This is an archive of news stories and research from the National Union of Public and General Employees. Please see our new site - https://nupge.ca - for the most current information.
This year, the theme is “Homes, Not Housing,” which certainly strikes a chord with all members of the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE).
Halifax (04 June 2013) – From June 2 to June 8, Nova Scotians recognize Access Awareness Week, which celebrates achievements made both by and for people with disabilities in the areas of accessibility, transportation, housing, employment, recreation, education and communication.
Rick Hansen inspired Access Awareness Week
In 1988, Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion Tour inspired the creation of a national Access Awareness Week, which was recognized for 10 years. Starting in 1998, many cities adopted a similar week to continue to recognize accessibility issues.
Here in Nova Scotia, the Partnership for Access Awareness Nova Scotia (PAANS) is the organization that oversees the planning of the week’s events. This year, the theme is Homes, Not Housing, which certainly strikes a chord with all members of the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) including President, Joan Jessome, who was recently named to the province’s affordable housing committee.
Removing barriers creates healthy and inclusive spaces
Removing barriers to those with disabilities is key to ensuring that we are creating healthy and inclusive spaces, whether they be homes or workplaces. We need to work together to better identify barriers and make all spaces accessible, without waiting for individuals to point out problems, and then try and find solutions.
NSGEU/NUPGE shares PAANS’ mission to: “promote the inclusion of all Nova Scotians with disabilities as full citizens within our communities. Through public awareness, community partnerships and education, we aim to foster an environment of equal participation for persons with disabilities within Nova Scotia.”
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE