About Canada: Disability Rights

by Deborah Stienstra

Through a close examination of employment, education, transportation, telecommunications, and health care, this survey explores the landscape of disability rights in Canada and finds that, while important advances have been made, Canadians with disabilities still experience significant barriers in obtaining their human rights. Using the stories and voices of people with disabilities, the consideration argues that disability is not about "faulty" bodies that need to be fixed but about the institutional, cultural, and attitudinal reactions to certain kinds of bodies, contending that neoliberal ideas of independence and individualism are at the heart of the continuing discrimination against "disabled" people. Asserting that achieving disability rights is possible--but not through efforts to "fix" certain kinds of bodies--this analysis suggests that it can be achieved through universal design, disability supports, social and economic assistance, and a sense of belonging--in short, through the foundational social transformation of Canadian society.

Genres: Nonfiction, Disability, Canada, Audiobook

125 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does not sugar coat disability, or try to make those with disability into heroes. It talks frankly about what it is like to live with disability, as well as how society, in the context of government, access, stigma, and independence, treats people with disability. Often this is a bit dismal.
The solutions for the problems and challenges are the solutions that reflect how all people want to be treated, disabled or not. We want to be part of a community, live in our own homes, make decisions for ourselves, and not to be a "them" in society. As a person with a severe disability, I was pleasantly surprised to see many of the challenges that I face addressed in this book. I was also happy that institutions were described for what they are, places to go to die.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dense primer on the state of disability rights and activism in Canada at the moment, and this small book packs in a lot of important information on this topic.

[Elsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. A solid primer, I’m not sure this would be my first recommendation but it’s a good supplement. My only real critique is that this book really takes the social model of disability for granted. As a chronically ill disabled person it was frustrating to see how illness was treated as separate from disability and how disability can only be social constructed. I tend to subscribe to a third/combined model of disability so this was just frustrating to me from a theoretical standpoint,

But also it was nice hearing so many familiar names from people and organizations I know!

[Shelley Âû · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that the author talked about how disability intersected with other marginalized groups

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the textbooks that I read for a class I took on disability and illness. Although I cannot say that I found it amazing in any sense of the word I also cannot say that I found it bad. I am left with in a completely unemotional state after finishing the book where I know that I have learned but I cannot pinpoint exactly what.