Spring 2009 Welcome to BCCPD
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Acknowledgements
FEATURES
Editorial
Letters
Transition Goes Green
Living with a Disability
Improving Access for Assistance Animals
Personal Supports | Equipment and Assistive Devices
HIV/AIDS and Disability are Finally on Agenda
Personal Supports | Attendants
The Busiest Program in Town
Meet the Pres
Time to Enact a Wrongful Death Act
Improving Benefits Related to Car Accidents
The Voice of BCCPD
OTHER
Twenty-Five Years of Volunteer Service
Faster Than a Speeding Bullet
Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary
Hostess with the Mostess
Community News
SPECIAL
BCCPD says Farewell to Long Time Executive Director
The Kids are Moving Out
Provincial Election May 12, 2009
In Memoriam
Welcome to the BCCPD. Some of you may have a long association with us as Transition readers or supporters of BCCPD community campaigns. Some of you may be fairly new to us.
No matter how well you know us, we felt that an edition of Transition devoted to our own work was overdue. We would like Transition readers to know more about some of the programs and issues BCCPD is working on.
A lot of the work we do is “behind the scenes” and can be invisible. Increasing the income supports that people with disabilities receive is crucial to us, but this kind of issue rarely receives much media attention. We want people in the disability community and other sectors, to hear about the work we are doing on behalf of people with disabilities.
This Transition offers snapshots of some current issues and programs. We hope it will give you a good idea of how we spend our time! And, if you have any questions about our community campaigns, or would like to register your support, please call or email Jane Dyson at our office at 604-875-0188 or feedback@bccpd.bc.ca.
If we start at the “beginning”, BCCPD has always been unique because we are cross-disability. We look at the big picture for social policies and systems that affect people with all types of disabilities, from using a wheelchair to having a visual impairment to living with a learning disability.
To that end, we have wonderful community partners who work closely with their members and who share their invaluable experience with us–through helping us develop projects, supporting our community campaigns or sitting on our Board of Directors.
Speaking of our Board, I have to say, I’m privileged to be President. The men and women on the Board are incredibly hard-working and bring a range of expertise that makes us stronger than the sum of our parts. What’s more, virtually all of them are active in many other ways in the community as well.
I’d also like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all the people who volunteer with BCCPD. We have some people who have been with us for more than 20 years, making huge contributions of their time and energy to help with keeping the office humming.
Finally, it’s important to remember in community advocacy that we have successes. We were instrumental in the recent major changes to handyDART, for example; changes that we hope will vastly improve handyDART service for years to come.
We have a great team at BCCPD–our staff, Board and volunteers–and we are confident that we’ll be here, working hard for the disability community no matter how tough things get.
We’ve been here for over 30 years and we are looking forward to continuing the good fight.
Al Hanet is BCCPD President
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I was notified on Friday that they had received the application and yesterday that my application was approved. By my calculations, my application was approved in three days! That must be some kind of record and a true testament to your organization’s proficiency and the government’s respect for your work and understanding of the process. Thank you again.
You have made this process painless and have accomplished it in three days. I do not think I am stretching the point when I call you miracle workers.
Name withheld at writer’s request
by Robin Loxton
In the 1990s, BCCPD staff and Board members joined with the BC Association of Community Living and the Canadian Mental Health Association (BC Division) to advocate for new provincial disability legislation with a new definition of “disability.” This collaborative effort, which lasted over four years, saw results in 1995 when the provincial government introduced the BC Benefits legislation which included the Disability Benefits Program Act and a new definition of “persons with disabilities”. Although we did not get everything we asked for, it was an important step in the right direction.
The BCCPD has a reputation of speaking up on issues. Over the past 30 years we have had our share of victories and disappointments.
We have a housing crisis in BC. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Metro Vancouver is over $700 over month; waiting lists for subsidized housing are growing longer and there are a limited number of resources available to help people find housing. A single person receiving disability benefits assistance receives a shelter allowance of $375 per month which is clearly inadequate. Benefits recipients need more money for shelter and we need more affordable and accessible housing.
An example of the administrative barriers to accessing income support is the 12-month waiting period required by the Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers to employment (PPMB) program. To apply for PPMB–which provides recipients with a higher rate of assistance and better health coverage–applicants must have received income assistance for 12 months. This means not only that applicants are unable to access needed additional income supports, they also cannot obtain needed health goods and services during the waiting period. The BCCPD feels strongly that this waiting period must removed from the PPMB application process.
The BCCPD has a reputation of speaking up on issues. Over the past 30 years we have had our share of victories and disappointments. We will continue to listen to and work hard for our community and we will always speak out about what is important to the independence and dignity of people with disabilities.
