Disabilities advocate angered by inaction
MLA's motion called for action to be taken but cabinet abstained from vote
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, October 9, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The executive director of the NWT Disabilities ouncil said that she is tremendously disappointed by the lack of action on disabilities issues by the territorial government.
But Denise McKee said she is doubly frustrated by the fact the entire cabinet abstained from voting on a motion that calls on the government to move forward on a disabilities action plan which was tabled some seven years ago.
The motion brought to the floor of the legislative assembly last Monday by Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley calls on the government to address the plan tabled in 2008 which aims to improve support for persons with disabilities including barrier-free access, income support and employment opportunities.
The motion did pass but it's non-binding, which means there is no legal obligation to honour it.
Both Bromley and McKee maintain that virtually nothing has been done to improve the lives of NWT residents with disabilities since the action plan was formulated. McKee watched the discussion in the gallery with her arms folded the entire time. She walked out when Health Minister Glen Abernethy announced cabinet would be abstaining.
"If the entire cabinet ... is not voting then we pretty much have our answer. But I have to go back to the people we represent and I have to say perhaps in the upcoming election they need to take a look at what's being put forward."
McKee says the are a lot of people affected by the challenges faced by her organization and the people it represents. She cannot understand why the government is balking on doing something for the estimated 6,000 people in the NWT with disabilities, their families, support workers and caregivers.
"This hasn't been addressed in such a long time. I don't know. Does that mean you are against people with disabilities if you are not going to be in favour of this (motion)? I can't imagine someone saying that," McKee said. "Abstaining means they're not going to voice an opinion and by not voicing an opinion that voices the biggest opinion of all."
As upset as she was at cabinet, McKee wanted to make it clear that she is appreciative of the regular members who did vote in favour of the motion.
Bromley said that members on his side of the house and the public are feeling very disappointed and chagrined.
"Is cabinet not understanding the need to support these things? They say they are but then they abstain from a motion that just says let's work together and get this done," Bromley said. "I am totally perplexed and I can't understand why (cabinet abstained) when we have not done well on this particular issue.
Abernethy defended his government by pointing out that it has co-operated with the disabilities council on several areas including the opening of the downtown day shelter in 2014. He said that his department is open to working with the council on future endevours to help people with disabilities. He he said he disagrees with those who say little if anything has been done since the 2008 action plan.
"This year we are providing the NWT Disabilities Council with $184,164 in annual core funding ... the CNIB receives $100,000 annually. The Yellowknife Association for Community Living receives $250,000 annually," Abernethy told the legislative assembly.
Barrier-free access to buildings and inability to secure employment were just two of the major concerns raised when the disabilities council conducted a survey in 2015. The council heard from more than 300 residents in 32 communities.
Currently the GNWT operates under a national building code which does not mandate barrier-free access. Many buildings in Yellowknife are equipped with ramps and automatic doors but that does not make all buildings accessible. Centre Square Mall for instance has ramped entrances both off Franklin Avenue and 49 Street. But the upper and lower levels are separated by a set of stairs. So people in a wheelchair would have to go back outside and make their way to the other entrance in order to get to the stores on that level.
There was a man in a wheelchair who was able to make his way to the public gallery for the disabilities debate, but indeed even the legislative assembly building was the subject of a human rights complaint last year when a woman complained that glass doors in the building were too heavy for her to open and washroom doors lacked automatic opening devices.
The assembly at that time invoked "parliamentary privilege in declining to cooperate with the human rights investigation. Tim Mercer, legislative assembly clerk said that the heavy glass doors are now always propped open and automatic door buttons have been installed on the public washroom. He added that the human rights complaint has yet to be resolved by the commission.
