Disability-related barriers to Central Nova campaign headquarters

The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) has highlighted three election issues
affecting persons with disabilities: poverty, employment, and the United Nations (UN) Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Details concerning the CACL platform can be found here.

The five main political parties address disability in their respective platforms. These are excerpted on
the CACL platform analysis page.

I have photographed campaign offices to see to what extent the entrances to the four Central Nova
candidates' Antigonish campaign headquarters accommodate persons of disability with wheelchair
ramps, automated doors, and elevators.

The first office visited was Conservative Party candidate Peter MacKay’s. The CACL notes that while
the “2011 election platform for the Conservative Party of Canada includes references to actions
previously taken by the Conservative Government – establishment of the RDSP and the Canada
Student Grants Program for students with permanent disability. … the platform makes no new
commitments to people with disabilities and their families”.

Accessibility to Conservative Headquarters is limited by the step and the heavy, non-automated doors.
The yellow sticker above the MasterCard decal reads “Watch Your Step”. A few days after this photo
was taken, I helped a person using crutches who was struggling with the door exit the office.

The doors to Liberal Party headquarters are not automated, but the building is accessible by ramp.

(Photo courtesy Sarah O’Toole)

The CACL notes that the Liberal Party 2011 election platform is the only platform to recognize all
three of CACL’s 2011 election priorities. The Liberals’ decision to house their Antigonish headquarters
in a wheelchair accessible building is encouraging and indicates commitment to accessibility and
accommodation.

The New Democratic Party (NDP) makes a number of commitments to persons with disabilities. In
particular, the NDP promises to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities. Unfortunately, NDP headquarters in Antigonish does not accommodate persons with
disabilities in a manner consistent with their platform rhetoric. The picture below records the one
entrance to NDP HQ:

A non-automated door leads to a flight of stairs. The building does not have an elevator. Assuming an
individual makes it up the first set of stairs, s/he meets a second set of stairs:
The CACL notes that “[d] espite a comprehensive policy commitment to people with disabilities in
Vision Green, the April 2011 policy document produced by the Green Party of Canada, the 2011
election platform for the Green Party of Canada makes no specific commitments to people with
disabilities and their families”.

I visited the Green Party candidate’s webpage, but was unable to determine if the Greens have an
Antigonish headquarters.

I asked Green candidate Matthew Chisholm, via Twitter, if the Green Party had HQ in Antigonish on
April 13 and have not yet heard a response.

I welcome comments and/or photos from others re accessibility to other campaign offices in Central
Nova. Links to photos can be sent to me via Twitter or the comment section.