I thought Canada Day was for everyone but I found out quickly that disabled people have no rights at any festivities downtown.
My fiancé and I are both in wheelchairs and while we were trying to watch the fabulous fire spinners, the people kept standing right in front me, almost touching me with their butts in my face, so they can see better and take pictures. It was so frustrating that we had to leave. Then we try to find a wheelchair accessible washroom but there is nothing but a port-a-potty so we went home.
Why are we feeling like the dog doo on Penticton’s shoe? Because we are stuffed into low-income housing and forgotten about. We are given the lowest income with no cola and expected to survive and stay healthy. And we have to go home to use the bathroom because Penticton has no wheelchair accessible washrooms downtown. If we could hold it and ride down to the Peach there’s one there.
And, please able-bodied people, stop putting your butts in front of people in wheelchairs.
We are just as human as anyone and we demand better treatment.
Jodi Elwood
Penticton