“The support is not there,” — Ron Elliott, MLA for Quttiktuq

Needs of disabled neglected, MLA says

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

Nunavummiut with disabilities need more help at home from the Government of Nunavut, said Ron Elliott, the MLA for Quttiktuq, in his June 4 member's statement to the Nunavut legislature.

Elliott said he recently travelled to Ontario to visit with one of his constituents, a youth who attends a residential school for people who are hearing impaired.

"I find it appalling that a government which represents Inuit who have lived through the pain, suffering, and cultural loss of identity as a result of attending residential schools puts one of its own youth through the same terrible experience. I cannot understand why this government would not learn from past mistakes made by the church and the federal government," Elliott said.

A 1998 meeting in Iqaluit brought together a number of Nunavummiut with disabilities, and at this meeting the Nunavut Council for People with Disabilities was formed, Elliott noted.

But the government's support for the council ended in 2001, Elliott said.

In 2004, a new society for disabled Nunavummut was formed through Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.with funding from the GN.

"But still, the support is not there. The Disabilities Society does not even have its own office or any realistic means to help anyone, let alone its members and their families," Elliott said.

The 2008-09 budget for Nunavut's department of health and social services showed this group received $90,000.

Elliott said he recently asked the minister and his staff what this funding was spent on.

"At the time no explanation was available and I have still not received an answer. To me, this is a clear indication of what level of support, care, and attention that people with disabilities in Nunavut really get," he said.

Responding to a June 10 question from Elliott about whether health and social services vehicles could be used to assist the disabled, Curley said "there is no funding or vehicles available for disabled individuals in the communities due to a number of reasons," including the lack of qualified drivers and liability issues.

"We are very cautious to get into that kind of stuff until we have clarified all our policies and procedures that we are currently reviewing at the moment," Curley told the legislature.

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