20 Years in the Making | #webelong

Did you know that BC was the first province in Canada to close all it’s large institutions that segregated people with developmental disabilities? (Inclusion BC). That was 1996! In 2007, Canada signed the UN Convention on Rights of Person’s with Disabilities, which required member nations to develop legislation that promoted the human rights of person’s with disabilities and create a more inclusive society. (CCD) And in 2009, Canada’s first and largest institution, the “Huronia Regional Center” once known as the “Orilla Asylum for Idiots” finally closed. (Wikipedia) Canada has come a long way in 20 years! Now, those who were segregated are full participants of our culture and society.

And that’s because of Change Makers, who worked tirelessly over the last half a century to make a difference one person, one action, one moment at a time. That’s why we are excited to share our next episode because person’s with disability, and their advocates, are taking their message, their story, our story as a nation, to other countries who are beginning their journey from segregation to inclusion. Get ready for episode 3 where we follow a team from Langley BC to Hunedoara Romania.Help us share their message of inclusion by liking and sharing their story when it premiers this week.

Want to learn more about the history of the disability right movement in Canada, watch this story from Inclusion BC: