Steven Fletcher frustrated by lack of wheelchair access at Manitoba Legislature

In a calm and matter-of-fact voice Steven Fletcher challenged his own government to make theManitoba Legislaturetruly accessible.

But behind the quiet demeanour, Fletcher, who is quadriplegicand uses a wheelchair,is frustrated with the pace of change tomakeall parts of the building,especiallythe chamber,accessible to everyone.

The MLA from Assiniboiastated that hisprivilege as a parliamentarian has been breached because he can't access the centre of the chamber, a sunken areawhich is often called"the pit."

Steven Fletcher frustrated by lack of wheelchair access at Manitoba Legislature

8 years ago

Duration 1:57

The quadriplegic wheel-chair bound MLA from Assiniboia stated that his privilege as a parliamentarian has been breached because he can't access the centre of the chamber, a sunken area which is often called "the pit."

Fletcher said this is the most important part of the chamberwhere the clerks and the front benches are locatedand movedthat asolution be found before theend of the year.

Fletcher,who was the first quadriplegic member of Parliament in the Commonwealth when he was elected asa federal MP, told the legislature "imagine a workplace that makes the laws of our land and it's notaccessible to everyone."

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He called the current situation a "clear and egregious exampleof restricting access," and it was"restricting this member from doing his duties."

Fletcher noted that workto make the Manitoba Legislature more accessible had been going on for some time; recalling efforts made by former NDP Premier Gary Doer to have wheelchair ramps built at the front of the building.

Some people said it would be too expensive, Fletcher told the Legislature.

He also recalled a timewhen there were no women'swashrooms in thebuilding.

Consultants and civil servants have been looking at how to make the chamber more accessible and have proposed a mechanical lift, but Fletcher thinks simply raising the floor of the chamber would be a more elegantand simplesolution.

Fletcher described mechanical lifts as noisy, disruptive, unsafe andunreliable.

"[They are] almost impossible for a quadriplegic to operate," Fletcher said.

Fletcher has tabled a motion to have a plan in place and work started tomakethe chamber more accessible by the new year.

PC House leader Kelvin Goertzenpraised Fletcher saying "Canadiansknow my honourable friend is a trailblazer. He
raises a valid point and it's probably correct on the issue ofprivilege."

Goertzen's comments where echoed by NDPHouse Leader Jim Maloway. Speaker Myrna Driedgersaid she would take the motion under advisement and return with a ruling.