Why Plan Institute is calling on our communities to listen, learn, and proclaim November as Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM).
Indigenous people, including the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, have cared for this land since time immemorial. Yet, due to the lasting effects of colonialism and systemic discrimination, Indigenous people today experience significantly higher rates of disability, chronic illness, and social isolation compared to the general population.
In 2015, the BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS)—also known as Indigenous Disability Canada—created Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) to bring attention to these issues. IDAM recognizes the incredible leadership and resilience within Indigenous communities while acknowledging the work that remains to be done.
Plan Institute encourages our partners, collaborators, and everyone in our disability community to join in proclaiming November as Indigenous Disability Awareness Month.
As our Executive Director, Stephanie Debisschop says:
“The compounding systemic barriers Indigenous people with disabilities face are profound, and naming those barriers is the first step in working to eliminate them. Honouring Indigenous contribution, as well as leadership in this space, is the key to moving our collective communities forward.”
To help us understand these barriers—and the path forward—we spoke with Paisley Pelletier of BCANDS. Here is what she had to say about the reality of navigating systems today and why proclaiming IDAM matters.
When an Indigenous person with a disability first seeks support, what is the single biggest challenge they usually face?
“More often than not, when individuals are reaching out to us for support, the biggest challenge they are facing is dealing with systemic biases and/or anti-Indigenous racism. As much as we would like to think that we are getting better in these areas as a society, there is still a lot of work to be done. Many of these issues have created generational challenges resulting in poorer health outcomes, higher rates of disability, more significant mental health concerns, systemic poverty, and increased struggles in living within systems that were designed to work against Indigenous individuals and communities.”
We often hear about the gaps in services. How does the divide between provincial and federal services practically affect an Indigenous person trying to get support?
“This is a great question, and one that definitely is not discussed often enough! Some really challenging pieces come into play when we start looking at jurisdictional barriers to support. Essentially, many programs and services within British Columbia fall under Provincial jurisdiction. First Nations communities (On-Reserve) are under Federal jurisdiction.
For example, programs such as the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB), specific health-related benefits, housing programs, and many others do not apply to individuals living on-reserve. Even the Income Assistance and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) program through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR) is not available to individuals living on-reserve.
First Nations communities have a Federal version of Income Assistance and PWD benefits, administered by their local Band Office and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). As an example of a jurisdictional issue, we have faced with clients we have served, individuals living in First Nations communities who are receiving Federal PWD do not have access to the same Medical Supplements and Benefits that Provincial MSDPR clients receive.
This can result in some really challenging situations in which we need to determine which coverage is available for specific needs and who we need to connect with to ensure individuals’ needs are met in the best possible way.”
Why is it often difficult for Indigenous people to get approval for key benefits like the Disability Tax Credit?
“A lot of this ties back to my first answer and lies in the systemic discrimination and bias that is still impacting our health systems.
We see many individuals who struggle to find a doctor or medical practitioner; others have doctors or medical professionals who are not supportive of the application or believe their condition is not “disabling enough.”
Oftentimes, it also comes down to the individual or family’s financial capacity and their inability to afford the cost of having the Disability Tax Credit forms completed at their doctor’s office. We are constantly working to advocate for our clients in these situations and do what we can to remove or reduce the fees, but we have seen fees upwards of $320/application, which is not financially feasible for many of the individuals we support.”
In your experience, what is the most important part of providing culturally safe support that many other organizations miss?
“The piece that sets IDC / BCANDS apart from so many other organizations is that we recognize the importance of relationships and working holistically.
As an Indigenous organization, we are well-versed in jurisdictional issues and in navigating current systems to support our clients. We work alongside our clients and move at their pace and comfort level. We understand that it takes time to develop and nurture relationships built on trust and respect, and we work tirelessly to ensure that all of our clients feel seen, heard, respected, and understood.”
For our final question, why is it so important for cities, organizations, and communities to formally proclaim November as Indigenous Disability Awareness Month?
“The more awareness we can spread provincially, nationally, and even internationally, around the many incredible and amazing ways that the Indigenous Disability Community contributes to our society daily, the more likely it is that we can start to see a shift in bias and racism.
We hope that by having other individuals, organizations, municipalities, provinces, territories and/or countries proclaim and acknowledge Indigenous Disability Awareness Month, we can share a commitment to the ideal of an inclusive society based on respect and understanding, where Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) with disabilities and the significant contributions they provide to our communities, organizations, provinces, territories and country are recognized, celebrated, and valued.”
The Call to Action
We want to thank Paisley Pelletier and the team at BCANDS for their time and for their tireless advocacy. As we’ve learned, awareness is only the first step. Real change comes when communities, organizations, and governments publicly commit to doing better.
How you can help today:
- Proclaim the Month: We encourage you to visit the BCANDS website and learn how you or your organization can officially proclaim November as Indigenous Disability Awareness Month.
- Learn More: Explore the resources provided by BCANDS to understand how to offer culturally safe support.
- Spread the Word: Share this post and the message of IDAM with your networks.
Together, let’s ensure the voices of Indigenous people with disabilities are heard, valued, and supported—not just in November, but all year round!