Recently, there have been several announcements concerning institutions housing people with intellectual disabilities that are very disappointing to People First of Canada. Michener Centre in Alberta will not be closing as scheduled; Valley View in Saskatchewan has pushed back the closure by two years; and the Manitoba Developmental Centre is behind in the number of individuals who were supposed to move out of the institution and into the community this year. The People First movement was built upon the foundation of freedom and rights – freedom from institutions and the right to…

People First of Canada and the Canadian Association for Community Living recently held their 5th Annual Policy Forum in Ottawa. The topic of the forum was Ensuring Equality in the Justice System for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Presenters included people with intellectual disabilities, family members, community agency representatives, and government representatives. The forum explored interactions with law enforcement, incarceration of people with intellectual disabilities, and reintegration into the community after leaving the justice system.