Michener Centre closure announced

March 11, 2013. The Alberta government announced the closure of the North and South facilities of the Michener Centre in Red Deer, Alberta.

Associate Minister of Services for Persons with Disabilities, the Honourable Frank Oberle, made the announcement stating that all people, including those living with developmental disabilities, have a right to live and be included in the community. This decision was met with high praise from community organizations such as the Canadian Association for Community Living and People First of Canada.

However, the decision to close the Michener Centre was met with both public and political opposition. On 27 March, 2013, the Wildrose Party responded to the decision stating that “this closure will have a negative impact on families and patients who are being forced to move from their homes. . . and care workers into the already overburdened not-for-profit community” (Smith, 2013, Press Release). An organization, “Friends of Michener,” emerged and formed rallies to protest the closure of the institution. They argue that the government was acting to “evict our most vulnerable citizens” and ordered a judicial review of the government’s decision. The judicial review will be held on 13 and 14 March 2014.

Despite opposition, people who have survived institutional life and advocates on their behalf continue to support the decision to close the centre. Renee Laporte, Inclusive Educational Facilitator at MacEwan University, argued that a major issue is that institutions have been closing across Canada as part of a global shift to inclusivity (as opposed to segregation as was used during the eugenics movement and the twentieth century). She argues that “we the community do not feel people with developmental disabilities are a burden. It is the “overburdened not for profit community” who want to see the Michener residents living outside of their institutionalized placement” (Laporte, n.d., beyondthecrayon).

-Sheila Gibbons

Michener Centre closure announced

March 11, 2013. The Alberta government announced the closure of the North and South facilities of the Michener Centre in Red Deer, Alberta.

Associate Minister of Services for Persons with Disabilities, the Honourable Frank Oberle, made the announcement stating that all people, including those living with developmental disabilities, have a right to live and be included in the community. This decision was met with high praise from community organizations such as the Canadian Association for Community Living and People First of Canada.

However, the decision to close the Michener Centre was met with both public and political opposition. On 27 March, 2013, the Wildrose Party responded to the decision stating that “this closure will have a negative impact on families and patients who are being forced to move from their homes. . . and care workers into the already overburdened not-for-profit community” (Smith, 2013, Press Release). An organization, “Friends of Michener,” emerged and formed rallies to protest the closure of the institution. They argue that the government was acting to “evict our most vulnerable citizens” and ordered a judicial review of the government’s decision. The judicial review will be held on 13 and 14 March 2014.

Despite opposition, people who have survived institutional life and advocates on their behalf continue to support the decision to close the centre. Renee Laporte, Inclusive Educational Facilitator at MacEwan University, argued that a major issue is that institutions have been closing across Canada as part of a global shift to inclusivity (as opposed to segregation as was used during the eugenics movement and the twentieth century). She argues that “we the community do not feel people with developmental disabilities are a burden. It is the “overburdened not for profit community” who want to see the Michener residents living outside of their institutionalized placement” (Laporte, n.d., beyondthecrayon).

-Sheila Gibbons

Michener Centre closure announced

March 11, 2013. The Alberta government announced the closure of the North and South facilities of the Michener Centre in Red Deer, Alberta.

Associate Minister of Services for Persons with Disabilities, the Honourable Frank Oberle, made the announcement stating that all people, including those living with developmental disabilities, have a right to live and be included in the community. This decision was met with high praise from community organizations such as the Canadian Association for Community Living and People First of Canada.

However, the decision to close the Michener Centre was met with both public and political opposition. On 27 March, 2013, the Wildrose Party responded to the decision stating that “this closure will have a negative impact on families and patients who are being forced to move from their homes. . . and care workers into the already overburdened not-for-profit community” (Smith, 2013, Press Release). An organization, “Friends of Michener,” emerged and formed rallies to protest the closure of the institution. They argue that the government was acting to “evict our most vulnerable citizens” and ordered a judicial review of the government’s decision. The judicial review will be held on 13 and 14 March 2014.

Despite opposition, people who have survived institutional life and advocates on their behalf continue to support the decision to close the centre. Renee Laporte, Inclusive Educational Facilitator at MacEwan University, argued that a major issue is that institutions have been closing across Canada as part of a global shift to inclusivity (as opposed to segregation as was used during the eugenics movement and the twentieth century). She argues that “we the community do not feel people with developmental disabilities are a burden. It is the “overburdened not for profit community” who want to see the Michener residents living outside of their institutionalized placement” (Laporte, n.d., beyondthecrayon).

-Sheila Gibbons