The Tour of Hope is a tour of PEI during the election season to bring the message of hope to Islanders with disabilities. Disability has physical, financial and emotional repercussions for the person living with a disability.
The actual disability itself limits to a material extent the activities of daily living. That can be improved with proper therapy which should be available through the Health system. Or technical aids and assistive devices may help the person to overcome the disability to a lesser or greater extent. Sometimes the help is care in the home with housework, personal hygiene or other normal daily activities.
Many Islanders with disabilities have trouble with finances due to no employment or employment in marginal jobs. To make matters worse, their health care and disability related costs are much higher than those of the average Islander.
Dealing with these issues and the response of society and government places emotional stress on Islanders with disabilities. They face discrimination in the labour market, indifference from society and government.
In 2001 when the Disability Support Program was setup, there was optimism that some of the problems facing Islanders with disabilities would be resolved. Finally money could be found for technical aids and assistive devices, for home care, community access and employment.
Unfortunately the “corporate culture of cost avoidance cost containment” (Baker Consulting) meant the program fell far short of its goals. The cut back of $1 million last year only made matters worse.
Disability Alert is dedicated to putting the issues of Islanders with disabilities back on the table with government, back in the news so all Islanders can see how poorly the disabled are treated.
In only a few short months, the cut-backs are a topic of conversation for Islanders. The stories are on TV, the radio, in the newspapers and on the web.
The Tour of Hope is a new phase. We are going on the road to every town and village of PEI to talk about the issues with people, everyday people in their everyday walk of life. We will be at political rallies, town hall meetings, in churches, community centres, wherever people care about Islanders with disabilities.
We cannot change the shabby treatment of Islanders with disabilities. Only the government can do that because they have the resources and people to make it right. And only you and all other Islanders with a conscience can convince them that it’s the right thing to do.
Look us up when we come your way.
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