A vocal crowd gathered at Assiniboine Park Thursday to kick off a campaign to get people living with a disability out to the polls, and for politicians to hear their issues.
Disability Matters Votes works to educate politicians and governments about disabilities and to educate people with disabilities on their rights when it comes to elections.
NDP Leader Wab Kinew, Liberal party leader Dougald Lamont, and Green Party Leader James Beddome all attended the event. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister was not at the event but sent deputy premier and Minister of Families Heather Stefanson on his behalf.
“It’s never been highlighted in any election as a major topic,” Said Scott Smith, who spoke at the Disability Matters Vote launch. “Today we just wanted to bring awareness to it with this campaign.”
The group also wants to raise awareness to ensure Manitoba with disabilities can fully participate in election activities, while also bringing attention to disability issues, such as fair wages for disability support workers, and dignified income for people living with special needs.
For people currently living with disabilities, like 11-year-old Evania Diaz-Rojas, they hope this can be the beginning of a big change.
“It makes me feel like I’m not a shadow anymore,” she said.
“I’m like a normal person, I’m not the girl with a disability, I’m just a normal girl from Canada.”
Manitobans will go to the polls for the Provincial Election on Sept. 10.
WATCH: Disability Matters on their launch Thursday
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