On February 10, I was at Brock-Corydon School as part of I love to read month. I started with a poem "My Cat" by Judith Viost. Then because February is Black History Month, I read "Reading Beauty" by Deborah Underwood, a book about a Black Princess. Third was "When we Were Alone" by Winnipeg writer David A Robertson. This one started a lot of discussion and questions about residential schools. Then I talked about, instead of reading the books, two more. The first was "The Illustrated Father Goose" by Shelley Tanaka - a story of a father, Bill Lishman, and his daughter Carmen who trained geese to follow an ultralight airplane in migration from southern Ontario to Airlie, near Washington D.C. Their efforts have been instrumental in helping to establish a second wintering ground for Whooping Cranes in order to enhance the survival of the species. Lastly, I spoke about Yossi Leshem's book "Flying with the Birds". It is the story of how he learned about bird migration through Israel using radar and other means. His efforts have dramatically reduced the likelihood of crashes between birds and planes in Israeli airspace. As Yossi Leshem describes his efforts - he says birds know no borders - and studying bird migration is a way of bringing people to work together across borders. My reading and discussing books was followed by lots and lots of questions and comments from the students.
Too often, our homes, buildings, and outdoor spaces are designed without sufficient consideration given to how they will impact little people, those with large bodies, or those with disabilities. Manitoba should become a leader in designing and building new structures so they’re comfortable and accessible to all. Further, the province needs to do more to adapt our existing infrastructure, so that it meets everyone’s needs. The design of our built environment makes daily living a challenge for too many. A friend, who uses a wheelchair, must call ahead wherever she goes to ensure she can enter a restaurant, store, salon, etc. A young person in River Heights has a struggle each fall to make sure that with his cerebral palsy he is able to get the support he needs to do well in school. A large-bodied man I know has been bedridden for five months because he lacks access to a usable lift or wheelchair. Samantha Trubyk, President of the Little People ...
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