I seem to get a few people who letters writing letters may not seem like much. It has value because one is taking responsibly for starting something. A letter is a physical document which makes....at the smallest level make a reader contemplate the other side.. It gives someone a glimps of wearing someone elses shoes.

Just think of Christopher Reeve who had resources to be involved. He made a difference...Yes he was fairly wealthy...nobody ever questioned him on the enormous insurance cost...He could have laid back and wasted what life he had left. Perhap he over did it.compromising his health. But he tried and was famous with the money and a devoted wife. What would have happend if he was just a joe smith and no family.

The last movie he made was about another young brilliant quadrapalegic woman who used a ventilator. The movie was called The Brooke Ellis Story . The girl had the brilliance to earn scholarship and graduated College Valedictorian....(beyond my scope) HER MOTHER HAD TO LEAVE HER FAMILY to go with her. A sacrifice to the other siblings...I no longer have a Mom who would be in her 60's. I have to start somewhere.


The Ventilator Forum was all started by letter writing and got people together and putting our heads together. With the right people who have a little drive anything can be done. We had over 100 people. I strongly believe network is so important and when you are trapped and cant get out letter writing is a good start. It was 3 years of writing, talking, meeting and begging family to take me out to meet people.

I am not in favour of handing out money to people with disabilities who don’t use the money for what it is intended for. I won’t get into specifics but people who want a disability to get money. Yes as small percentage of people abuse the system. It goes the other way how many able bodied people do know who call in sick regularly when they what to hang out with friends or are hung over. There is always abuse. I don’t agree with it. But the unemployment rate is so low people don’t care if they are fired. I’m not asking for money for my pocket but money for an attendant…giving someone a job...paying EI, CPP WCB ohh yeah AND INCOME TAX TOO (Canadian Government Departments)


Also, regarding the CBC article, I was thinking about what the Alberta government did to people with mental disabilities. Yes they closed Michener Centre. They gave them a monthly check with little support they didn’t know what to do with it and ended up living in the street.

A gentleman asked me what I was planning to contribute to society beyond letter writing. After all writing is not contributing to society. Better not tell the journalist…authors, lawyers, Stephan King...so is Dear Abbey… All FIRED…all… out of work. NO CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY. I myself have contributed much time on committee's not just yakking but creating documents, planning internal events, problem solving, negotiating, interviews. I have been on committee’s all of my adult life. After my being institutionalized have been more than ever. I was the president of the resident council for 5 1/2 years and was involved on many types of council. During the move we met biweekly to plan. The ventilator forum was a result of my initiative. I sat on the Alberta committee of Citizen's with Disabilities for 5 years. I've done many, many hours volunteer before and after I had a job. I even tutored for free when I could. So I've been contributing for years. I think going shopping for my own toiletries would be a start but if I drive through a door an hook my hose so I'm disconnected I cannot speak. Telling a stranger heya... buddy!!! Is not even physically possible. would you mind putting my hose together . I'm a liability you see when your on a ventilator you can't even travel on public transportation alone as I'm a liability. I need help eating ect. I have been offered to do many volunteer potions to talk to school kids. (I'd do it for free if my Aide was paid)I could go volunteer ACCD'S office with my mouse (which I bought myself) and do computer work are going to see it a contributing or just the $150 I was allowed to keep out of my $350 wages? (you can now make a little more now but not much.)Have you also thought money for an aide would give somebody a job and over a certain amount is money being put into EMPLOYER'S PORTION OF CPP AND UI. not to mention.Imagine a world with no disabilities. Look at the job loss. Not just in caregiver, wheelchair venders, adult pads, Catheter supplies. All the ventilators get recycled for over 10 years. Every $ spent on me goes back into society in this country...every cent. It creates jobs generates business and yes it goes back into the tax system. But how many big tax breaks for corporation get spent oversea's expenditures, travel.