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Hi everybody, my name is Gary. And you already found that out.
I'm the parent of a deaf and developmentally delayed 26-year-old.
My son, Cody, receives 24/7... 24/7 program that currently receives programming
through PDD. Through the programming,
which is provided by Calgary SCOPE, Cody lives a semi-independent life,
with a staff rotation. I've watched Cody grow
from a young boy with severe communications, and severe behaviour issues,
into a young man who is integrated into the community and communicates effectively using
ASL.
He is now involved in... in the Canadian Association of Disabled Skiers
and excels at his passion of downhill skiing.
Cody also participates in daily living activities such as: shopping for groceries,
keeping his home tidy, and washing his laundry.
I'm very proud of him. We, as a family, could have not come this
far without the support of PDD and our community.
Cody has the potential to grow and develop even more and we are looking forward to the
future. [shouts of "hear, hear" from the crowd]
Cody enjoys a somewhat simple quality of life. It's a quality of life that some of you take
for granted. Some of you might even think your quality
of life is a right. Well you're correct; it is a right.
The success Cody has achieved and his quality of life comes with a price.
I am speaking of the funding we receive from the Alberta government to keep the resources
that contribute to Cody's success.
Using those funds we employ front-line workers who are the key to the success with individuals
like Cody. The average hourly rate for educated and skilled
staff is approximately $16.50 per hour. [crowd booing]
I am ashamed to say this rate has not changed in the past eight years that Cody has been
an adult. [crowd yelling shame]
Eight years!
The agencies that employ these workers struggle with staff retention and frequent turnover
because of a rate that is lower than rates paid by some of the retailers in our province.
[crowd yelling shame]
I was stunned to hear our that government is asking the agencies to surrender funds
that they have already handed out. Without the appropriate funding,
there will be a reduction in Cody's program. And that'll result in the loss of hours for
staff. Those key staff will be gone.
When that happens, more than likely, Cody will have move back in with me.
He will lose his independence. He will regress.
And his program will be gone. [shout from crowd "We don't want that to happen"]
[crowd yelling no] [drums, whistles and rattles]
If and when Cody moves back in with me, I will lose my full time job.
I'm a single parent. So that means there will be two of us depending
on the social services programs in this province instead of just one.
[crowd yelling shame] [someone shouts "what a waste"]
You're telling me. The word I use for this is "disaster".
It is disastrous for me, for Cody, and for everyone supporting him.
It's disastrous for the thousands of other individuals like Cody who depend on funding
to survive.
This disaster can be added to a list of many disasters linked to our current provincial
government such as the recent H1N1 rollout
and the royalty program, in which many, many, oil and gas jobs were lost during the summer.
I am disappointed and frustrated to be standing here today to ask our government to stop clawing
back funds it's already given us and has already promised.
[crowd yelling "hear, hear"] [drums, whistles, rattles, clapping]
I'm a lifetime resident of Calgary and I never plan to leave.
My quality of life here is very good. But I have a right, I have a right to that
quality of life and I have a right to vote.
We, as Albertans, voted our current government into power.
We have the right, and the votes, to make that change.
And I suggest, in upcoming elections,
you think more about your vote, and share this story with everyone that you
know. Thank-you.
[cheering and applause]