One Step Forward...

By Raymond D. Cohen

We all have them. I was experiencing a down day, complete with writer’s block. This seemed like the ten-thousandth day of unbearable humidity in the city of Toronto - and it was the 11th hour for this issue of ABILITIES magazine... yet this page remained empty.

Plus, I was preoccupied. For one thing, I was angry that Via Rail was steadfastly chugging along its own railway path to inaccessibility. Its newly purchased, not-too-accessible railway cars are now being put into service - even though a complaint launched by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) to the Canadian Transportation Agency is still waiting to be addressed.

It is hard to comprehend why we should move towards a poorer standard of rail accessibility in this country. Ironically, the U.S. buys its accessible railway cars from Canada’s Bombardier Industries, while we turn to Europe to purchase cars that offer less comfort, dignity and perhaps even safety than those we could have bought right here at home.

(Readers as irate as me may wish to contact Laurie Beachell, National Coordinator of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, at (204) 947-0303, or e-mail him at ccd@pcs.mb.ca for more information.)

Furthermore, adding to my general glum mood (and upholding my writer’s block) is news of the so-called "Exit Bag."

Canadian made, the Exit Bag has the dubious honour of being the subject of this issue’s "Thumbs Down" column (page 7). How anyone in this country could not be outraged by this nifty little bit of nastiness is beyond me! Imagine marketing and selling a plastic bag with a hose attached to it, intended to deliver lethal toxicity to terminate the lives of people with disabilities or seniors.

For more information on protecting people with disabilities or seniors from being murdered or persuaded to end their lives, please contact the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition at 1-877-439-3348, or send e-mail to info@epcc.ca.

So, I was blocked. And out of time. What to do?

I picked up the galleys of this issue of ABILITIES and began to thumb through the pages. And I must say, my outlook immediately brightened - it truly was as if a light had been switched on within my spirit!

Children, family, community! The pages of this issue virtually glow with contributions from people who really understand that nurturing our families and communities is the only path to a brighter future.

York University Professor Gary Bunch, in his article "Student Attitudes" (page 20), offers compelling evidence of a dynamic that we have long suspected. Non-disabled students develop attitudes of disability acceptance and principles of inclusiveness when educated in an integrated setting. Here is real support for all those families who have always known that inclusion is the best option for their children.

ABILITIES Managing Editor Lisa Bendall, in her article "All in the Family" (page 24), captures the spirit of the Second International Conference on Parents with Disabilities, held this year in Oakland, California. The substance of the conference had to do with the myriad considerations pertaining to parenting with a disability. The subset of this wonderful convergence had more to do with an emerging worldwide network of parents speaking up and advocating for their children’s rights, as well as their own rights as parents.

And Catherine Tse’s article, "Right by Your Side" (page 29), rounds off the features nicely, offering empowering information on legal rights and resources for parents of children with disabilities.

All of this, before we even get to some of the other life-enhancing pieces contained throughout this issue, and through the utterly amazing assortment of perspectives and opportunities available through the ABILITIES Forum (starting on page 34).

The Forum continues to be a place in this magazine where organizations, advocacy groups and government can share their own good news - their recent achievements and their upcoming plans. Whether it’s an awards ceremony for extraordinary inventions, a celebration of ten years of helping people get work, a new standard in customer service for consumers with disabilities, or improved opportunities for housing, you’ll find this and more in this issue’s Forum.

Hey - I feel better! Dang, I’m glad I started this magazine!

I hope you enjoy this issue - go ahead, start flipping pages! No doubt, it will brighten your day, too!

Stay in touch!