Comments on: Canada gets an ADA

By: Dante

Dante — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:15:11 +0000

I’ve always had the opinion, that instead of each country left to its own devices, it would be far greater to change things at an engineering standard. Just as there are standards with groups like the IEEE; why not create a standard for engineering accessability? That way from the begining, something is already planned to be accessable, instead of becoming an afterthought, or an additional concern. It would also be great if the U.N. would put a little more effort into making an international recognition for the need for accessability.

By: Gordo

Gordo — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:01:18 +0000

That article shows the exact type of thing I’m whining about. There’s no real standard for accessibility to begin with, in Canada, so loopholes such as those tend to pop up.

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:00:08 +0000

An interesting article I came across…

Games play catalyst role: Access becomes focus
Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008

For a country that prides itself on embracing people with disabilities, the oversight by the Canadian Olympic Committee to have wheelchair access at Canada Olympic House in Beijing served as a sharp reminder of the challenges the country faces as it prepares for the 2010 Winter Paralympics.

It was a small gaffe, noticed only by a few reporters and the entourage following Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan. And it was fixed swiftly by embarrassed COC officials who crafted a ramp overnight.

But the fact that the mayor, himself in a wheelchair, could not easily get access to Canada’s home-away-from-home caused him to muse about how Vancouver can’t make the same mistake in 2010…Full story >>>

By: Brice

Brice — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:38:03 +0000

I just got back from two weeks in down-home provincial Spain, with a couple of days in Madrid. There seems to be a fair amount of awareness (e.g. reserved wheelchair space on every car of the excellent Madrid Metro system) but execution is sporadic and ultimately ineffective. I saw quite a few people on crutches, many with evidently permanent disability, but I don\’t recall anyone using a wheelchair independently.

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:00:38 +0000

Canada gets an ADA - gosh, it’s about time it does! I can’t believe Canada is that far behind many other countries in that respect. It’s a shame!

By: Gordo

Gordo — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:15:55 +0000

Having an ADA might not be the be-all end-all solution, but it’s still better to have SOMETHING (as you said, Chloe). Right now, if you were to ask the average Canadian what guidelines/policies there are to accomodate people with disabilities, you’d likely get a shrug and a murmured, “I dunno, who are you asking ME?” (Even I’m still fuzzy on the subject.)

If you ever come to the Vancouver area, be sure to find me. :)

By: Chloe

Chloe — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:58:35 +0000

Most of us seem to be very passionate about accessibility rights. The ADA is better than nothing, here in the U.S.A., but it still provides a good deal less than equal access. I found out later on in my first wheelchair trip that the hotel restaurant that I dined at did after all have an “accessible” entrance, different from via the lobby and being confronted by stairs. However, nobody thought to tell me about this, and it was not visible from the top of the stairs. Moreover, to get there one had to go out of the main entrance, and wheel around to a different side of the building to enter. This would not be too much fun in a blizzard.

I told my disabled friend, who is paralysed from the waist down, about my week in a wheelchair. She knows full well that I don’t physically need a wheelchair, but not about the BIID. She expressed admiration for my taking on the challenge. She thought it was great that I was able to experience accessibility problems first hand, and point them out to hotel management, etc. She knows she has an ally.

Keep up the good work in Canada, Gordo! I may want to come visit you sometime : )