Hope for the Family with Persons with Disabilities

Being a part of a family with a child with a physical disability in Manitoba may be getting easier, thanks to a new facility in Winnipeg to be named the Specialized Services for Children and Youth (SSCY). This facility has been promised to the city by NDP government, whom currently holds power and is headed by Manitoba’s Premier Greg Selinger.  

Selinger “…has a PhD from the London School of Economics, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Social Work Degree from the University of Manitoba. “ (Manitoba Office of the Premier, 2011, para. 3). As the leader of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba; Selinger carries on his platform the promises of access to family doctors for all Manitobans by 2015, as well as cost-reduction techniques to assure affordability in Manitoba. These standpoints of providing a better and more affordable life for all Manitobans coincide with Mullaly's (2007) view of the social democrat; who states that social democracy schools the idea of “…equality of condition, or at least the serious effort to reduce, as much as possible, major inequalities of wealth, income, social status, and political influence”. These standpoints also ally with the goals of the SSCY center. 

The NDP holds many social democratic values, which I believe to be a reason as to why they have funded this project. The SSCY will help increase freedom for individuals, and is clearly accepting to the conditions of inequality; both of which are trademarks of a social democratic paradigm (Mullaly, 2007) and reflect the values the NDP party of Manitoba value and hold.
In fact, the NDP's goal of achieving an equality of condition extends beyond Manitoba's SSCY center. An interview with Jack Layton, the late NDP leader as found in Canadian Issues (2005) journal explains "Before the 1993 election, our party adopted a nominations and affirmative action (AA) policy. Its goal is nothing less than to present voters with a candidate team that fully reflects Canada's diversity. Ultimately, we extend that same ideal to the composition of Parliament itself." (Anonymous, 2005). The article continues to share a dream of Layton's to impatiently wait for a day when representation of all people in the House of Commons is expected and embraced. It truly is the goal of the New Democratic Party of Canada for all to be given the chance to succeed at whatever they desire. It is comforting to know that our provincial government is intending to take the steps toward this dream of celebration and acceptance of diversity with the SSCY.

This new center intends to be a one-stop care facility for children with physical disability. (Owen, 2011). The SSCY aims to be a facility where parents can bring their children after school (or whenever it is most convenient) and receive assistance from the trained staff in a multi-faceted manner. Whereas currently three or four trips to the equivalent number of facilities need be made, the SSCY hopes all aid and assistance programs for children with disabilities can be addressed under one roof. Jeanette Edwards as cited in Owen (2011) of the Winnipeg Regional Heath Authority explains: “So many families had talked about having to go to the Health Sciences Centre, the rehabilitation centre for children, St. Amant -- it's very difficult for them.” The hopes of the NDP, along with the SSCY are to help create an equality of condition for families with a child with physical disabilities, and attempt to minimize the inequalities among families in society.
Programs with goals similar to the SSCY are being implemented across the country as well, not just in Manitoba, and I also see that as a sign of hope for people living with disabilities. Lemon and Lemon (2003) analyzed the benefits of community-based cooperative ventures in Canada, and specifically Toronto. They focused on the benefits of the integration of individuals and found that persons with disabilities that had been moved in to individual apartment-style housing enjoyed their freedom that was attainable through an organization called Metro Housing Company, but they also relied on other tenants of the program as neighbours and got together for functions like birthdays and holidays. This cooperative venture successfully offered young people in need a place to claim their independence while still having the social support of people they could relate to close by.

As a member of society, whom is interested in equality for all, under all conditions, that is currently being ruled under an NDP government, I am excited to see the ways in which this new facility can help those qualifying, and bring forth an easier way for families with children with disabilities to receive the care and assistance needed. 

References:
Anonymous, (2005). AN INTERVIEW WITH JACK LAYTON: Leader of the new democratic party of canada. (2005). Canadian Issues, (03188442), 10-12. http://proxycheck.lib.umanitoba.ca/docview/208679692?accountid=14569

Government of Manitoba, (2011). Government of Manitoba: Office of the Premier: Greg Selinger Biography. Retrieved from http://www.gov.mb.ca/index.html

 Lemon, C., & Lemon, J. (2003). Community-based cooperative ventures for adults with intellectual disabilities. Canadian Geographer, 47(4), 414-428. http://proxycheck.lib.umanitoba.ca/docview/228312448?accountid=14569

Mullaly, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work (3^rd ed.). Canada: Oxford University Press.

Owen, B. (2010, August 24). One-stop care for children with disabilities. The Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved from http://www.winnipegfreepress.com

-Kelsey