Category Archives: UPEI

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

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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

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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

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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

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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.
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Priceless UPEI the cost of human rights abuse

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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

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

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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

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.
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UPEI Abuses Human Rights as Policy

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Denial of Human Rights for media, employees and those with disability is policy for outgoing President Wade MacLauchlan and Board of Governors

It has been 2 years since UPEI pushed the disabled to the edge of the campus in violation of their human rights

Human Rights aren’t worth much if the strong are allowed to pick on the weak. Wade MacLauchlan has made himself a human rights pariah. PEI will be well rid of him when his term of office is up next year.

The question is: is he the problem or are the UPEI Board of Governors and other senior managers of the same mind?

Human Rights violations at UPEI are extending beyond people living with disabilities. Recently UPEI refused to provide the media with basic information like the salary of its president Wade MacLauchlan.

Earlier this year UPEI declared it would not respect the ruling of the PEI Human Rights Commission. It will continue to retire employees at 65 despite a ruling the policy is illegal.

Two years ago in June the University of PEI removed accessible parking for those living with disabilities. When we spoke out against the human rights abuse of those with disabilities, some scoffed. The evidence is piling up against their record. Does UPEI consider itself a good corporate citizen of Canada or above the law? Continue reading →

CBC and Charlottetown Guardian insult 22,000 Islanders with disabilities

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Compass - not the news that matters

Compass - not the news that matters

Refusal to report the lack of disability parking at Canada Games UPEI site sends message to disabled – you don’t matter

For the past two weeks the CBC, Charlottetown Guardian and other Island media outlets have known Canada Games did not have disabled parking at the Canada Games UPEI.

The building permit for the Canada Games site had approved disabled parking for 12 Islanders with disabilities. City Planning manager Don Poole confirmed he had been promised by Greg Clayton of UPEI Facilities Management that the disabled parking would be finished as planned. Poole said he had called Clayton on several occasions to discuss the unfinished disabled parking.

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Canada Games covers up torch burn accident

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Jean Kenny, West Prince Graphic

Jean Kenny, West Prince Graphic

Bad news too hot to handle for Canada Games, child injury ignored

By Jean Kenny, West Prince Graphic

A senior Canada Games manager said they were unaware that a young runner had been burned by hot wax during the torch relay until contacted by the Graphic.

One can almost predict the press release: “children are our most valuable asset” says Canada Games official Patrick Kenny – NJN Editor

A child being burned while running with the Canada Games torch is a very serious matter, one that will hopefully make future organizers aware that the torch being used may need some modifications.

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Sports press at Canada Games push cliches and discrimination

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canada-games-2009“Never (change) with a winning team” Bull Durham

The Press covering the Canada Games are displaying the sports jock behaviour of ignoring the obvious injustice of disability discrimination in favour of happy stories of plucky disabled athletes who won something. Are all sports reporters thick between the ears?

Hockey Scores
New York Rangers  – 4
Boston Bruins- 7
Toronto Maple Leafs – 8

On PEI for the past two weeks the sports media have refused to cover the story of disability discrimination at Canada Games and the efforts by Patrick Kennyand other Games officials to cover it up.

Continue reading →