Candidates Must Engage the Disability Community With an Open Mind
The old refrain 'nothing about us without us' holds true
Municipal candidates running in 2021 need to do more than open doors for people with disabilities, says Zachary Weeks, a disability advocate in Edmonton. Instead candidates must ensure that people with disabilities can actually make it to the door.
“The number one thing for me is that someone is open-minded. You know, someone that’s willing to listen and correspond with all voices,” Weeks says.
The past few years in particular have been a struggle for people with disabilities. In 2019, the Alberta government de-indexed Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), the financial support that many people unable to work rely on. This means that AISH no longer keeps pace with the cost of living. In a province where affordable housing is a constant struggle as is, this means that the money people with disabilities receive will cover less and less of their expenses.
“We haven’t had anyone really represent the disability community,” Weeks says. “We are always hearing about taxes, or rebates, or equalization payments. It’s all about ‘How much is this going to cost?’ when there’s some citizens that are totally marginalized and can’t even get into a building or safely cross the road because snow removal is horrible.”
Still, there are other changes that offer hope. In Edmonton, Weeks says the ward boundaries have changed and the mayoral race is wide-open. “This year is going to be a year of change,” Weeks says. “Given the year we have had with this pandemic we need a council that has compassion and is willing to work with their constituents. Of course you have to be willing to learn about the issues at hand.”
As we speak, Weeks points out that some candidates block people on Twitter if they don’t agree with their views (Edmontonians, I think you know who that is). He says that can be alienating for a community that is already marginalized.
Further, people within the disability community often feel like they are getting lip service when they speak to politicians. Weeks says he’s looking for a candidate who will take these issues to heart, and bring a voice to council for all people. “We are in a time where we are so done with lip service. And that is deeply rooted within the disability community as well.” Weeks says many non-profit groups are used to being met with and then having their concerns ignored.
While many parts of life that affect Albertans are the purview of the provincial government, such as economic diversity or the construction codes that regulate how a building must accommodate people, there are many municipal policies that can have unintended consequences for people with disabilities and others who rely on certain services, like transit, to get around.
In Ontario, for example, disability advocates successfully received a pause in the decision to allow e-scooters last July. In Toronto in 2021, it’s illegal to ride e-scooters on city streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, or virtually any other public place. The lobby group, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance said e-scooters pose potential dangers to people with disabilities. Their near silent operation means that blind people may not be aware of them and they are often stored in a way that blocks sidewalks.
These concerns have been evident in Edmonton, too, with the careless placement of e-scooters creating barriers for people with disabilities to navigate city walkways.
But this year’s municipal elections aren’t confined to cities. In rural communities people living with disabilities often face a lack of resources in their community. This prevents them from accessing the services they need to stay living independently or in their community.
This year, an order from chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, restricted all staff working at multiple continuing care facilities to one site. In turn, this revealed the staffing issues for these organizations. Many of the care workers work at multiple facilities in order to be able to pay their bills. The Albertans with Disabilities Forum, a group of 42 not-for-profit provincial organizations for people with disabilities, spoke out against the inability of people who have mobility issues to access home-care services that help people stay in their homes as they age, or are dealing with issues that reduce their mobility.
When it comes to funding for policies that affect people with disabilities, there is often a lot of go-between for Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments. The province gives money to build a sidewalk or ramp, but the municipality makes sure the snow is cleared off of it.
“I think in some shape or another candidates should have been influenced by a person with disabilities. I am sure they have a wide network to deal with but, ultimately, you have to reach out to those people who are affected,” Weeks says.
He recommends candidates lean on the expertise of not-for-profits and charities that cater to people with disabilities, and therefore understand the issues that the community faces. He also encourages the use of accessibility features such as captions.
“Have a Zoom meeting with people with disabilities,” Weeks says. “It doesn’t have to be fancy, be sensitive to everyone’s needs but if you are putting in the work and coming with a full heart and good intentions, people with disabilities will see that and we will acknowledge that and work with you to get the answers you need.”
Top photo: Zachary Weeks, adapted from the original.