Living
Independently
Remarks by
the Hon. David Kilgour
Secretary
of State (Asia-Pacific) and MP for Edmonton-Southeast
On the occasion
of the 6th World Conference of Disabled
Peoples’ International
Sapporo,
Japan, October 18,
2002
Chairman
Joshua Malinga, Minister in the Presidency
from South Africa, World Council Members,
dear friends of the disability movement,
It is an
honour to be here in Sapporo and to bring
greetings from Canada’s Prime Minister,
Jean Chrétien. My only regret is
that I could not be here on Tuesday, when
over 3700 people, from 109 countries, attended
the opening ceremonies. The organizers and
volunteers, 3400 strong I’m told, of
this huge event deserve special recognition
– they helped raise over $3.8 million
and have done a remarkable service to the
cause of disabled peoples.
It seems
like only yesterday that many of us were
in Mexico City. What more fitting place
to be today than in Japan, a nation firmly
committed to the cause of disabled peoples.
DPI
DPI is a
unique organization that truly “celebrates
diversity.” As a friend pointed out
to me once, “DPI was conceived in Canada,
born in Singapore and lives around the world.”
Four years ago, you expressed with vigour
and pride “a voice of your own”
This week, you are breaking down barriers;
you are celebrating diverse abilities; and
are claiming full rights as human beings.
DPI is the
only disability organization in the world
that has its mandate the basic right to
life, food, shelter, and education for persons
with disabilities. This week, in over 40
workshops, you have tackled these issues
head-on. Through your efforts, you are defending
and promoting the human rights of people
with disabilities. Nowhere is this more
true than in the developing world, where
over 80% of people with disabilities live.
For these people, it is not only a question
of human rights; it is a question of survival.
Two leaders
of this movement, Alan Simpson and Dr. Henry
Enns, tragically are not with us today,
but their tireless efforts to advance the
cause of people with disabilities around
the world will always be remembered. Their
leadership will be sorely missed, but their
vision lives on in all of us. New pioneers
for your movement will step forward.
This morning,
my frame of reference might be Canada, but
the message relates to the human family
in general.
Canadian
Experience
In 1996,
Canada faced a situation that echoes the
mandate of this conference, “Freedom
from Barriers: Celebrating Diversity and
Rights.” Community leaders from across
Canada collectively agreed that the needs
of many disabled Canadians faced significant
barriers. It became clear to many how circumstances
limited the inclusion of Canadians with
disabilities into Canadian life.
They pointed
to barriers that prohibited full participation
in the country’s social and economic
life.
They lamented
public ignorance about disability and the
inadequate support for disability organizations
that could help effect changes.
They described
communities that often seemed to blame individuals
for the consequences of disability rather
than looking for the causes of inequity
in social environments.
They spoke
of poverty, something too many knew all
too well.
It was clear
what kind of country Canadians with disabilities
sought:
- one that
ensured people with disability input into
policy, programs, and decision making
- one that
would demonstrate leadership on disability
issues;
- above all
else, they wanted to celebrate their full
rights as Canadian citizens.
Full Citizenship
Canadians
with disabilities were demanding “full
citizenship.” This involves the right
to inclusiveness, equality, and the opportunity
to achieve equal outcomes. Citizens in every
land need the right to participate in their
community and in its economic systems. Laws
and public policy must foster genuine freedom
for all.
Government
programs that deal with disability must
incorporate the individual and particular
needs of persons with disability at their
very core. All with disabilities should
see themselves in the strategies of their
government. Governments everywhere must
focus on their abilities as full citizens.
Identifying
such things as a function of full citizenship
led to a dramatic shift in the way various
levels of the Canadian government approached
disability issues. We stopped looking at
programs designed for people with disability
in general, and started identifying ways
to empower individuals with disabilities.
They became participants in programs directed
at them. Disabled Canadians were no longer
labeled as unemployable, rather as people
with unique work skills, to be developed
and employed. Finally, programs were designed
in close partnership with Canada’s
disabled community rather than by governments
alone. The paradigm shifted from one where
disabled peoples were dependent on the government
to one that promoted the idea of “independent
living.”