Sadly, the closure means we’ll lose Olive Ndungutse who has brought so much joy to our office over the years. We will also miss our outstanding puppeteers.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to the puppeteers who were so committed, helpful and hardworking: Tania Conley, Charles Demers, Tara Goerzen, Shawn Killaly, Julia Lockley, Jonna Milledge, Elizabeth Milton, Jaimie Robson, Advah Soudack, Haley Turner, Maggie Winston and Cara Yeates. Thanks to all of you,” said Olive.
BC’s disability community has been seeking reform to this legislation for many years. Two of the main weaknesses in the current law are the inadequate fines for businesses and services that refuse entry to people with guide animals and the lack of ensured access for people with puppies-in-training.
The working group has met twice and includes representatives from the BC Guide Dog Services, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Access for Sight Impaired Consumers, Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians and Pacific Assistance Dogs. We are currently reviewing legislation from other provinces and formulating a final version of our recommendations.
Lahra is a new immigrant from Iran. She was a professional in her home country. She is a single parent with a child in school and she receives provincial income assistance. Although she still has some vision, she can’t read the notices her child’s school sends her. She also has difficulty reading instructions on packaged goods, cereal boxes and canned food. Lahra needs a portable CCTV. She can use this technology to magnify print so that she can read it. At present, there is no way she can get this equipment which costs approximately $1000.
Dora is a woman who is deaf-blind. In order to access her computer to do email and make shopping lists she needs a computer, JAWS computer software and a Braille display. She learned to use this technology when she was a student, but has no resources to purchase it for home use. She also wants to use the computer as a communication tool with hearing homemakers who do not use sign language or the two-hand manual alphabet. She can type her questions on the computer and the person can type the answers on the same computer. When she was a student, Dora did have access to funding for equipment because she was in a recognized post secondary institution. Now that she is no longer a student there is no program that will meet her needs.
BCCPD helped to found the Provincial Equipment and Assistive Devices Committee and continues to play a leadership role in the development of a Provincial Personal Supports program. Personal Supports are a key component of a comprehensive provincial disability strategy. >More on PEADC
by Jo Dunaway
May McIntyre was just 16 when she joined the Board of St. John’s Ambulance. “I think I was following my mother’s volunteering example,” she says.
In the 80s, May took a number of courses through Legal Services and the Law Foundation and helped set up Advocacy Outreach in her home community of Salmon Arm where she still works on poverty issues.
May served for many years on the board of her local women’s shelter and still volunteers with Second Harvest Food Bank when needed. In the past two years, she has been on the steering committee of the new Inn from the Cold program in Salmon Arm that teams volunteers with a local church to provide cold weather emergency services like hot food and a place to sleep.
May has been recognized for her ever-growing contributions in advocacy. She was awarded the Queen’s Medal in 2002 and the 125th Anniversary of Confederation Medal. However, the award she is most proud of was presented to her in 2003 by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.
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I write this the day after returning from Ottawa where I attended Health Canada’s 4th International Policy Dialogue on HIV/AIDS. The theme this year was disability and HIV/AIDS, incorporating both the risk of HIV/AIDS for people with disabilities and the disabilities that accompany HIV/AIDS. I applaud Health Canada’s effort to shine the spotlight on disability.
Since that time, ADAP has worked hard to ensure that people with disabilities are included in HIV/AIDS prevention efforts, but it hasn’t been easy. Disability rarely appears on the agenda of larger social issues, regardless of the context. Recent advances are undoubtedly due to the relatively high profile of disability at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City last August. After attending the Policy Dialogue last week, I feel more hopeful than ever before that we are making progress.
There was considerable discussion of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons (CRPD). In fact, a key message from Stephen Lewis was that international treaties such as the CRPD play an extremely important role in forming and, in some cases, enforcing human rights laws in countries around the world. Note that Canada has not yet ratified the CRPD.
>More on ADAP
Margaret has worked hard over the years to build the BCCPD into the organization it is today. She has played a leadership role in many community campaigns focused on ensuring the independence and dignity of people with disabilities. For example, under Margaret’s guidance in the 1990s, the BCCPD formed the Ad Hoc Committee with the BC Association of Community Living and the Canadian Mental Health Association (BC Division). The Committee successfully advocated for changes to BC’s definition of disability and the introduction of new legislation which would better serve the needs of the community.
Margaret has been a strong and respected advocate for disability rights. The Board would like to thank Margaret and wish her every success in her future endeavours.
One of the main problems in Part 7 is the overall amount possible for rehabilitation and medical expenses. Whether or not an injured person is found to be responsible for a car accident, ICBC will cover up to $150,000 in rehabilitation services and medical expenses.
