How is the provincial government failing those with disabilities?

Avi Karp, a representative for people with disabilities for the young democrats of Quebec, who is living with multiple sclerosis, joins Local 514 in studio to discuss barriers by the government and what can be done to change the situation.

In this episode, we discuss disability, ableism and how the government of Quebec is supporting those living with disabilities.

We also invite Alicia-Ann Pauld to the show, a content creator and disability activist who discusses invisible and visible disabilities, being a content creator with a disability and the intersectionality of having a disability and being racialized.

Not all who are on disability receive access to medication funded by the government. In this episode, Avi discusses how people on disability are forced into poverty, because in order to have medication funded they need to be making $16,000 or less per year. However, other things are not included in the government funding, such as Advil or transiting to frequent doctors visits.

He also discusses having to be "disabled enough" as living with MS he is not always affected by it, but when there are flare ups, it may not always be visible to some, but he has had to prove to employers beyond a doctors note that he needs time off work. In a past case, Avi said the situation with his boss was so bad he ended up leaving the job instead of fighting for it.

Has there been recent activism to push for more rights for those living with a disability?

Quebec abandoned a pilot project which would take some adults with disabilities out of CHSLDs.

Jonathan Marchand, who has muscular dystrophy and been living in a CHSLD for 10 years, spent 5 nights living in a makeshift cage outside the national assembly to demand those who are not elderly be allowed to move out of long-term care homes and have self-directed care instead. 

The government promised a pilot project for 5 adults living with a disability to live at home and manage their own support services.

But Marchand rejected this plan after he found out the 5 would be in a group home, saying this is nothing new than whats already offered.

Watch the most recent episode of Local 514 to find out more.