PEI disabled second place to Rick Hansen

Charity begins at home except when politicians need a photo op

April 27, 2007 Updated September 7, 2009

On Thursday April 26, 2007 Premier Pat Binns of Prince Edward Island welcomed Canadian disability hero Rick Hansen to the PEI Legislature. Along with a pledge of $200,000 in support, the Legislature gave Mr. Hansen a standing ovation. Up in the gallery sat a young man with a cerebral palsy who has been cast off by the PEI government.

It was sunny, cool and windy at the Legislature building. The disabled man, on hard times, sat on the cold limestone steps. David had a beat-up look with two small bags of society’s left-over food and his cane.

All the politicians passed David by except Robert Ghiz who stopped and sat down beside David. Robert talked to him for a few minutes. Then he shook the young disabled man’s hand, got up and went inside.

David R. has Cerebral Palsy, like many of the Easter Seals Ambassadors. As a adult with a disability, he became one of society’s cast offs, unable to work because of intense pain and poor walking skills.

His learning and speech disabilities mean he cannot get past the bureaucracy at Canada Pension or the DSP. David lives in a rooming house on a meager welfare allowance where he is subject to abuse.

Later in the Legislature, the Pat Binns Premier of PEI welcomed Rick Hansen a Canadian disability hero and now a star.

I met Rick two years ago at his June fund raiser in Toronto. Rick was sponsored by Scotia Bank and the event in Toronto was awesome. I got a special t-shirt that Rick signed. Rick is a motivational leader.

Up in the gallery the man with CP watched the politicians. Rick Hansen was showered with praise, a standing ovation, and $200,000. Some of that money will stay on PEI to help paraplegics which is good.

It was also good that politicians meet someone with a disability who they don’t look down on with pity.

In the building lobby, the disabled man spotted a long table of food. He had no lunch and was hungry which is not unusual for people on welfare.

He asked for a bite but was waved away. The food was for Rick Hanson and guests of the PEI Paraplegic Association. The politicians waited attentively on the charismatic Rick Hansen.

Earl Nightingale told the true tale called Acres of Diamonds: a South African farmer wanted to get rich so he sold his farm and went looking for diamonds. He died years later broken and impoverished.

The man who bought the farm was walking one day and kicked a stone in a stream. He had discovered the Hope Diamond and the richest diamond mine in African with thousands of gems. The first man had acres of diamonds but he gave them up for the lure of something better but far away.

The PEI government showers praise and riches on someone from away like Rick Hansen. Rick is a great man but he has no real needs. However, the government casts into the dustbin of life thousands of diamonds in its own backyard, Islanders with disabilities.