You would think from Lowell Croken’s comments in the Guardian “Disability Alert hears complaints about some polling stations” that accessibility is a luxury.
There are 19,000 Islanders with disabilities. Approximately half or 9,500 have walking or mobility impairment. Accessibility is a issue for them. Others are blind and need braille signs to find their way.
It’s about making a concerted effort to see that 19,000 Islanders with disabilities are able to vote as easily as non-disabled Islanders. That’s the law in Canada.
Mr. Croken is excusing his department with
“The difficulty for owners of these buildings is that we rent from them once every four years on Election Day and we pay them $150. I can’t expect that’s going to get someone to pay $3,000 on a ramp.”
Mr. Croken, the right of the disabled to vote is just that – a full constitutional right. You cannot abrogate the right because it costs more money.
It is your responsibility to see that all polling stations are properly accessibly. If the hall is not accessible, rent another hall. If there is not hall and you’re not paying enough to build a ramp, they have Highways or Public Works supply a temporary ramp.
There is always a way to solve a problem if you want to. It’s not just about ramps, or signs. It’s about making a concerted effort to see that 19,000 Islanders with disabilities are able to vote as easily as non-disabled Islanders. That’s the law in Canada.
I would suggest Mr. Croken arrange to meet with the disability community on PEI to define a set of parameters for accessibility and then apply it to the next election. I know that’s a bother and all these wheelchair types are annoying, but making elections accessible – that’s the law in Canada.
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