Kenora Association For Community Living 501 Eighth Ave. S. Kenora, Ontario, P9N 3Z9 Tel. (807) 467-5225  www.kacl.ca On-line Newsletter Summer 2007

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Kacl Mission Statement: The goal of KACL is to ensure that all people with special needs have the opportunity to live a meaningful and satisfying lifestyle and interact as an equal in their community by providing continuing opportunities for personal growth through education, training, support, advocacy and an informed public.

To take out membership print out KACL Membership Application and mail along with cheque for $10.00 to the address above

Russell Havil Elected to Community Living Ontario Board

By Shauna DeGagne, Literacy Consultant

Although retirement is looking pretty good to Kenora’s Russell Havill, he has a lot of work to do before that can happen. He was recently elected to serve as a self-advocate on the Community Living Ontario board, a position that will keep him busy for the next two years.

Havill was nominated for the position by the KACL board.

"Russell is a good voice for Northwestern Ontario," said board member Wayne Lax.

Havill, along with Lax, traveled to Toronto to attend CLO's annual general meeting at the end of May. As part of the nomination process, Havill delivered two speeches to about 600 people representing ACL's from across the province. A vote was cast and Havill was elected to the new position.

"I thought it was pretty good," said Havill. "I was pretty excited."

Havill will be responsible for presenting the board with current issues facing people with disabilities. Essentially, he'll be the voice for people living with disabilities in Northwestern Ontario.

"My job is advocacy," Havill explained. "I know how to speak up, not be scared."

Speaking up is something Havill is very comfortable with, probably because of his many volunteer positions. He has served as a KACL board member and was elected second vice-chair from 1994 to 1998. In 1999, Havill was elected to the Ontario Association for Community Living's Self-Advocacy Council for two successive terms. He is also the current president of People First, a position he has held twice before.

His newest position requires him to attend CLO board meetings in Toronto four times per year. And although the next meeting isn't until October, Havill already knows what issues he’ll be discussing.

According to Havill's prepared report for the CLO board, the ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) branch of the Ministry of Community and Social Services is discriminating against certain people with disabilities who are life sharers. His report states: Discrimination is based on a skills test. If the individual can independently purchase his groceries and independently cook, then he or she gets the high rent plus basic income. If because of his mental or physical incapacities he or she can not, they receive only a smaller room and board rate.

The same report also highlights another issue affecting the lives of some people with disabilities who earn employment income. According to Havill’s report, ODSP will no longer provide start-up funds to support a person gaining employment. Havill used the example of someone who might like to start a job cutting grass. ODSP will no longer provide the money to purchase necessary safety equipment such as steel-toed boots, Havill explained.

Although Havill comes across as soft-spoken, he knows how to make his point on issues that he is passionate about.

"Closing institutions is an issue that is very important and it isn’t happening," Havill said.

In September 2004, the provincial government announced it would close Ontario’s three remaining institutions for people who have an intellectual disability by March 31, 2009.

"It’s too long for me to wait," Havill said. "I know what they (institutions) are like."

According to the Community Living Ontario website, there are currently three institutions in Ontario (Southwestern Regional Centre near Blenheim, Huronia Regional Centre in Orillia and Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls) housing about 500 people with disabilities.

Sally Hunt and Kenora Legal Aid Clinic Honoured

Sally Hunt, lawyer with the Kenora Legal Aid Clinic and the Kenora Legal Aid Clinic were honoured at the at the 2007 General Annual Meeting of the Kenora Association for Community Living.

Sally Hunt has represented at least 3 persons with special needs in the Kenora Area who have been denied appropriate pensions from the Ministy of Community and Social Services. She has been successful in having one of the three over turned and will be taking the other two to hearings before the Social Benefits Tribunal within the coming year.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

It is appropriate that during this, the first Community Living Awareness Month following the United Nations Assembly passing the Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilies, that we recognize this historical event. Work which led to the convention has been over a quarter of a century in the making.

In 1976, the United Nation's General assembly proclaimed 1981 the International Year of the Diasabled. A major outcome of that year was the formulation of the World Program of Action adopted in 1982 which called for a plan of action at national and international levels with emphasis on equalization of opportunities, rehabilitation and prevention of disabiliteslan of action.

Brian Mulrooney,then Prime Minister proclaimed 1983 - 1992, The Decade of Disabled People "during which the objectives of the world Programme of Action concerning Disabled People will be implemented in accordance with this declaration of principles which will direct and guide our govermental activities"

One of the outcomes of this decade at the International level was the adoption by the General Assemby, of the Standard Rules on the Equlaization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilies in 1993. The rules serve as an instrument for policy making and as a basis for technical and economic cooperation.

In a series of conventions dring the 1990s the situation of people with disabilies was addressed and recommendations made to rectify past discriminatory practices as well as to protect and promote their rights to particpate fully in all aspects of the society as citizens of their country.

Finally on December 13 2006 the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilites and its optional Protocols was adopted. On March 30 the first day that the convention was open for signatures, 82 countries including Canada signed on to the convention and 44 to the optional protocols. The Convention will come in to force 30 days after the deposit of the 20th instrument of ratification. To date one Country Jamaica has ratified the convention.

The Preamble to the convention has been published on the KACL website at www.kacl.ca. During the coming year further coverage will be made of its provisions time and space permitting.

Further information is available at http://www.kacl.ca/humanrightskacl.html

Walk and Wheel for Inclusion

The first Walk and Wheel for Inclussion was held on Thursday, May 17, 2007 at the Kenora Recreational Centre from 10.00 AM until 2.00 PM. Initial estimates pegged the number of particpants at approximately 500 and close to $3000 was raised for Inclusion projects of the Kenora Association for Community Living.

Prizes were distribiuted to Debbie Everley the person bringing in the largest amount of Pledges, to everyone who brought in $100.00 dollars in pledges and spot draws from participants every 15 minutes.

Music was provide by Len Mark

A presentation was made by Penny Beal to Len Compton and Rory McMillan of the City of Kenora in recognition of the support for inclusion from the City.

The purpose of the walk was threefold:

1. To highlight May as Community Living Month

2. To highlight the need for inclusion of all citizens

3. This year in particular, to acknowledge the support of the City of kenora, especially the Recreation department towards including all citizens

Client Information Management System (CIMS). Client Data Set (CDS)

After years of surviving at the local level with a database system set up by the current Executive Director the Association is migrating to two electronic databse sytems set up by the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Health. The Association Board recognized the migration by the official passing of several policies which had been followed by the Association for the passed two years.

The very first policy recognizes the importance of privavcy:

Client Information Management Systems, Client Data Set, and Kenora Association for Community Living recognizes the importance of privacy and the sensitivity of personal health information ("PHI"). We are committed to protecting any information that we hold. This Privacy Policy outlines how we manage Personal Health Information and safeguard privacy.

Further information may be found at Privacy at Kacl