Cancellation of PALS 2011 will set back the process of providing human rights to 4 million Canadians with disabilities
Prime Minister Stephen Harper getting ready to kick cripples
PRLog – Losing PALS 2011 is a major blow to Canadians living with disabilities. It can only indicate that Prime Minister Harper intends to dismantle the existing supports for Canada’s disabled.
What kind of a bully picks on cripples?
The long-form census controversy is stirring many Canadians. The Globe and Mail reported a small part of the cancellation that will hurt the 4 million Canadians living with Disabilities. Scrapped mandatory census cuts even deeper for disability advocacy group
The Participation and Activity Limitation Survey known as PALS has a long, wordy name that belies its importance.
It is a comprehensive profile of the 4 million Canadians living with disabilities: who they are by age, sex, province, by disability, income level, etc. It also tells us what they need which is vital in setting effective social policy. Statistics Canada issues the report every 5 years.
The canard that similar information can be gathered from “tax information, welfare rolls and similar databanks” is grossly misinformed. Many Canadians with disabilities don’t claim anything on their tax returns, have jobs and are not on welfare. There is no other place to find this information than PALS.
For example, most people identify disabilities with children. The annual Easter Seals and similar charities perpetuates the myth that children with disabilities are pitiable and need charity. Only 200,000 children have disabilities out of 4 million Canadians. (5%). Children have more of their needs already met than any other age group with disabilities. PALS has the facts on children and their needs.
Most Canadians with disabilities by proportion are seniors. The probability of disability increases with age. Seniors with disabilities are also the most neglected. In PEI for instance supports for wheelchairs and other assistive devices ends on your 65th birthday.
Without accurate information disability advocates and the government will end up in the useless game of chasing the current “hot” disability. Well-organized advocacy groups are already using modern marketing techniques to influence government programs away from real needs to perceived needs.
It took over ten years of concerted discussion and work to get the provinces and Federal government to agree on a comprehensive survey which became PALS 2001. We are now 20 years into the process of reforming services to Canada’s disabled.
Disability organizations in Canada need to get behind a protest against the cancellation of PALS 2011.
Jan Webb
While I have sincere regrets for the proposed loss of these programs, the bulk of responsibility rests with the PROVINCIAL gov’ts, not the federal ones. Disabilities is largely contained within the Health Ministry of each province. You should direct your objections thusly.
We are are in a recession. As people are losing their jobs and we as a country are all making sacrifices, you are not forgotten. As a community nurse, I continue to advocate for you with the Provincial gov’t whose scope it is to provide accessibility for you. In B.C., we have made good strides. Not perfect, but MUCH better than they were.
We will continue the fight–they are many marginalized groups, but let us take on the challenge as a community and as a town and a city. It is, as so many have said, not the responsibilty of the gov’t. to take “care of us”. We can continue to do this on our own. Let us be proud Canadians.
Stephen Pate
Thanks for your comment but I can’t agree with your conclusions.
Equal rights for those living with disabilities is a Charter issue. If disabilities were treated as a health issue then our rights would immediately improve. Healthcare is universal in Canada. Disability supports are usually means tested and restricted. On PEI only 5% of the 22,000 people with disabilities are getting and disability support.
Imagine if only 5% of cancer patients got treatment, or if 5% of heart attack victims could get help. Extrapolate that to unemployment – only 5% can get UI.
The mistreatment of those living with disabilities has been going on for decades. Blaming it on the recession is a weak argument.
The Federal and Provincial governments have joint agreements on disability issues, including funding PALS.
Why the disabled in Canada are so poorly treated is beyond me. Indifference is probably the biggest reason.