INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A DISABILITY

SEEN AND TREATED AS SECOND CLASS

CITIZENS IN CANADA

By: Victoria Snow

Contemporary Social Issues

Emily Brent

Thursday, April 3, 2014.

WHAT IS A DISABILITY?

The Human Rights Code defines it as“because of disability” means for the reason that the person has or has had, or is believed to have or have had,

1. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device

2. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability

3. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language

4. a mental disorder

5. or an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

HISTORY BEHIND THE TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH A DISABILITY

In 1839, the Ontario government passed "An Act to Authorise the Erection of an Asylum within this Province for the Reception of Insane and Lunatic Persons."

1876 The Government of Ontario opened its first institution for people with a developmental disability just outside of Orillia on the shores of Lake Simcoe. By 1968, at the height of its operations, the facility had 2,600 residents. It was called the ‘Orillia Asylum for Idiots’.

(Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, n.d.)

HISTORY CON’T

1928 about 2,832 adults and children were sterilized in Alberta between the passing of the Sexual Sterilization Act in 1928 and its repeal in 1972. This Act gave the Alberta Eugenics Board the right to make decisions to sterilize people living in government-run institutions without their consent and without their knowledge of what was happening.

Early 1960’s Ontario Human Rights Code was passed. It prohibited discrimination in employment, housing, and access to services and facilities on grounds such as race and religion, but not against people with disabilities.

(Region of Waterloo, n.d.)

Institution dorms

Unmarked graves at HRC

HOW DO LABELS AND DEFINITIONS EFFECT HOW WE THINK OF SOMEONE?

These were all words used to describe a person whose IQ was below 70.

Idiots- 0 and 25 Imbeciles- 26 and 50 Morons- 51 and 70 Individuals with Down Syndrome

were referred to as Mongolian Idiots

When you think of these words do positive or negative thoughts come to mind?

Now if you were to refer to someone with a disability, person centered words should be used Use the individuals name when

referring to them don’t just say their disability

An individual with… An individual in a wheelchair A person who has autism

When you use person first language it puts the person first not the disability.

Past Future

WHY IS THIS A SOCIAL PROBLEM? A social problem is “a social condition that a segment of society

views as harmful to members of society and in need of remedy” (Holmes, Knox, Mooney & Schacht, 2013) “Social conditions are not considered social problems until a segment of society believes that the condition diminishes the quality of human life”

Individuals who have a disability have been treated different in society throughout history and into the present. They are given less opportunities to be contributing members of society, are likely to face discrimination, poverty, abuse and to be treated

differently in communities and society as a whole.

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

“emphasizes that human behaviour is

influenced by definitions and

meanings that are created and maintained

through symbolic interaction with others”

(Holmes, Knox, Mooney & Schacht, 2013)

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

“ for those whose primary source of income comes in the form of a disability pension, monthly rent alone would consume between 82 and 98 percent of income in three Canadian cities sampled: Ottawa, Vancouver and Halifax” (Holmes, Knox, Mooney & Schacht, 2013)

“A Thornhill couple is advised by provincial officials to leave their 19-year-old autistic son, who wears diapers, at a homeless shelter if they can’t look after him.

A family in Haliburton says they “hope and pray” their two daughters won’t have to care for their 21-year-old autistic brother, who functions at a Grade 2 level, once the parents can no longer do it themselves.

And a distraught Whitby father, whose 21-year-old autistic son smashes dishes and damages parked cars in fits of anger, says he can’t find a program that can handle him.” (Monsebraaten, 2012)

According to Labeling Theory

“resolving social problems sometimes involves changing the meanings and definitions

attributed to people and situations”(Holmes, Knox, Mooney & Schacht, 2013)

HOW WILL WE CREATE A SOLUTION TO THIS SOCIAL PROBLEM?

1. As simple as it sounds, we need to redefine

what disability means in our society and

reconstruct a positive meaning to the word. If

we had a positive outlook on individuals who

had a disability imagine how different our world

would be

SOLUTIONS

“Regardless of whether a disability is evident or non-evident, a great deal of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities is underpinned by social constructs of “normality” which in turn tend to reinforce obstacles to integration rather than encourage ways to ensure full participation”

(Ontario Human Rights Code, n.d.)

SOLUTIONS

Recipients Passive income support Dependence Government responsibility Labelled as unemployable Disincentives to leave income

assistance Insufficient employment supports Program-centred approach Non- accessible

Participants Active measures to promote

employment and provide income support

Independence Shared responsibility Work skills identified Incentives to seek employment

and support volunteering Opportunities to develop skills Person-centred approach Accessibility

Past and Present Future

SOLUTIONS2. Changes within the system

• Incentives to work

• Better job opportunities and support

programs

• ODSP above the poverty line

• Better housing options

• More adult programs

• More funding

• less waiting lists and paperwork for

families

• Early intervention

• Better school supports

• More choices, options and allowing

individuals voices to be heard

SOLUTIONS

3. Create Awareness

Five people with physical disabilities had storefront mannequins cast of their bodies to promote

awareness of disability worldwide.

A video about how hiring someone who has a disability doesn’t hurt your company or your profits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAHa3q4Mip0

SOLUTIONS

What can you do on a personal level?• Get to know someone who has a

disability• Use person centered language• Volunteer with an organization who

supports individuals who have a disability

• Question your own thoughts and attitudes towards individuals who have a disability

• Say or do something if you see discrimination

• Support inclusion in your community!

ONE STEP FORWARD FOR THE WAY INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WERE

TREATED

“The province recently settled class-action lawsuits with survivors of Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls and of Southwestern Regional Centre in Chatham-Kent. The settlements come on the heels of a major victory by former residents of Huronia Regional Centre, the largest and oldest institution of its kind in the province. Collectively the three lawsuits are worth about $68 million” (Alamenciak, 2013).

Full article :

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2013/12/26/institutional_abuse_survivors_await_apologies_from_province.html

THE FREEDOM TOUR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13y4BI0Lets

This is a link to a really insightful documentary trailer about how institutional living was for individuals with disabilities. The documentary is really worth watching to educate yourself on how our society and the government has treated individuals who have a disability. Even though institutions in Canada are now closed we still have a long way to go to before we reach equality and full community inclusion.

REFERENCES Alamenciak, T. (2013, December 26.). Institutional abuse survivors await apologies from province. The

Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2013/12/26/ institutional_abuse_survivors_await_apologies_from_province.html

Holmes, M., Knox, D., Mooney, L. & Schacht, C. (2013). Understanding social problems (Custom

ed.). Toronto, ON: Nelson

Monsebraaten, L. (2012, November 16). The autism project: Teens with autism face uncertain fate. The

Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/2012/11/16/the_ autism_project_teens_with_autism_face_uncertain_fate.html

Ontario Human Rights Code. (n.d.). What is disability? Retrieved from http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy

and-guidelines-disability-and-duty-accommodate/2-what-disability

Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. (n.d.). The first Institution. Retrieved from

http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/dshistory/firstInstitution/index.aspx

Region of Waterloo. (n.d.). Historical timeline for people with disabilities. Retrieved from http://region ofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalGovernment/resources/DOCS_ADMIN-1292073-v1- Historical_Timeline_for_People_with_Disabilities.pdf