EDMONTON – Holding signs and chanting “stop the cuts,” and “shame on you,” hundreds of Alberta’s most vulnerable citizens and their supporters made themselves seen and heard in front of the Legislature Wednesday afternoon, as they protested cuts they fear will be devastating.
Many of the demonstrators depend on services provided through the Persons with Development Disabilities (PDD) program, which supports adults with developmental disabilities by engaging them in community life, and promoting their independence.
While the government maintains the overall PDD budget has actually seen a net increase of about $3.5 million, the community access category of services has been reduced by about $42 million.
Brittany Hansen, a community support worker from Calgary, believes the community access is vital as it improves the quality of life of those with developmental disabilities.
“By going out into the community,” she explains, “we’re working on their social skills and their individual goals and things like that. And by not having these programs, then they’re kind of just staying home all day, and they’re not advancing.”
Myrna Miller has seen first-hand how the affected program has helped her 28 year-old son Frederick become active in his community.
“It means a great deal to him. He gets to socialize, he gets to meet other people.”
She worries that if the cuts come through, Frederick will become isolated from the community.
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The Associate Minister of Services for Persons with Disabilities, Frank Oberle, insists those who use the PDD services won’t see cuts, but rather may see possible service changes after a needs assessment.
“We are currently doing assessments of need for all the individuals we support, based upon the Supports Intensity Scale or SIS,” Oberle said in the Legislature on Tuesday. “Those assessments show that there are a number of individuals whose support levels are greater than their measured need would indicate.”
Oberle attended Wednesday’s rally and spoke with some of the demonstrators.
“In talking to individuals, what I’m trying to do is make a very solemn commitment to them: if you need services, you will get services, and I’m not at all afraid of making that commitment,” he says.
But those at the rally still remember the promise Premier Alison Redford made just prior to the budget – a promise they say she broke.
“Alison Redford herself shook my hand saying she wouldn’t (balance the books) on the backs of individuals with disabilities,” says Adam Heighes, the father of two children with disabilities.
He adds that he has always been a supporter of the Conservative party, but is not likely to vote for Tories in the future because of this situation.
The minister says the government is in transition with a number of service providers, and contracts are being worked on over the next few weeks. No specific services associated with PDD have been cut at this time.
You can read Oberle’s full statement below:
For more info on PDD and the community supports program, see the Q & A below:
With files from Vassy Kapelos, Global News
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