Acknowledgements
Disability Rights Promotion International Canada (DRPI-Canada) would like to thank its partner, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD), its Executive Director, Jane Dyson, and the monitor Chloe Krause for their great support to make this project possible.
DRPI-Canada expresses heartfelt gratitude to monitoring site coordinator Sam Bradd, the monitors Jennifer Anthon, Linda Bartram, Debbie Brkich, Lorraine Irlam, Chloe Krause, Tom McGregor, David Schaefer and Jewelles Smith, and all persons with disabilities engaged as interviewees for their incredible passion and commitment to make a change in the lives of their peers in the communities they live. There is no way this project be possible without their tremendous contribution and dedication.
DRPI-Canada extends its gratitude to community and university members of the Monitoring Individual Experiences theme of the project – Normand Boucher, Sandra Carpenter, Steve Estey, Isabel Killoran, and Marcia Rioux – for their contribution at the inception of this project and their continuous support throughout. Special thanks to Normand Boucher, university leader of the Monitoring Individual Experiences theme, Marcia Rioux, DRPI-Canada director and Rita Samson, coordinator of DRPI International project for their invaluable contribution in training the monitors. Extended thanks to Normand Boucher who also facilitated a focus group on behalf of DRPI-Canada, that brought together the monitors and the interviewees to provide feedback on the first draft of the report.
My husband left me when I became disabled. He told me it was too much for him to take it. (DVC06, Female – age 57)
I don't go out very much because there's usually not an attendant available for something I might want to do during the day. People have their lives, so it's very hard to find somebody to accompany me in a reclining wheelchair... this affects my getting dressed and stuff like that. So the help I have is so minimal, it's like 6 hours a week. That's barely enough to make me a meal that you can put in the fridge or freezer and get the laundry done and the bed changed and a shower. (DVB04, Female – age 63)
I use a manual wheelchair to get around, and I think that we're fortunate living in the lower mainland here in B.C. because for the most part it is very accessible for people who use wheelchairs. We're also seeing more changes being made to improve the lives of people with other disabilities, other than mobility disabilities. (DVC12, Male – age 61)
They know I have a disability, they know that I'm deaf, but they don't necessarily think about how to adjust accordingly for a deaf person or anyone else with a disability. So I know that if I wanted to move up to a position or move up to be considered for a promotion, I've been told that I can't because of my disability, because I wouldn't be able to use a telephone, for example. (DVE01, Female – age 41)
I think I've progressed a lot since I've been working here, and I've found the acceptance that I wouldn't necessarily find in other settings. There are a lot of other people here who have disabilities as well, and yet that doesn't prevent them from leading a full life... or acting or being responsible for certain things. (DVi01, Male – age 50)