From the Charlottetown Guardian January 12th, 2007
(photo Stephen Pate)
In The Guardian on Jan. 5, 2007, Health Minister Chester Gillan denies that $651,000 less in the Disability Support Program is a cutback.
Gillan’s denial includes semantics like “over-budget” and “uniformity”. Islanders with disabilities who are receiving less from the DSP will be comforted in knowing that. Next time your boss says your pay will go down, consider it a budget adjustment.
In the article, Gillan denied that I ‘play an advisory role to government’ which is false since he personally invited me to sit on the Ministerial Committee on Disability Issues. If you check the DSP website, the June 16, 2004, press release shows my name as being on the committee.
The next denial is even sillier. According to the story, Gillan said Pate or his group has ‘never arranged to meet with the department or Gillan himself’.
Chester and I are on a first-name basis. We last met in late November on a Saturday. His deputy’s secretary called me several times in December to set up a meeting for early January.
When will Gillan stop the denials, even the silly ones, and stop taking money from people in wheelchairs?
Anonymous
Perhaps, Mr. Pate, the Minister does not recognise you by your new name. I seem to remember a recent Guardian article where your name was changed to “Pace,” was it not? Perhaps, the Minister cannot keep up with swift changes or faster “pace” you seem to keep with your electric wheelchair…?