IN 1986 Edmonton Journal REPORTER Cam Tait TEAMED UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND RANDY KILBURN FOR TAIT TALK ON K-97 RADIO IN EDMONTON.
CAM LIVES WITH CEREBRAL PALSY AND CAN BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
BUT HE LOVES THE SPOKEN WORD AND WRITING.
SO HE WROTE A 90-SCRPT AND RANDY READ IT.
THE IDEA WAS SIMPLE … TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.
THE TIMING SEEMED RIGHT ..
Rick Hansen WAS WHEELING THE LAST KILOMETRES OF HIS EPIC MAN IN MOTION WORLD TOUR, WHICH ENDED IN ON A SUNNY VANCOUVER DAY IN 1986.
THERE WAS AN APPETITE … PEOPLE GENUINELY WERE INTERESTED … AND … MORE IMPORTANTLY … CARED IN MAKING A CHANGE.
HERE, IN ALBERTA, ON A BLISTERY FEBRUARY AFTERNOON THEN PREMIER DON GETTY MET HANSEN AT THE ALBERTA BORDER, JUST EAST 56 KILOMETRES EAST OF Medicine Hat.
GETTY AND HIS GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY MATCHED ALBERTANS CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO THE HANSEN TOUR, HE FORMED THE PREMIER’S COUNCIL ON THE STATUS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN 1988.
BUT CAM HAS NOT SEEN MUCH CHANGE IN PROGRAMS. AND SERVICES … AND, ATTITUDES TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
IN FACT HE’S SEEN A DECREASE.
CAM IS RETIRED NOW … HE IS CONCERNED THE DISABLED POPULATION IS, BLUNTLY, BEING IGNORED.
HE HAS HAD THIS WORRY FOR SOMETIME … CAM WANTS TO TRY TO GET DISABILITY IN EVERY DAY CONVERSATION, SO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WILL HAVE AN EQUAL CHANCE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES INDEPENDENTLY.
WITH DIGNITY.
WITH RESPECT.
WITH EVERY AVENUE OF POTENTIAL CLEARED OF SO THEY CAN JOURNEY DOWN IT.