibility and Paving of Arbutus Corridor/Greenway I am writing to request you finish paving the Arbutus Greenway area immediately. This is my second letter about this matter. I sent the first in an email on August 11, 2016 to Mayor and Council via the City Clerk’s office but…
