My Word

By Raymond D. Cohen

Free! In this issue of ABILITIES! The gifts of Knowledge, Empowerment and Opportunity! Be sure to pick up your’s before you put down this magazine.

Time for me to be more specific? I was struck by the fact that three of the major articles in this issue are inter-related as the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The three stories to which I refer are “Halliday Speaks”, by Bruce Halliday – Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. (P.47), “Rights, Justice, Power” by Marcia Rioux – Director of the Roeher Institute (P.58) and “People with Disabilities Demand their Rights Now” prepared by Cathy McPherson of the Canadian Disability Rights Council (P.61)

I would urge readers to take a little time to wonder through each of these pieces in sequence – and consider the perspectives lent by each of the authors. The rest, of course, is up to you. I assure you, however, that the above-mentioned gifts are indeed awaiting you within these pages.

But wait, there’s more…

If you have been considering pursuing educational objectives, Athabasca University’s distance program (P.41) is truly innovative, exciting and very accessible. Make sure you give this article the once or twice over. It’s well worth it!

Considering a trip? Don’t neglect “Heads and Hearts and Spillimacheen” by Glenys Snow (P.5). There are not too many places on our fair planet that can rival Spillimacheen – and even fewer that offer the accessible spirit of this budding community. And, if you happen to be blind and use a guide dog, you’ll find that “Hot Dog – Fun in the Sun” by Marie Laport Stark and Chirs Stark (P.77) is full of valuable tips.

On other fronts, ABILITIES is pleased to welcome the Canadian Aging and Rehabilitation Product Development Corporation (ARCOR) aboard. We will be bringing you “ARCOR INDUSTRY NEWS” in our centre section for at least the next year. I am certain that readers interested in the industry or considering purchasing products for independent living will find much value in these pages.

Also in the line of product profiles readers are likely to gain value from Abilities new “New Products Section” (P.42), as well as the latest word from REHABEX ’91 (P.38), scheduled for this October in Toronto.

Employment? The Neil Squire Foundation’s Crystal Bolduc profiles the advances being made on behalf of people with severe physical disabilities within Creative Employment Options and poses the question “What’s the Big Deal” (P.51) in examining the resistance of some employers to tapping into this valuable labour pool; and the Ontario March of Dimes continues their presense with “Job Coaching – An Innovative Approach to Skills Training” (P.54) by Heather Ingram.

But wait, there’s much more… but I’ve just run out of space, so I think I’ll shut down my “hard sales” approach for this issue and let you discover for yourself…

NOTE:

(In the June issue of Abilities the new address of the Stroke Recovery Association of Ontario was incorrect. Their address is c/o Ontario March of Dimes, 585 Trethewey Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M6M 4B8
Telephone: 614-3271)