Human Rights at UPEI

November 7, 2008

The Guardian printed the story that follows, which is essentially public relations puffery on the part of the UPEI. We submitted a comment about 6 AM and re-submitted.

The Guardian chose not to print our comment.

All our comments are signed. This is the first time the Guardian refused to print our comments. We are amazed at their censorship. We assume we are too close to revealing the truth for the Guardian’s tastes.

And here is the rest of the story.
It’s a great photo op at UPEI, who recently took away disabled parking. That Myrtle Jenkins Smith is good on the public relations and mopping up patronage money. Yup, no money for the DSP, a dog slow report – like molasses uphill in winter – and lots of money for MJS.

Look – there’s Currie as a pretty face. He didn’t do a thing at UPEI. He just looks good standing tall with three paraplegics. I figured out this morning who Currie reminds me of – check This Week Has Five & a Half Minutes next week for the answer.

Oh and Brian Doucette who refused to say word one about the DSP $1 million cutback 2 years. He must have found his water wings.

And Paul Cudmore who the PEI Canadian Paraplegic told me in writing they haven’t seen in 10 years. Look out boys – he’s next to you. Paul is the champion of you can drive in chair, why park close at UPEI.

Quite a crew. UPEI took 1 year to build a sports field – 7 years to build a wheelchair ramp. That’s progress.

Other reader comments follow the story.

KATHERINE HUNT
The Guardian

The 154-year-old Main Building on the UPEI campus is now more wheelchair-accessible as part of a seven-year implementation plan to make the campus more accessible to those with disabilities.

Newly constructed bathrooms with wider doors, lowered sinks, lowered mirrors, and lower urinals are some of many new changes about to happen around the campus.
Members of the Canadian Paraplegic Association, the UPEI accessibility committee and Health Minister Doug Currie were present at the official launch of the improvements Tuesday.

Health Minister Doug Currie, left, Charlene Stevenson and Brian Doucette, both of the Canadian Paraplegic Association P.E.I. division, and Paul Cudmore of the UPEI Accessibility Committee, were on hand Tuesday for the official launch of the newly improved Main Building that makes it easier for persons with disabilities to access the building and washrooms. Guardian photo

The university is making sure it notes everything it can do to change what needs to be changed, said Joanne McCabe, chair of the UPEI accessibility committee.
“It’s like a lens everything has to be looked at through to make sure everything is accessible,” said McCabe.

Three years ago, an audit was done of all the physical facilities on the grounds of the campus. As a result an implementation plan was devised with the goal of fixing the campus for accessibility in seven years.

It is funded by the CPA which will also go to other destinations in the near future for similar changes.

“We’re going to the (Queen Elizabeth) hospital in a couple of weeks,” said Myrtle Jenkins-Smith of the CPA.

Accessibility for those with disabilities is a major priority, said McCabe.
“It’s a very important part of any campus, and we’re focused on a variety of things.”

Changes to the Main Building include the work on the bathrooms, as well as widening all doors and upgrading elevators.

Work has also been done around the campus — flattening the sidewalks for a smoother surface and brightening the lighting for those who can’t see well. In the next four years more changes covering the classrooms, library, residences, labs and more will be made.

Wallace knows the story from Stratford, PEI writes:

Stephen Pate is getting to Currie and Jenkins-Smith. They’ve opted for the photo-op, with feel good story, as a way to deflect from the larger issue of the Disability Support Program. This is the key program for disabled people and their caregivers on PEI. The government was elected with promises to fix this broken program. To date Currie has cut $35,000 from the DSP budget and giver Jenkin-Smith, through one of her companies, $200,000 to review the DSP. A year an a half later the review drags on. Little is expected, from the Jenkins-Smith review. Will Currie remedy the dire situation faced by disabled Islanders, or the spouses and families that struggle to provide care?So far there is nothing but a cold shoulder and this kind of deflection from the relentless Pate. This media manipulation on the part of the Minister and his campaign worker, Smith-Jenkins, is hard to see as anything but cynical.Posted 07/11/2008 at 7:18 AM

An what is left out…? from PEI writes:

The story does not mention that the disabled parking spots that were taken away on campus have not been replaced, and yet utility, security and delivery vehicles continue to drive the paths of the university. Hypocrisy.
Posted 07/11/2008 at 10:35 AM