A protest is scheduled to take place outside the Cochrane Provincial Building today (May 6) from noon to 1 p.m., largely aimed at drawing attention to the Alberta government’s decision not to pass along the new federal Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) to recipients of Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH).
The protest will include speeches, live music and the distribution of advocacy materials.
Elisa Neven-Pugh, one of the protest organizers, says both disabled and able-bodied people must speak out in hopes of convincing the government to reverse its decision. She believes there is a need to be more visible in order to achieve that goal.
Protesters argue the provincial government’s approach offsets the federal supplement, rather than increasing overall income for those unable to work. While AISH payments are not being directly reduced, critics say treating the CDB as a replacement rather than a top-up fails to support the goal of lifting people with disabilities out of poverty.
Neven-Pugh says she’s fortunate to have a support network, but many others are not. She says they rely on the funding for housing and food, and some are afraid to speak out for fear of losing the approximately $1,900 per month they receive through AISH.
“We want to show people with disabilities that yes, we can be heard, yes, we can be active,” she said. “We need to encourage people to stand up, because a lot of people are living with their heads down and their heels up — and by that, I mean they don’t want to rock the boat for fear of losing what they have.”
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Another, larger protest is planned for today at the Alberta Legislature, organized by Barrier-Free Alberta, to address major barriers facing people with disabilities. Alberta and PEI are the only provinces without accessibility legislation.
"Other provinces across Canada have shown that implementing accessibility legislation is essential to ensure all citizens, regardless of ability, can fully participate in every facet of life," states the nonprofit grassroots organization whose main purpose is to get strong and effective accessibility legislation passed in Alberta.
In March, the disability community identified other major issues they want to see addressed beyond the province's neutralization of the financial impact of the federal CDB.
It is voicing concerns over the newly introduced Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), calling on the provincial government to halt its implementation until public consultations on its regulations are conducted.
Advocates say the move to launch the program without input from those it directly affects is unethical and undermines trust in the policy-making process.
They are urging the province to reinstate funding for three self-advocacy organizations after their contracts were cut short. The government gave 90 days' notice that funding — totalling $424,000 — would end one year earlier than scheduled. The groups, which have been operating for over two decades, provide essential services to hundreds of Albertans with disabilities and their families.
In addition, advocates are raising alarm over the lack of new funding to address growing wait lists for disability support services. Growth projections for the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program stand at 5.94 per cent, while Family Services for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) is expected to grow by 3.61 per cent — yet no additional funding has been allocated to meet the rising demand.