Thread by @patriciaflsd

Tuesday is coming. It’s going to be a big day in the #HoC for #PWD and for the right reasons. Big reasons. @BonitaZarrillo has been a big supporter of Bill C-22 which will help the lives of Canadians with Disabilities all over the country. There are many unanswered questions. A🧵

To say that @CQualtro has her hands full with this is the understatement of the year. She’s endured big time scrutiny and for all the right reasons. #PWD are legitimately going to #MAiD bc of poverty situations. So why hasn’t this been a bigger deal? We can say whatever we want.

From “the gov’t doesn’t care” to “the money has to come from somewhere”. The fact is: these reasons are bogus reasons to put ppl in such compromising positions that they’re willing to turn to state-sanctioned suicide. ESPECIALLY when other legislation passed so fast in order

to “save lives”. This should be an EASY and VERY QUICK fix. There should be NO DEBATE. #PWD need immediate help. We’re dying. It’s simple. And what’s more insulting is the Child Tax Credit got pushed through in a flash, the “other CDB” has gained tons of traction in no time-

You know- the dental CDB, the one time rent relief of $500 (which is useless, btw, who’s rent is $500?) has taken a big leap too, and the most famous bill of all to plough all the way to Royal Assent without delay: CERB. Why? Bc the beneficiaries were the Able Bodied.

The news of the night? The actual CDB may take another 3 years. You see, everything else was sold to us in the name of lowering inflation (which, when we hear that magic word, we jump all over), we were told it will help the middle class- the real victims & taper the economy.

But whenever we present a Bill which is meant to support the poor & disabled, we are sold higher taxes (which is ridiculous), HIGHER inflation (which is also nuts) & poor judgement in the job market. People: you are not so naive as to believe that #PWD are the cause of societal

decay. It is fundamentally crucial that this Bill FLIES through the House. So, what are the questions? What’s on the docket? With provincial benefit packages there are usually a long list of embarrassing & dehumanizing questions about how poor & powerless you are.

There’s almost always a very long wait list & a doctor needs to have signed a ton of paper. You rent has to be X, your income has to be MUCH LESS than Y, & you have to be in such a state of despair that… you’re ready to almost kill yourself. Will they use that as a baseline?

OR will they use a little more compassion & step up for disabled Canadians? Bc invisible disabilities are a true & honest thing. Mental health issues are a true & honest thing. The full & complete loss of one’s identity is a true & honest thing.

The class warfare against the disabled can stop with a single Bill. With an act of compassion. The #HoC knows this. @BonitaZarrillo knows this. She’s been pushing for it. @CQualtro knows this, but she’s only been using this as a platform for her position as a disabled politician.

I’m actually okay with that. I don’t care if she wants to be the poster girl for the disabled as a political figure. I care that she does good things with the job. This is a good thing. If all politicians want to do with their careers is get re-elected, anyone can do that in

five minutes. Send some flyers out. What really counts is what are you putting in the text. Bc I remember the time that I was up for a job with an MP once & that was THE thing, getting re-elected & I thought- okay, so let’s do #BasicIncome & make it count. I didn’t get the job.

So when #PWD are crying out that this is bad faith, that they have no trust, that they’re dubious at best, it’s bc they watch these things happen: they watch the able bodied, the middle class, the corporations all receive quick breaks & benefits. Then they see themselves

become sidelined, and worse, demonized for being infirm, and then WORSE- given the colloquial title of “resilient” when facing the disgrace which befalls them without any resource. It is an injustice. It is a crime against humanity. It’s a violation of Human Rights. It must stop.

@cafreeland & @CQualtro have the power to make a true resolve. They can make ALL the difference in the world. The other thing which has been interesting to watch on Twitter recently is which politicians have been tweeting about this & which have not. Bc most have been appealing

to the other package: the dental Bill, the rent relief, etc. and the thing about it is: they’re fighting over whose big idea it was. WE DON’T CARE. My dear @NDP - we don’t give a sweet damn if you gave able bodied folk yet another break. We care that we don’t wanna die.

Breathe life into something that ACTUALLY MATTERS. Bc the thing is: inflation will drop in the exact same way with the disabled receiving money as it does with the able bodied. Healthcare will IMPROVE bc nutrition will improve. The job market will improve for lots of reasons.

Bc ppls health will improve & so therefore be able to return to work, or bc they will be able to pay into the system well enough with a substantial quality of life that they are creating jobs through customer loyalty, or take up entrepreneurship. No matter what: money is used.

I implore you, look inside your hearts, be rational, be economical- PAY US. You will not regret it. Bc we are good with money. We care about our caregivers. We have substantial expenses. But we are humans with human experiences and we are living through a dark time.

You have the power, on Tuesday, to diminish the four pillars of ableism with which we deal every single day: political ableism, medical ableism, societal ableism and professional ableism. You have the power to end the class warfare. This is not a passionate plea.

This is a realistic approach to the building of a strong foundation of a healthy society. It makes sense to start here. If you think that $19,000/annum is going to cut it? Think again. It’s $400 more a month than ODSP- that’s a scant fraction over 35% above ODSP.

STILL. NOT. LIVABLE. You know what you have to do. You know that you must support us properly. You know that provinces will want to repeal, replace and change policies. If there’s anything to debate, it’s that there needs to be a massive increase & that it needs to fire through.

This is AS important as CERB. It is going to change lives, save lives, make lives, create peace. It will cool much more than just simple inflation. Be brave, Ministers. Be leaders. Be the global example as to how you prioritize the most vulnerable in society. Make it permanent.

We trusted you to represent us. So REPRESENT US. 1 in 5 Canadians are disabled, but almost all ppl become disabled eventually. Look at LTCs. Agonizing, endless pain. And you can help. Use this moment to be the global gold standard of social care.