Two passionate disability advocates were among those who unanimously supported Helen Conway Ottenheimer’s private member’s motion calling for the creation of a stand-alone disability advocate’s office.
The minister responsible for women and gender equality, Sherry Gambin Walsh, says she became a disability advocate when her son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Minister Sherry Gambin Walsh
“I became an advocate for one child at that point in time. Overnight, I became a stay-at-home mom, I became a therapist, I became a researcher, I became all kinds of things that I never knew I could do, but that’s what parents do when they’re raising children with disabilities.”
She took on a number of broader roles related to advocacy for people with disabilities, a passion that led to her decision to seek election. She says while government has made great strides in improving equity for persons with disabilities, there’s still work to do. She supports the Private Member’s motion.
Lloyd Parrott
Lloyd Parrott meanwhile, who became part of the 30 per cent of the population living with disabilities when he lost his leg, says a disability advocate should be a priority.
“Yeah, it’s tough, and believe me when I tell you, I’m tough. I’m as tough as it comes. It’s hard. It’s okay to say it takes time,” says Parrott, “but I’ll tell you now, and I’m not trying to be political, but this is the reality of it.”
“It doesn’t take time to put an office in Grand Falls for Premier, it doesn’t take time to have someone represent one person, when we’re asking for someone to represent 30 per cent of the population.”
