Milestones and Memories

By Raymond D. Cohen

Greetings to all, and welcome to Issue 61 of ABILITIES – the last issue of 2004. And what a year it has been!

The United Nations International Day of Disabled Persons on December 3 is just around the corner. This year’s theme: “Nothing about Us without Us.” As Canadians, we have much to celebrate – and a long way to go before true equality exists. It was Benjamin Franklin who coined the phrase, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” It’s too bad old Ben didn’t stay on the subject a moment or two longer – because I think change could easily have been added to his list of certainties.

How will you acknowledge the day? Most centres across Canada will find a way to celebrate the gains – and take further stock of the long road left to travel. In order to lend your energy to the day, get in touch with your municipal leaders and find out what is being planned locally. Or contact your local Independent Living Resource Centre – you’ll find news and updates at www.cailc.ca (p. 37).

Our country continues to present a fascinating potpourri of disability issues.
Serious congratulations are due the Government of Ontario. Landmark legislation has been announced to take the place of the existing Ontarians with Disabilities Act. This time, the proposed legislation has real teeth! This time, although the phase-in will take a number of years, the outcome may well be a truly accessible Ontario! Don’t miss Minister Bountrogianni’s announcement on page 33.

Along a similar vein, and in keeping with the “Nothing about Us without Us” call to action, congratulations are deserved by the motion picture industry. Famous Players, Cineplex Galaxy and the broader association of motion picture theatres (page 35) have gone the distance in standardizing a companion policy for those people with disabilities requiring assistance to attend theatres across the country. The remarkable thing about the process was the lengths to which industry representatives went to ensure that knowledgeable voices were heard. Representatives from the consumer community, service groups and national associations were part of the mix right from inception – and the process may well serve as a valuable example to other corporate sectors in the future.

The year 2004 also saw a public re-emergence of one of the uglier issues to befall Canada’s community of people with disabilities – the assisted suicide debate, the thin edge of the euthanasia controversy. This remains one of the most gut-wrenching and infuriating matters of conscience to ever befall the disability community – and, in my view, has become an acid test for the able-bodied population. One need only ask the question, and folks who on every other level seem to be rational and compassionate reveal within themselves a critical lack of appreciation for the vulnerability that can come with having a disability.

This issue cannot be done justice in a paragraph or two on this page – but I raise it now because it is timely, and because it is clear that, too often, media depictions of disability issues are bent and mutilated to the point where they become unrecognizable.

For those who missed the story, on September 26, Charles Fariala, a 36-year-old Montreal playwright and palliative care worker, committed suicide. Fariala’s mother, herself later treated for depression, seems to have supported her son’s suicide. That in itself would not have merited front-page news. Tragically, many Canadians commit suicide every year; for whatever reasons, they can no longer cope with living. The difference was that Fariala had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the previous year. His symptoms were not severe by any account. Nonetheless, the cross-country headlines screamed “MS.”

The damage has been done – and having multiple sclerosis has been reinforced in the minds of many as being a reason to exit this life early, or to help a loved one to do so. And as a result, many people with MS feel the anger and hurt of being devalued.

My thinking, when it comes to disability and the media: Take what you read, see or hear with a boulder of salt. Then, put on your thinking caps and look for the truth behind the words.

The final word, of course, is mine (insert maniacal laughter here). Seriously, I would like to express our deep appreciation to those who recently responded to the Canadian Abilities Foundation’s call for support. Our staff and board were truly gratified at the outpouring of assistance and endorsements after our recent appeal.

We can now see a little light at the end of the tunnel – here’s hoping it actually is the end of the tunnel, and not the headlamp of an oncoming train!

Happy holidays, and warmest wishes.