Independent
Living
The idea
of independent living, as you all know,
has been around since the 1970s. The passion
and energy of its advocates around the globe,
including Henry Enns and Alan Simpson, changed
the way people view and respond to disability.
Their primary goal was to improve the everyday
life of those with disability. Independent
living focuses on social, attitudinal, and
environmental changes needed to make this
happen – not on changing the disabled
individual. Disabled individuals have the
right to live lives with dignity and make
decisions that others take for granted.
DPI
DPI embodies
this principle, and is a key partner to
all of us. Its roots in Canada run deep,
back to the early 1980s. Brining disabled
peoples together across national boundaries
to develop a global concept of independent
living is one of their main goals. Canadians
contribute about $450,000 a year to DPI,
which its offices skillfully leverage into
almost $7 million. Canadians are rarely
big on self-promotion, but we like to think
that without our leadership, it would be
fair to say that DPI wouldn’t exist.
We’re very proud of DPI and will continue
to support it.
Independent
Living Movement
We also work
closely with the Canadian Association of
Independent Living Centers. It is represented
here by President Paul-Claude Bérubé
and National Executive Director Traci Walters.
These two individuals represent the strength
and vitality of the movement. It’s
this vitality that prompted our Prime Minister
to write to Kofi Annan, supporting the proposal
that this year’s International Day
of Disabled Persons (December 3rd) be celebrated
under the theme of independent living.
Allow me
to quote from our Prime Minister’s
letter:
For
millions of persons with disabilities around
the world, one of their major goals is self-support,
decent work, dignity, respect and self-determination.
Celebrating the coming International Day
of Disabled Persons under the theme of ‘Independent
Living’ will signal to the entire international
disability community that the United Nations
and its member states are committed to the
principles of self-reliance.
Proposed
UN Convention
The universal
need for self-reliance among people with
disability will soon hopefully be enshrined
in a United Nations Convention on the Rights
of Disabled Peoples. It is the product of
your efforts and energy. Canada strongly
supports the principles of the proposed
convention. They are consistent with the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
and with our other human rights legislation.
Our official position will be made more
clear after we’ve conducted consultations
with provincial governments, the disabled
community, and other concerned stakeholders.
In the meantime, we think it important to
make the best use of existing international
instruments, such as the Covenant on Economic,
Social, and Cultural Rights and the one
on Civil and Political Rights.
As we all
know, there is much work to be done. The
number of persons with disabilities is increasing
throughout the world, in part because of
civil strife, declining preventative health
programs and inadequate public education
programs.
Indeed, I
was recently told by the renowned disability
specialist, Dr. Robert Steadwood, that the
estimated number of disabled across the
world in 1980 was 10%. In 2001, the figure
was closer to 17% and by 2025, some experts
are estimating it will be 25% of the world’s
population. Two-thirds of the world’s
disabled population lives right here in
Asia-Pacific. About 80% of peoples with
disabilities at present live in developing
countries, and this number is growing. A
recent Department for International Development
(UK) study concludes correctly that “disability
is the hidden face of African poverty.”
My government in particular has been criticized
for not adequately directing foreign aid
programming at disabled communities in the
developing world. We’re working on
this, and my presence here illustrates the
importance we place on the internationalization
of disability issues.
In Closing
In conclusion,
many people with disability are not heroes.
They are no different than you and me –
folks who have many dreams and lots of aspirations.
Their abiding identity and most basic needs
are met in community – where, like
everyone else, they can thrive and build
significant relationship. This will happen
if we keep working together, sharing resources,
technologies, and experiences.
I’ll
leave you with an old adage that says there
are three types of people in the this world:
- Those who
make things happen
- Those who
watch things happen;
- And those
who wonder what happened.
I know that
you will all keep making things happen.
God bless
you all!
Thank you.
-30-
|
