A right to live in the community

Yesterday afternoon and this morning, I spent time at a conference looking at community living for those with disabilities. People felt very strongly that those with disabilities have a right to live in the community. People felt very strongly that the Gary Doer NDP had made the wrong decision when they announced a $40 million rebuild of the Manitoba Developmental Centre. All over North America institutions are being closed and people are being moved out into the community. James Conroy a researcher from The Centre for Outcome Analysis in the United States has followed 7,000 people who have moved out of institutions. He was a sceptic to start with but he has found, by following these people, that their quality of life improved. He found that family members changed from being fearful of the disabled person living in the community to delight at what an improvement it was. The testimony of many at the conference was compelling. Speakers were convincing that the Gary Doer NDP were captives of the old myths, the old prejudices and the old way. I came away convinced that it is time to look to the future and not the past, and to use the $40 million to help people to live in the community. In the top photo, I am helping barbeque hot dogs for the lunch in Memorial Park. In the second photo, I am with David Weremy, one of the speakers at the conference.