By Victor Schwartzman
August 31, 2009
A recent piece by Janis Ramsey(Making Buildings Accessible) was very revealing. Her article detailed the ongoing problems Catherine Caldwell has in Barrie, Ontario, accessing public
buildings, and that the Government is yet again reviewing the problem. Why
are articles like this still being written? Was not the law clearly
established decades ago?
By Victor Schwartzman
August 17, 2009
Victor Schwartzman was a Human Rights Officer for 21 years with The Manitoba
Human Rights Commission, until its failure to accommodate his disability
resulted in his forced retirement.
By Victor Schwartzman
July 20, 2009
For 21 years I was a Human Rights Officer with The Manitoba Human Rights Commission, until I ran into problems being accommodated for the treatment of a
disability (high blood pressure). High blood pressure felt fine. I only felt sick from the medical treatment of lowering it.
Prescription medications for serious medical conditions, including disabilities, are common in North America. We love our pills! But pills come with a price. Some of the meds I take, the list of side effects is so long they have to print it in tiny type you can’t read (just to squeeze it in). If you are not aware that human rights protections includes the treatment for a disability, read on.
By Geof Collis
Re: Debate Stirs Over Hiring of Sighted CNIB Head
I originally started writing this Editorial about the CNIB hiring a sighted person for the top job and how it was a bad decision but quickly realized that it’s not their first and wont be their last.
This organization has made so many bad mistakes in the past that one more wont change my opinion, it’s just business as usual for those who make the decisions.
By Donna J. Jodhan
At the best of times, job seeking can be one of the most tedious, frustrating, and nerve racking processes but for a disabled person it can be doubly difficult.
It does not matter whether the economy is good or bad, the trials and difficulties for a disabled job seeker remain the same. The excuses are the same, the reasons for rejection of disabled applicants continue to be the same, and the unemployment statistics continue to hover over the 80%mark. At least,
that is the statistic that we hear when it comes to North America but for the rest of the world it is probably the same and in the developing world it is even greater.
Shocker or shaker! Neither! Just very sad!
By Donna J. Jodhan
We are living in a world where schemes and scams continue to spiral out of control. There was a time when one could probably venture to say that seniors and persons with disabilities were probably relatively safe from schemes and scams; but not anymore and as we continue to deal with hard economic times,
you are going to see that schemers and scammers are not going to discriminate when they choose their targets. Many Canadians would probably be shocked if they really knew how often seniors and persons with disabilities fall to those seedy individuals with their get rich quick schemes and scams with smoking mirrors but I am hear to tell them that this is no shocker. As a matter of fact, seniors and persons with disabilities are probably the favourite targets of many schemers and scammers.
By Donna J. Jodhan
This question has lingered in my mind for many years now and it is a very troubling one. I know that there are many persons with disabilities who continue to ask the same question and I am afraid that the
reader may not like the answer. That is, if you are a person with a disability, you would most likely agree with me but for the mainstream reader, you may be either surprised or dare to call me a pessimist or
even a grouch or maybe something stronger.
By Donna J. Jodhan
Here in Toronto many seniors and persons with disabilities continue to face a very challenging problem and that is: large furniture stores and departmental
chains are still not willing to provide services to deliver, assemble and remove large appliances and furniture. If you are able-bodied, can drive, and
can assemble purchased items for yourself then lucky for you; but for those of us who are unable to drive, and who have difficulty assembling purchased items we are out of luck. Shocker or shaker? No shocker or shaker but rather disgusting that stores such as IKEA are managing to get away with it but
hold on!
By Donna J. Jodhan
This is the story of my life! Every time I go to analyze my ever shrinking investments, or request information from a
Governmental department, I have to wait weeks before receiving the requested information. Last year for example, I phoned the 1800 ocanada phone number
and requested a copy of the Health Canada guidelines and do you know how long I had to wait before it arrived? Three long and agonizing months! Shocker
or shaker? Maybe a shocker to the mainstream Canadian but no shocker or shaker to blind and visually impaired Canadians.
Guest Editorial: Rural vs. Urban
By Victor Schwartzman
September 14, 2009
A recent article from The Sudbury Star noted the lack of certain health programming in rural Ontario—for example, mental health programmes. A member of
the Ontario Legislature, France Gelinas, is currently leading a Legislative committee touring rural Ontario communities (i.e. not Toronto), gathering information
about the current situation. It appears obvious that when it comes to ‘services’, good luck if you do not live in Toronto.
Guest Editorial: Rural vs. Urban full article