By: Olivia Visser, Opinions Editor
As of 2022, 27% of Canadians 15 and older and 40% of seniors identified as having a disability. While 27% may not seem like a high number to you, consider that this means one of every four people you know is disabled. Your own risk of becoming disabled rises as you age, but even if you never develop a disability in your lifetime — someone you love likely will. Our understanding of disability has shifted in the last few decades to include various types of impairments, and we should understand what disability actually means if we want an equitable society. But beyond that, able-bodied folks must push back against ideas that frame disability as wholly separate from themselves. Disability justice should matter to everyone, because disabilities are something that can be acquired at any point in your life.
When we talk about disability, we don’t just mean those who use assistive devices. According to the Centre for Disease Control, a disability is “any condition of the body or mind” that impairs your daily functioning. This includes everything from depression, dyslexia, and brain injuries, to cancer and Long COVID. A disability can be temporary or lifelong, but regardless of its nature, most require some level of support from public healthcare.
Canada is in profound need of healthcare reform. Those who don’t frequent the public health system may not truly understand the extent of its dysfunction. For most people, it’s an annoyance to have to wait a few days to see a walk-in clinic doctor, but it’s dangerous to have to wait months to receive life-saving treatment from a specialist. When we talk about healthcare reform and disability, we’re not just talking about those who are already in the system. What would you do if you were diagnosed with a life-altering condition today? Do you have tens of thousands of dollars to bypass waitlists? While the idea of more timely private healthcare may be alluring to some, we must remember who this would neglect. 16.5% of disabled Canadians live in poverty, more than double the national number of 7.4%. We also should consider that the US government spends two-and-a-half times more per capita than Canada on hospitals on top of their private system. The health of a country should be a main priority. Money can be expendable, but people aren’t.
Money can be expendable, but people aren’t.
COVID-19 is one of the most relevant examples of acquired disability. In Canada, 19% of adults who had COVID-19 — 3.5 million people — developed long-term symptoms, also known as Long COVID. Some of these symptoms include dizziness and fatigue, as well as memory loss and joint pain. Since it was first recognized as a condition, Long COVID has been described as a “mass disabling event.”
Back in 2022, one of our editors, C Icart, wrote about how Long COVID highlights a deep and long-standing need for disability justice and healthcare reform. Disability justice doesn’t only mean protecting those who are more at risk of infection and complications from COVID-19. It also means actively preventing more disability through masks and vaccines, and providing continual support for the still-rising number of folks disabled by COVID-19. As Canada’s healthcare system continues to struggle with providing essential medical care, those with Long COVID have been cast aside. Dedicated Long COVID clinics have shut down, leaving patients to manage their illnesses themselves.
As our understanding of disability evolves, keep in mind policies that protect disabled folks also concern you. Whether you, a family member, or a loved one are or will be disabled — we must feel confident that our healthcare system will provide for us. Nobody should have to wait for life-saving treatment, or be told their illness is too complex to manage. Nobody should have to pay out of pocket for timely essential treatment. Remember your disabled community members when you vote in the upcoming provincial and federal elections, and know that their best interests are also yours.
