Voting should not be this difficult for PWD

 Last Friday, I was able to vote in the municipal election, and I was thrilled to be able to. The other good thing was that I didn’t need to use Para Transpo. In my last article, I discussed some challenges that Para Transpo users face regarding getting to the polling

The Access 2 Card: A PWD’s ticket to fun in some places

 On Friday, I checked out Banksy 360°, which is at the Aberdeen Pavillion, until October 7th, 2022. The immersive experience is fantastic. I highly recommend checking it out if you can. If you’re a PWD, the event space is very wheelchair accessible. I had tons of space to roll around

28 years later: A look back at how I changed the system

 ABOVE: Ryan Lythall holds the keys to his new apartment with CHEO nurse Lisa Rouleau. (Photo: Ottawa Sun, March 17, 1994) . . . but the fight continues. On March 16th, 2022, I celebrated my 28th anniversary of living independently. It wouldn’t be a big deal for most, but for me, well, I’m not

As the world keeps spinning, so do the wheels

 I feel that I didn’t say enough last week about what’s happening in Ukraine. So, this week, I’ll discuss it a bit about it. I’m not an expert on the subject. I keep up with the news as much as my mental health allows me, but that seems petty to

A licence to hide the truth and ignore the real issues

 After almost a month of being surrounded by truckers and police, it seems oddly quiet. I would say that things in Centretown almost feel normal again. On the other hand, what is normal? One could easily argue that there’s no such thing as normal, and I completely agree. Besides, normal

Let’s not rinse and repeat: The city needs new leadership.

 It’s been almost a month since the occupation started, but it’s only been a few days since the police finally moved in. While I understand that Ottawa has a lack of officers, and they didn’t want the situation to escalate, to me, it’s a cop-out. No pun intended. As a

The convoy: How quickly we became prisoners in our homes

 As I’m typing this, it’s early afternoon on a Sunday. I can hear cars and trucks honking in the distance. This has been the soundtrack to my weekend. On YouTube, people have been live-streaming what’s happening on Parliament Hill, as well as on the streets nearby. On social media, people

Feeling frustrated about Covid, imagine how LTC residents feel.

 Full disclosure… I’m frustrated at what seems like the world right now. Truthfully, it’s mainly at the province of Ontario and, in general, the continuation of people not thinking about others. By now, most of us have heard about the party that took place recently on a plane full of

Exploring the world and your own backyard

 How the internet can help make the world seem a little more accessible I’ve lived in Ottawa my entire life, and even after almost 47 years, I haven’t seen everything. There are several reasons for that. One is that Ottawa itself isn’t very wheelchair accessible, and I’m not just talking

As free transit rolls on, many Para Transpo riders are left behind

 Last week, I talked about Para Transpo and how free transit this month would affect their riders due to a shortage of drivers. I also created the hashtag #ParaTranspoInDecember for riders to report any delays and other barriers that interfered with their trips. Since then, I have been on Para

A reminder about free transit in December and how Para Transpo isn’t ready for it.

 At least twice last week, I needed to remind my friends that public transportation will be free for the entire month of December, and that includes Para Transpo. I completely understand why some may forget or think it wouldn’t apply to Para Transpo customers. As I’ve noted before, the City

A reminder to City Hall and to the media

 — Para Transpo riders and people with disabilities also deserve better! At this point, you don’t need me to talk about the LRT. There are already enough local media outlets talking all about the LRT. However, I will talk about another transit service run by OC Transpo and the city

Why this is an important time for all Canadians, and how you can play a positive role

 This is an important week for both Canada and the Province of Ontario. By the time this article comes out, it’ll be Federal Election Day. For those who missed it, last week, I talked about this election and its relation to people with disabilities. I encourage you all to please

Roll the vote: A PWD’s guide to voting

 As you’re probably aware, Election Day is fast approaching whether we like it or not. To be honest, I’m not one to openly discuss my political opinions. In my experience, it has started many arguments and even had friendships end. With that in mind, though, I did watch the English

The toughest battles are often the ones we fight silently

 Please forgive me if this article seems a bit different. As I type this, I’m not feeling 100 per cent. I’m currently on antibiotics due to a sinus infection, and my allergies are acting up. Initially, I was going to talk more about the Paralympics, but plans fell through, plus I’m

A quick thank you, and a big shoutout to our Canadian Paralympic athletes

 ABOVE: Danik Allard competes for Canada in Boccia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. This week, I’d like to talk about a few primarily favourable things. Often, when I mention healthcare, and specifically hospitals, it’s negative. I’m happy to say that I had a good experience last Thursday at the Ottawa Hospital. As some

OC Transpo: The public transportation system that also leaves PWD behind

 To put it lightly, OC Transpo had a rough week last week. First, the LRT broke down due to a “minor derailment,” which, by the way, are two words that should never go together. The minor derailment forced the shutdown of the LRT for almost a week. During those seven

Accessibility and learning don’t always see eye to eye

 ABOVE: Scenes from the Queens of Egypt, at the Museum of History, (RIGHT) Beyond Van Gogh, at the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park. (PHOTOS: OLM STAFF) Last week, I had the chance to check out two popular exhibits. I went to see the Queens of Egypt, at the Museum of History,

Para Transpo: The pandemic rolls on but some ignore the signs

 Last week, two incidents on Para Transpo involving Covid put at least two passengers at risk. The first was that one of the drivers wasn’t wearing a mask inside the vehicle, and a passenger was on board. As I mentioned last week, along with driving, Para Transpo drivers are also

The long wait is finally over. Fully vaccinated and counting the days.

 I’m officially fully vaccinated! As I’m typing this, I’m not experiencing any side effects. Hopefully, by the time this comes out, I’ll still be ok. Even if I do have side effects, it’s a small price to pay. The procedure itself was pretty quick and straightforward. As I mentioned last

Let’s award businesses that are wheelchair accessible

 Let’s start off with good news. I want to say a special thank you to Al’s Steak House for having a wheelchair-accessible patio AND bathroom. In case you missed last week’s edition, I crowned them as “Most Wheelchair Accessible Patio On Elgin Street.” That should seriously be an award or

Accessibility shouldn’t just be an annual topic of conversation.

 It’s a daily problem that needs to be addressed & fixed.  Tis’ the season to talk about accessibility. This week is National AccessAbility Week. (May 30 - June 5, 2021) Each year we celebrate the valuable contributions of Canadians with disabilities. the accomplishments of individuals, communities and workplaces to remove

It’s ok to help us but please don’t baby us.

 As I type this, it’s another beautiful day here in Ottawa. It finally feels like Spring or Summer if any of you were outside last week. I managed to enjoy the sun a few times last week after training two more caregivers. My favourite time of year is Spring and

To all business owners: don’t forget about PWD when you reopen

 By the time this comes out, I’ll be training another caregiver. This week, I’ll be training at least two new people. I believe there will also be another person the following week. Of course, things can always change, but that’s currently the plan. I hope that I’ll be done with

Why would a caregiver suddenly quit and how should you handle it

 The news of a caregiver quitting is typically not the best news to hear. An example of when it may be good to hear is if they’re not good at their job, or there’s a clash of personalities between you and them. Of course, there are several more reasons why