HEALTH ETHICS TODAY

Volume 12, Number 1, Fall/November 2001

Disability and Ethics Initiative

Eleanor Stewart, PhD candidate
Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta


Canadians are well aware of the changes in publicly funded healthcare, education, and social service programs. Particularly sensitive to tensions in the delivery of healthcare are Canadians with disabilities. High profile examples such as Rodrigez and Latimer have brought the contentious issue of euthanasia as it relates to disability to the public forum and rapid advancements in genetics have pressed boundaries in many areas including disability. Despite the growing interest in ethics generally, we lack an identifiable dialogue for addressing the broader ethical dimensions of living with disabilities in Canada today.

In 2000 the Disability and Ethics Initiative was created at the University of Alberta in order to bring together scholars and students interested in disability and ethics. The initiative aims to work across the university and community to enlarge the dialogue on disability and ethics. Members of the Disability and Ethics Initiative include: Vangie Bergum, Director, John Dossetor Health Ethics Centre, Doug Blackie, Coordinator, Health Sciences Council, Al Cook, Dean, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, Peter Carver, Faculty of Law, Johanna Darrah, Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Medicine, Mike Mahon, Dean of Physical Education and Recreation, Gary McPherson, Physical Education and Recreation, Dick Sobsey, Educational Psychology, Eleanor Stewart, PhD Student in Rehabilitation Medicine/JDHEC, Stephen Bamforth, Medical Genetics, Lynne Ray, Nursing, and Vicki Strang, Nursing. The initiative aims to explore coordinated research and education opportunities for faculty and students on topics of importance in the area of disability. To that end, in the academic year 2000-2001, members worked toward the development of a vision statement and successfully sponsored a number of educational events:

1) Annual Perspectives on Disability and the Law in the Faculty of Law on 27-28 November 2000, in which rehabilitation medicine students joined the law students;

2) In November, Ruth Enns, author of A Voice Unheard: The Latimer Case and People with Disabilities, presented a lecture for the Perspectives Unit and a public lecture entitled, "The Latimer case and attitudes toward disabled people." Ms. Enns met with members to discuss her perspective as a writer and advocate for Canadians with disabilities;

3) Dr. Anita Silvers, Professor of Philosophy, San Francisco State University, coordinated with the Provincial Health Ethics Network, the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Office of Human Rights at the University of Alberta. Dr. Silvers presented two lectures. The first lecture, "Disability, difference, and discrimination" was coordinated with the Alberta Rehabilitation Continuous Learning Network (ARCLN) as a videoconference. A videotape of this lecture is available by contacting Bronwen Jack at ARCLN (bronwen.jack@ualberta.ca). Dr. Silvers' second lecture, "Health care and social justice for people with disabilities" was an evening public lecture. The visiting lecturers were funded by Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

The Disability and Ethics Initiative looks forward to another successful year in 2001-2002 with plans to continue its sponsorship of visiting speakers/ lecturers, to launch a brown bag lunch discussion series, and to consolidate its efforts to build a foundation for a respectful dialogue on ethics and disability through research and education. The Disability and Ethics Initiative is seeking links to other centres with similar mandates.

Upcoming events for 2001-2002 include:
1) Eleanor Stewart, Doctoral Candidate presents a paper entitled, "Surveying the possibilities for a disability theory" at the Canadian Bioethics Society Annual Conference in Winnipeg, October 11-14. And at the University of Alberta on 15 October 2001.

2) On 25-26 October 2001, Jerome Bickenbach, Professor of Law, Queen's University, will address the Perspectives on Disability and the Law in the Faculty of Law. It is hoped that this coordinated effort will increase opportunities for students from a variety of disciplines to dialogue on issues of common concern in the area of disability.

3) In May 2002, the Initiative welcomes the opportunity to participate with the L'Arche Association of Edmonton in hosting a public lecture by Jean Vanier. Dr. Vanier is well known as the founder of the L'Arche, an international organization of Christian communities that promotes the values of dignity, respect, and personal worth for people with developmental disabilities and those who live with them (see their website at: www.larchecananda.org).

If you are interested in the work of the Disability and Ethics Initiative, please contact Eleanor Stewart at ges@ualberta.ca.

 

Contents

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Funding for the Provincial Health Ethics Network has been provided by
Alberta Health and Wellness and the Regional Health Authorities and Boards.