Access for All More than Bricks and Mortar
DISABLED PERSONS COMMISSION--Access for All More than Bricks and Mortar
Creating accessible buildings and residences just makes sense, according to Ralph Ferguson, chair of the Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission. After all, if a person with a disability cannot easily enter or leave their home or another building, their opportunities for employment, education, and recreation can be limited.
"When you improve accessibility for me, or anyone with a disability, you improve it for everybody," says the Pictou County resident. "If it's easy for me to get around, then it's easy for people with baby carriages or grocery carts too."
Mr. Ferguson has spent years working for better access in new residential and commercial construction. Over the years, his main focus has been increasing accessibility in all areas of the community. He has a special interest in working with local contractors to construct buildings that accommodate different needs.
Mr. Ferguson's participation on the Disabled Persons Commission and within his community is a real-life example of the theme for the 2004 International Day Of Disabled Persons -- Nothing About Us Without Us.
The International Day of Disabled Persons, Dec. 3, is set aside each year to celebrate and acknowledge the experience and capabilities of people with disabilities. The 2004 theme is a reminder that effective policies and programs depend upon collaboration among people with disabilities and all levels of government.
The ideas and perspectives of community members like Mr. Ferguson enable the Disabled Persons Commission to influence government decisions. Recently, for example, the commission provided input on the framework for an updated federal-provincial employment initiative for people with disabilities. This framework will support people with disabilities in becoming employed, succeeding in their jobs and remaining in the workplace. It will also assist employers as they get ready to hire people with disabilities.
The Multi-lateral Framework for Persons with Disabilities was developed after almost two years of discussions and extensive consultations with the disability community, including the Disabled Persons Commission. As a result, it better reflects the views and needs of persons with disabilities by providing a more comprehensive, yet flexible, approach to programming.
The Disabled Persons Commission was created in 1990 to advise the provincial government and educate Nova Scotians on issues concerning people with disabilities. Mr. Ferguson got involved with the commission because, as a person with a mobility disability, he says he's always been interested in issues concerning access and mobility.
Mr. Ferguson's participation on the Disabled Persons Commission is one way he, as a person with a disability, can inform and guide policies and programs for persons with disabilities. His passion for improving accessible housing is another.
Mr. Ferguson says better access to buildings and homes, transportation and communication are some of the most important issues for people with disabilities. He wants accessibility to come to mind, especially when new residential areas are being built, so that anyone can live in or visit a home.
He points to the high cost of renovations as a good reason to think about making new homes accessible now. "It's a good investment to consider accessibility now rather than later, since needs can change down the road," he says.
"We need to think about more than just bricks and mortar," says Mr. Ferguson. "We want the general public to think differently."
According to the Statistics Canada Participation and Activity Limitation survey, Nova Scotia continues to have the highest rate of disability in Canada, with about one in five Nova Scotians reporting a disability.