[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: Low Income Disabled Could be Without Para January 1st

[Terrie]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Catherine Gardner <catherinegardner at magma.ca>
Date: 2008/12/29
Subject: Low Income Disabled Could be Without Para January 1st
To: Mayor Larry O'Brien <Larry.OBrien at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Alex Cullen <
Alex.Cullen at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Bob Monette <Bob.Monette at ottawa.ca>,
Councillor Christine Leadman <Christine.Leadman at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Clive
Doucet <Clive.Doucet at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Diane Deans <
Diane.Deans at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Diane Holmes <Diane.Holmes at ottawa.ca>,
Councillor Doug Thompson <Doug.Thompson at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Eli
El-Chantiry <Eli.El-Chantiry at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Georges Bédard <
Georges.Bedard at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Glenn Brooks <Glenn.Brooks at ottawa.ca>,
Councillor Gord Hunter <Gord.Hunter at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Jacques Legendre
<Jacques.Legendre at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Jan Harder <Jan.Harder at ottawa.ca>,
Councillor Maria McRae <Maria.Mcrae at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Marianne
Wilkinson <Marianne.Wilkinson at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Michel Bellemare <
Michel.Bellemare at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Peggy Feltmate <
Peggy.Feltmate at ottawa.ca>, "Councillor Peggy Feltmate (Business Fax)",
Councillor Peter Hume <Peter.Hume at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Rainer Bloess <
Rainer.Bloess at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Rick Chiarelli <
Rick.Chiarelli at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Rob Jellett <Rob.Jellett at ottawa.ca>,
Councillor Shad Qadri <Shad.Qadri at ottawa.ca>, Councillor Steve Desroches <
Steve.Desroches at ottawa.ca>, Catherine Gardner <catherinegardner at magma.ca>
Cc: "Mercier, Alain" <alain.mercier at transpo.ottawa.on.ca>, Wayne SALTER <
Wayne.Salter at transpo.ottawa.on.ca>, Kathy Riley <accessinfo at octranspo.com>,
Mary Reid <Mary.Reid at ottawa.ca>, "Barré, Marlène" <Marlene.Barre at ottawa.ca>,
Community and Protective Services Committee <Rosemary.Nelson at ottawa.ca>,
Health and Social Services Advisory Committee <melody.duffenais at ottawa.ca>,
Poverty Issues Advisory Committee <Brenda.Emond at ottawa.ca>, Seniors Advisory
Committee <Julie.Tremblay at ottawa.ca>


 Dear Mayor O'Brien & City Councillors,



*Re: Low Income Disabled Could Be Without Para January 1st!*



My name is Catherine Gardner and I am once again writing to you regarding
the effects of the strike on Persons with disabilities especially those
forced onto Para Transpo.



I would first like to say that I am extremely disappointed but not surprised
at the lack of support for persons with disabilities who must use Para
Transpo!  I have yet to hear back from Mayor O'Brien or Alain Mercier from
any of my previous emails and or from those which Councillors have asked
Alain Mercier to respond to regarding the possible waving of the top up fare
for those using Senior or Community Passes.



*Facts:*

Other than a small notice on the OC Transpo website there has been no public
announcement informing Para riders as to where they could pick up their
January bus pass. (not all riders have access to the internet)



According to the OC Transpo site there are very few places where a Para
rider could pick up their pass.  Most of the places are hospitals which
brings forth another question as to why OC would send persons with
disabilities who are healthy to a place where there are sick people and or
could be forced to wait with sick people for up to 2 hours for their return
pick up.



After calling a number of Zellers which were listed on the site as places
for passes I was told there is a strike on and that their passes / tickets
had been pulled.  It is also my understanding that not all Quickies are
accessible.



Some stores have already run out of bus tickets!



*Community Passes are not available* which means that low income earners
will be forced to purchase a full fare pass at $81. pay cash fares and or
tickets if they can actually find them or will be left without access to
Para due to lack of funding.



It is my understanding that pass holders are being asked to hold onto their
passes and that they will be credited towards the purchase of their future
pass.  Why are Para riders not receiving this credit considering they have
been greatly impacted with this strike with longer waits, trip refusals etc!



Para riders could find themselves paying Para to get to a place where passes
are listed only to find that they do not have passes / tickets.  These
people could be forced to pay more fare while on this wild goose chase.



I have to ask why it is that OC Transpo does not allow Para riders to use
their December pass until such a time when the strike is over.



Those on ODSP cannot afford the $81. pass!  Some, like myself receive $30 a
month from ODSP for medical transportation.  This amount allowed me to
purchase a Community Pass which allowed me to also use it for both medical /
personal reasons.  I now have to keep all funding for the medical
appointments meaning I will have no money for Para to get to the store for
food etc.  If I use tickets or cash fare I will not have the money to
purchase a Community Pass when the strike is over.  There have already been
cases where I could not access Para and have had to fork out money for other
means of transportation.



Once again I am extremely disappointed that persons with disabilities have
been left out in the cold during this strike and that many come
January 1stcould have no access to transportation.



Please I am urging you to consider helping those of us with disabilities by
allowing us to reuse our December pass.



Without crediting Para pass users could be seen as a discrimination!



Catherine Gardner

Community Advocate, www.catherinegardner.ca

Cans for Pets Recycling Program www.cansforpets.ca

(613) 726-3609 (Voice / TTY)



[image: Great Blue Heron Photo]

Freelance Photojournalist, www.pbase.com/catherinegardner





-- 
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
"If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant." June Callwood
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and
renders the present inaccessible.  Maya Angelou
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