ILRC Thunder Bay Celebrates December 3rd
International Day of Persons with Disabilities and
Independent Living Day in Canada

What is December 3rd?

December 3rd is the United Nations (UN) International Day of Persons with Disabilities around the world and it coincides with Canada's national Independent Living Day in Canada.

The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd aims to promote an understanding of disability issues, the rights of persons with disabilities and the gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural lives of their communities.  The Day is an opportunity to mobilize our efforts to ensure that the human rights of persons with disabilities are respected to the fullest, as well as to celebrate the contributions that persons with disabilities make to society.  As Independent Living Day in Canada is celebrated in partnership, we look to celebrate our choosing of Independent Living as our Choice and right.

How we celebrate:

ILRC has celebrated this day in many different ways and at different locations.  In 2011, ILRC is hosting an open house at the centre. The open house is being held from 1:00 - 3:00pm.  A light lunch and refreshements will be served.

 2011 Theme: "Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development."

Please click here for the 2011 Open House poster with all the details.

Executive Director's Message

I’d like to welcome each of you to this year’s celebration of Independent Living Day in Canada and of course the United Nations Day of Persons with Disabilities.  For those who have joined us in this celebration in the past, you may remember that we typically invite all of our community partners to the Centre: This year we did not.  Some may have wondered why that is and even I contemplated this decision right up to the last minute, however I think we made the right choice.  December 3rd is for us - the consumers of the choice of Independent Living. We are reminded each day in our Centre about what this day is about: It is a celebration of our choices - and we choose Independent Living.   Today, we have shifted this focus back to us: a group of like-minded individuals that deserve and demand an equal voice in all aspects of our lives and in society.  Our government and other political leaders play a huge role in protecting our rights and our equality and while they are committed to our choice of Independent Living, they must also bring to bear all that is required to implement our voices and rights with equality on our behalf.  How do they do this? – in the most simple of ways – it is through listening to each of us as we invoke our choice to be equal participants in day-to-day Independent Living.

The Independent Living Philosophy encompasses our rights to this absolute choice:  It is about our choosing to take control and maintain control over every process in our own environment.  It is also about our right to choose when and whom we require to support us in achieving our Independent Living Choice.

The United Nations Convention on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities outlines a global framework for participating countries to partake.  Canada is one of the first to ratify this document, making these rights Law in Canada.  We now must begin to consider how to best implement and monitor these Laws.  The Disability Rights Promotion International and the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) is working closing with stakeholders, including many ILRCs across Canada to make sure our voices are heard.  We want to inform you that ILRC Thunder Bay will be actively implementing a process over the next year to increase our volume and make sure our regional voices are heard as well through this process.

These words come with respect and friendship for everyone here, and all those who could not be here with us today - our Day!

Tom Pugliese
Executive Director