I'll make one concluding statement, Mr. Chair.
Even the agencies that supposedly assist us--public, para-public, quasi-public agencies such as the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, with which I'm now embroiled--simply do not accommodate persons with disabilities who find themselves injured in a different way on the job. None of the processes are accessible and none of the communication is accessible. The supports that should help someone like me return to the workplace are simply not there.
That's one side. On the other side, because you have such a stellar employment record you're deemed employable, and you are cut off from your benefits. So instead of living on my senior executive salary, I'm living on less than $10,000 a year, with the support of the Christian groups with whom I'm associated. This is an outrage.
Normally I would be very hesitant to share these personal stories. Frankly, I share them here in this room because this is what is going on. I am in the category of the less than 25% of persons who are blind and visually impaired who have the privilege in our society to have a job--believe me, it's not yet a right--and yet look at what happens to someone with my record when we have to try to avail ourselves of some of the supports that technically are there.
As my final message to you--I know some of you by reputation--I would implore you to do everything in your power to bring some real and concrete action to these issues, because we have too many books gathering dust in the National Library.
Thank you. Merci bien.