MMC Legal Services: Michelle Morgan-Coole
9435 Commercial St B4N 3G3 New Minas, NS, Canada

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The theme this year is 'Not all Disabilities are Visible'. Today is an opportunity to spread awareness... and understanding of disabilities that are not immediately apparent, such as mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, sight or hearing impairments, diabetes, among others. According to the WHO World Report on Disability, 15 per cent of the world’s population, or more than 1 billion people, are living with disability. Of this number, it’s estimated 450 million are living with a mental or neurological condition. There is a strong importance of removing barriers for all people living with disability, both visible and invisible. Do you have an invisible disability? What change is important for you?

We've already taken this issue to the NS Human Rights Commission. Do we really need to start over and point out the all-too-human costs that Covid has highlighted?

How's this for a human rights complaint (or, given that it's in the US, a complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act) waiting to happen? https://www.baltimoresun.com//ac-cn-face-masks-county-scho

COVID-19 has had a drastic impact on employment for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Inclusion Canada and CASDA are excited to announc...e the launch of the Employment Recovery Project! This project will work with Ready, Willing and Able to address inclusive employment needs that emerged as a result of COVID-19. See more

No matter the country or the level of schooling, students must learn to be good self-advocates. "They will help her with her concerns if she gets in contact, but obviously it is hard to respond and help if she does not raise this issue with them. "Students who feel that adjustments are not being implemented, are strongly encouraged to make contact with the student disability service, so that service staff can liaise directly with the relevant school’s disability contact, who...se role is to ensure that disability adjustments are put in place. https://www.vice.com//deaf-hard-of-hearing-university-onli

This same sad state of affairs exists in Canada, although I think here it has more to do with having enough social distancing space. Of course, there will also be adults who simply cannot tolerate the required mask.

For those who wonder why I still complain about accessibility in Halifax when there has been so much progress over the past 17 years I have lived in Halifax, he...re is the story of my attempts to celebrate this week. On Tuesday afternoon I planned a coffee date with my partner who is also a wheelchair user. We planned to meet at a new coffee shop a few blocks from his place. When I arrived we realized it was closed earlier than expected due to covid hours. For the next hour and 15 minutes we traveled more than 13 blocks searching for a coffee shop that would be both wheelchair accessible and open after 4pm. Finally we gave up searching and I got in my car to drive and find coffee I could bring back for both of us. Not exactly the romantic date I had hoped for but considering our first date consisted of searching for accessible washrooms it seemed fitting. Then tonight I wanted to join a friend to enjoy Halifax Burger Week. I had chosen a top list of restaurants to try in advance and we headed downtown to our first choice. We had to park several blocks away (and roll down the biggest hill in the city) to reach the door and find it was closed on Sundays. We tried 4 other restaurants on that same street but none were both open and wheelchair accessible. Lucky for me my friend offered to go get the car and come pick me up before we headed across town to continue our search in the North End. In the car we made our new selections. The first stop was accessible but when we got inside the 2 booths (which were the only non-high top tables) were taken. The hostess offered to seat us at a couch instead (which was actually supposed to be closed for covid). So I ate my burger with a plate sitting on my lap instead of having a table. Our second stop was a restaurant I knew I could get into and we actually got their last low top table! But then I had to use the washroom and remembered that I could not get my wheelchair inside. So instead I had to park my wheelchair in the hallway and drag myself into the bathroom. Not the most dignified way to enjoy a night out! So the next time someone asks me why I complain so much about accessibility in Halifax, it is because despite the fact that I still have a fair bit of mobility, I can't make it through one outing in the city I call home without being reminded that most people don't think I deserve to be in the room! I still have to plan every step of my day to make sure my basic needs are met and there is still more than half of my city that I just cannot access. So the next time you want to grab a coffee or eat a burger please look around to see if I would be able to get inside, have a table to sit at, or have a place I can wash my hands and if not please spend your money somewhere else! And if that starts to get annoying then let's talk about what we can do to make sure me and the people I love most have access to our city too! See more

More good news. More or less. Although the $600 Covid payment for persons with disabilities will be disbursed beginning October 30, the time for individuals to apply for the Disability Tax Credit (and thus receive a retroactive payment) has been extended to December 31, 2020. And please remember not to let an initial denial of your DTC application stop you. Appeal. Appeal. Appeal.