Yellowknife (Sep 19/03) - Lynn Cameron's dream is to live in the country one day, but that dream is hindered because she is disabled.

Physically, Cameron appears to be a healthy individual, but she suffers from a condition called temporal lobe epilepsy, and spoke of her disability during a follow-up forum on barrier-free housing held Sept. 17 in Yellowknife.

"I am an advocate for invisible disabilities," she said.

Cameron explained that her condition affects her hearing most, to the point that she suffers a seizure when exposed to continuous noise.

Not the noise of an electric guitar or loud music, but rather the nonstop hum of a refrigerator, the constant buzz of fluorescent lights, and the continual sounds of an air conditioner or fan, all found in the average home.

"When I go home, I want to regroup," said Cameron. "But these noises disconnect my wires. I need the sound-proofing."

The forum brought together self-advocates, government and non-government organizations who attempted to address important items related to housing people with disabilities.

Cecily Hewitt, executive director of the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities, said a planning team has been designing the forum for the past few months, and expects action steps to be developed which will address policy, affordability and eligibility issues surrounding barrier-free housing.

She said that the action steps will be injected into the disability framework outlined by the Department of Health and Social Services, and will eventually go to cabinet to ensure these steps are taken.

Doreen Baptiste, another self-advocate speaking about eligibility for barrier-free housing in the NWT, said that while things have come a long way in the last 30 years, a lot of choices are still taken away from people with disabilities.

"Income is a primary determining factor in qualifying for barrier-free units," she said. "But many people with disabilities may not have the same finances."

Baptiste acknowledged the difficulties builders of barrier-free accommodations face when trying to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

"It's on an individual basis and our needs are going to differ," she said. "So how do you do it so you meet everybody's needs?"

Guest speaker Ron Wickman, an experienced architect who designs and advocates for barrier-free buildings was invited from Edmonton to speak about these challenges.

"He can help us work at these solutions to barrier-free housing," said Hewitt about Wickman's presence.

"He is motivational."