An increase in rehabilitation benefits is the most important change we are seeking, but there are several others. Here is the complete list of BCCPD recommendations.
The sanctuary currently has about 70 residents—dogs, cats, and horses–and about two-thirds of them are blind.
Steve Smith and Alayne Marker founded Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary on 160 acres of open grassland in Montana in December 2000. The couple dreamed of creating a sanctuary for disabled animals–those who are least likely to be adopted and most likely to be euthanized.
The cats live in the 300 square foot “Hoedad’s House,” named after a starving kitten Steve rescued and brought back to the US from Sri Lanka. Hoedad’s House is heated and insulated, and has windows on four sides. The resident cats spend time outside in an enclosed “jungle” when not basking indoors in the sunshine.
The ranch has an online gift store at their website and gratefully accepts donations to help with the cost of running the sanctuary. You can also subscribe to their heartwarming newsletter or read issues online. Recent newsletters include stories about Tibby and Fibby, two kittens born without bones in their back legs. Smokey and Charlie are young Whippet mixes from a shelter in Ohio. They have a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia which causes them to wobble. They’ve recently been fitted for wheelchairs and according to the Sanctuary newsletter story, “As soon as the snow melts, these boys will really be able to cruise!”
For more about Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary (including gift shop, blog, and videos), visit www.rollingdogranch.org.
We see first-hand the practical impact that the rules have on our clients’ lives: on their ability to access income supports and their accompanying health benefits.
We have nine advocates on the Advocacy Access team: Liz Davis, Ginger Richards, Annette Murray, Lillian Wong, Ken Walker, Amanda Malitsky, Peter Beaudin, Ashley Silcock, and Robin Loxton and me, who are Co-Directors.
Our work on the “front-line” means that we have to be very familiar with all the nuances of disability benefits legislation, regulations and policy. Rules can be difficult to understand, have certain meanings that may not be obvious to clients and hidden “pitfalls” that can shut out people who are entitled to benefits.
Advocacy Access is very well known in the community and, as new programs are announced or amended, we are often the first place people call. For example, the newly implemented Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) has resulted in an influx of enquires about the application process and the Disability Tax Credit (DTC)–one of the conditions of eligibility for the RDSP.
Jane Dyson is Executive Director of BCCPD
>More on Advocacy Access
The site includes a video on voting and polling station information for people with a disability. The video does not have closed captioning, but does provide a phone number at the end to call if you want more information. Go to: http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/voting/voters-with-disabilities.
In fact, just two years after he took up the sport, Al won the Gold Medal in the 1989 BC Lawn Bowling Championships. Since then he has competed in World Bowls Championships in Scotland and twice in South Africa, as well as the Paralympics in England, and the Commonwealth Games in Victoria. In April, he will be travelling with 24 other lawn bowlers from across Canada to compete in Australia.
Lawn bowling is like curling: the thrown object is to come as close as possible to a target. Each blind bowler brings a spotter who describes “the lay of the land”–the openings, distances and direction. Al’s wife spots for him in competitions and they enjoy travelling together to the events.
Al credits the BCCPD with broadening his knowledge about the disability community.
Al has been on the BCCPD Board for eight years and is currently in his second term as President.
However, the CSIL hourly rate has not increased in 10 years. It has not kept up with market rates, making it very difficult for CSIL employers to hire and maintain qualified staff. The Association of CSIL Employers (ACE) has been communicating with the Ministry of Health over the last 6 months, negotiating for parity with agency rates, but no resolution has been made thus far.
"I’m writing this letter to you with the help of a computer. I am blind, unable to speak and can’t use my hands or body. But by moving my head from side to side, and touching sensors on each side, I am able to tap out messages using Morse code. A computer records my coded taps and translates them into words. Without this technology I would be silenced.
I am very grateful for the CSIL program, as without it I wouldn’t be able to have a life in a mutually enriching community such as the one I am trying to succeed with living in. I want to give back to my community, continue to share my story with all the children on the island as well as across the nation so that they may get a chance at life."
CSIL provides its members individualized direct funding in order to manage their own personal attendant services. Thanks to the CSIL program people have the flexibility to manage their own needs and to fully participate in their communities. >More on CSIL
by Jo Dunaway If anyone can be said to be a BCCPD old-timer, it is George Lawson. “September 16, 1984–that’s when I started volunteering at the BCCPD,” remembers George. “The organization was in one little room at the First United Church in the 300 block East Hastings. That was two years before we moved to this building.”
George volunteers four days a week working at the reception desk, clipping newspaper articles and monitoring radio broadcasts for news that concerns the disability community.
