Iqaluit disabled people demand more accessibility

A society which represents people with disabilities in Nunavut wants the City of Iqaluit to take notice and make buildings accessible to everyone.

"I had a heck of a time coming up this ramp," Wendy Ireland said to a council meeting Tuesday night.

Ireland is the executive director of the Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society (NDMS). City Council held its regular meeting at the Abe Okpik Hall in Apex Tuesday which, unlike of City Hall, has a wheelchair ramp. Otherwise, Ireland wouldnt have been able to attend. She is unable to climb the narrow stairs to City Hall because of her physical disability.

"It's not inclusion if people can't get to your meetings, if they're not able to provide input," she said.

Ireland said she knows of a woman who cannot leave her home because there is no ramp on her social housing unit.

Noah Papatsie, a society board member who is blind, said all Nunavummiut need to have access to all city buildings.

"We can think like a normal person, we just have a disability. I almost gave up living up here. If there was no NDMS, I probably wouldn't be living here. I want to help others with disabilities," he said.

Ireland and Papatsie want the city to create a disabilities committee. They say it is especially important when planning for new buildings like the proposed recreation complex.

Councillor Romeyn Stevenson said in the future, access will be a consideration.

"The recreation buildings that we're planning are all going to be clearly accessible so I hope that the future will be brighter and I thank you for coming," Stevenson told Ireland and Papatsie.

Councillors seemed to agree that a committee on disabilities is a good idea, but they didn't commit to overhauling Iqaluit's existing inaccessible buildings.