Will UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities mean anything on PEI

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Stephen Pate

PEI celebrates the day with plagiarism, pontificating and prevarication

Minister of Community Services, Seniors and Labour Janice Sherry, press release to follow

The world celebrates UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities. On Prince Edward Island, we can look forward to political hot air.

The appropriate minister will rise in the Legislature to acknowledge her love for and empathy with the situation of Islanders living with disabilities. Those speeches are fulsome, with profound words that puff up those who listen. In reality, they are hollow with pontificating and prevarication. Continue reading →

Gwynne Dyer parking was too far away

Posted on October 20, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Plans fell apart when UPEI’s inaccessible parking met my fatigue

UPEI 2009 accessible parking survey (click for larger image)

I wanted to hear Gwynne Dyer last night lecturing at the AVC building on UPEI campus but I was simply too tired to walk or wheelchair the long distance from the parking lot.

The Atlantic Vet College building is one of the buildings that is more than double the legal distance from the optimistically painted “wheelchair parking.”

The legal limit is 50 meters from the parking to the door. The AVC building is 103 meters.

Most people intuitively understand that people with walking or other disabilities need to be close to the building.

The National Building Code, which is also the law in Charlottetown, stipulates that accessible parking should be as close as possible to the door but not greater than 50 meters.

Frankly, on some days 50 meters is too far to walk for many people with disabilities.

The point is not lost on retailers who want our business like WalMart, Canadian Tire and the SuperStore. Continue reading →

Gwynne Dyer to speak at AVC

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Gwynne Dyer

“Gwynne Dyer, internationally renowned syndicated columnist, author, broadcaster, and lecturer on international affairs will examine the world’s halting emergence from the dark tunnel of the past decase, a time marked by exaggerated fears of terrorism, futile and unnecessary wars in the Middle East, neglect of climate change, and financial collapse.

The talk takes place in the Atlantic Veterinary College Learning Commons Room on the UPEI campus at 7pm, Tuesday night, 19 October.”

Dyer is know to be controversial.

On one of his visits to PEI he predicted a world water shortage from global warming. He suggested Canada’s water resources made it a target for US aggression.

Another article suggested mass slaughter of Somalians since they were black and likely pirates.

The AVC Commons Room is off the main entrance adjacent to the Robertson Library.

People with disabilities will find the destination a trifle far from the parking lots, which is the way at UPEI. The motto has always been “Keeping cripples off campus.”

UPEI Disability Story

New UPEI Dean of Arts old President rumors

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Professor Richard Kurial is leaving and Dr. Joe Velaidum, Chair Religious Studies is the name candidate

Dr. Joe Joe Velaidum, next in line for Dean?

The University of Prince Edward Island is all abuzz these days with rumors.

The top secret committee – so secret even it’s members don’t know each other – to select Wade MacLauchlan’s replacement as President is said to have picked Wade MacLauchlan. UPEI seems stuck in a rut.

MacLauchlan is rumored to be holding out for a British Lord title now that Conrad Black’s lordship is up for grabs. MacLauchlan is also rumored to be holding out for the cancellation of PEI’s Human Rights Act in secret contract negotiations. “First it was the cripples, now the geezers are after me,” some one report emanating from the President’s office.

No less spectacular are the rumours UPEI will appoint the first non-white Dean of Arts at UPEI. Kurial’s term is up and the front runner is Dr. Joe Velaidum, known to his friends as Vlad.
Continue reading →

Priceless UPEI the cost of human rights abuse

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Celebrating two years of human rights abuse at UPEI

Two years ago, UPEI removed the last accessible parking from campus. From that date forward, approximately 70% of the disabled parking would be outside the legal limit of 50 meters from the building.

CBC UPEI ordered to rehire employees

Posted on June 8, 2010 by Byline

School says costs expected to exceed $1 million

Yogi Fell one of three UPEI employees to get their job back photo - CBC

CBC News – The University of Prince Edward Island has been ordered by the P.E.I. Human Rights Commission to rehire three employees who were forced to retire in 2005.

The commission ruled in February that the university’s mandatory retirement policy was discriminatory.

Last week, the group ordered the university to reinstate Thomy Nilsson, Richard Willis and Yogi Fell, and pay each complainant for loss of income and damages.

The commission also ordered UPEI to cease its policy of mandatory retirement, something the university had continued despite losing its case.
Continue reading →

Fire Marshall calls for 2nd fire exit except if you are disabled

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Public buildings on PEI exempt from providing fire exits for disabled

Charlottetown Civic Centre, only one wheelchair accessible exit off the floor on Sunday night

At the Stompin Tom Connors concert on Sunday in May 2009, the Charlottetown Civic Centre had only one wheelchair accessible exit off the floor. It was the exit closest to the Box Office.

There were more than 30 people were on the arena floor in wheelchairs. In an emergency, many of those people in wheelchairs were at risk.

A May 2009 press release from PEI Fire Marshal David Blacquiere will be cold comfort to relatives of those who would have perished if a fire broke out.
Continue reading →

I am sick about it

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Stephen Pate

Stephen Pate surveys disabled parking and finds 8 spots missing

Council of the Disabled fails to deliver accessible parking at Canada Games

What happened with the scenes secret promise Greg Clayton of UPEI to make 12 disabled plarking places?

To: Wendy Guindon, PEI Council of Persons with Disabilities August 24, 2009

I was very disappointed in my visit to the Canada Games UPEI site on Saturday when there were only 4 disabled parking spots.

Continue reading →

PEI Council Disabled deceived – 8 new disabled parking spaces missing at Canada Games

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Stephen Pate

PEI Council of the Disabled didn’t get anything done – surprised?

We just took new video of the Canada Games site at UPEI.

The 8 new parking spaces for the disabled are not there. On Thursday Wendy Guindon, according to an email quoted in yesterday’s update, was told by Greg Clayton, VP of UPEI maintenance, that UPEI was installing a total of 12 disabled parking spots for the Canada Games.

Continue reading →

Canada Games listens to God

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Stephen Pate

God called off the charade - Marie Pier-Daigle, Danielle Mersty and Dylan Bartlett practice in the shallow end. photo Nathan Rochford Guardian

Games reluctantly postponed while Hurricane Bill passes by

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, August 24, 2009 with story from CBC and Charlottetown Guardian

We take no credit at NJN Network for a tiny bit of listening and learning at Canada Games. God passed by on Sunday and Joe Spriet and Canada Games listened.
Continue reading →