“I’d love to have a regular job,” says George. “I’d love to have a paycheque and pay taxes. But nobody has hired me or the jobs wouldn’t last. So this way, at least I’m contributing.”
A few years ago, George’s life took a surprising turn. “Maybe we’re all entitled to one miracle,” says George. “Ghia is my miracle. It was the day that George W. Bush was elected and I was really depressed. Ghia was volunteering at the BCCPD office and one day she took me to lunch to cheer me up.” Many long talks, walks and movies later, they were married. “I was in my fifties and I never thought I’d ever get married. We took a long time to be really sure. We’ve been married four and a half years now and we work hard at making it work. If it’s important, it’s worth working hard.”
“You have to have a positive attitude while talking about negative things. After all, if you’re not going to talk about negative things why are you there? But you have to go about it in a way that doesn’t leave people feeling defeated. And you have to listen. That is so important! Actually listen to what someone is saying before you decide what they need. You have to sense where a person is on their particular journey.” ~ Helen Connolly
A few years ago, Robert took a year away from BCCPD to take a computer technology course sponsored by the federal Innovations Canada at the Port Coquitlam campus of Douglas College. “It sounded really promising–we were told that it would help us find a job. We were supposed to get computers, but I ended up buying my own and, after our practicum, there weren’t any jobs. The program was a one-shot thing. And I came back to BCCPD.”
However, he feels he has benefited greatly from becoming a computer user. “When I was a kid, I was always asking ‘How does it work?’ Now, with the computer I can look up everything that I want to know. I remember my Dad always wondered why his hydro bills were so expensive at his laundry and dry cleaning business. I wish he were still alive and I could tell him that I looked it up and can explain about the power his equipment used.”
Though times have changed, citizens and families continue to suffer from a sad and frustrating reality. British Columbians do not have a proper legal remedy for families to seek justice after their loved ones have died due to the wrongful actions of others. This has been the situation for far too many families, despite proof of medical negligence, impaired driving or other forms of recklessness.
The goal is to have a Wrongful Death Act that enables family members to seek compensation for bereavement, anguish and stress, as well as for their loss of companionship, comfort, love and affection. The law should also allow citizens to be compensated if they have lost guidance, protection and care.
“The law definitely needs to be changed. You can’t imagine how much more grief this causes families who are already grieving. Our questions remain: how is it possible for someone to go in for a perfectly ‘routine’ procedure and end up dead? Worse yet, why is no accountability required? What does this say about our society and the current system which we have in place?” ~ Bea Pereira, whose mother died after medical complications
We use these pages to take an in-depth look at a current issue, inform our readers and often ask for your support in campaigns to improve services and programs available to people who have a disability.
We are open to ideas for themes, articles and also welcome letters to the editor, and unsolicited articles or creative work by people with disabilities. Keep in touch with us; we love to hear from our readers.
An “Army brat,” born in Three Rivers, Quebec, Florence attended school in almost every province. “It wasn’t that great,” she remembers. “Always moving, leaving friends and starting at a new school.”
“We were married 25 years,” says Florence. “We did a lot of things together like our volunteer work and we gardened and took road trips to see family.”
At 69, Florence has no intention of cutting back or leaving what she considers her “extended family” at BCCPD. “I don’t want to just sit at home and watch soap operas. I know everyone here and there’s always something happening. I’m here to stay!”
This upcoming summer, we are excited to announce that we are expecting the highest number of campers at Zajac Ranch for Children. To meet the needs and the expectations of our campers, we are reaching out to you more than ever, to come out and spend some of your valuable time with us this summer.
For more information on BCCPD's work around emergency preparedness, please visit our emergency prep webpage or contact Karen at 604-875-0188 or karen@bccpd.bc.ca.
Editorial Statement The views and opinions expressed within the pages of Transition are not necessarily those held by the total membership or Board of Directors. The material presented herein is meant to be thought-provoking and to promote dialogue. Transition is a forum to share information within the disability community, and with government and the general public. It is also an opportunity for people with disabilities to display creative talent.
Disclaimer Any firm or company advertising in Transition is for our readers’ benefit and does not constitute an endorsement by the BCCPD.
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Our 2012 CPP Series guides are now available in English, Punjabi and Traditional Chinese.
How are we doing? Send us your feedback on BCCPD.
See our multilingual publications .
9-1-1 and You
Be Prepared
George Pearson Centre, gardens, orchards....find out about a wonderful new project here.
See our Disability Benefits Help Sheets , including new Chinese and Punjabi translations.
BCCPD Online
Open an RDSP
The Registered Disability Savings Plan can benefit people regardless of their income. Learn more.