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43434| O akville B eaver | T hursday,June 14,2018 insidehalton.com 1276 Cornwall Road, Unit C, Oakville Ontario, L6J 7W5 T: 905-845-0767 • F: 905-845-5552 •www.haxelllaw.com • lawyers@haxelllaw.com Personal Professional Service at Competitive Rates Buying? Selling? Re Call us for a quote at 905-845-0767 ext. 223Jameson Glas GOLDGOGOGOGOGOGOGOLDLDLDLDLD 905-845-0767 ext. 223Jameson Glas 2624 Royal WindsoR dRive, l5J 1K7 OWER MACHINERY see currentpowerinc.caY 905-822-42112624 Royal Wind URRENT PO 4 Ro CURRENT P $14995 BGA 45 Battery Blower 18 V Li-Ion 2.0 Ah / 2.0 kg (4.4 lb)18 V Li-Ion 2.0 Ah / 2.0 kg (4.4 lb)†† MSRP $179.95 $14995 27.2 cc / 0.65 kW / 4.2 kg (9.2 lb)27.2 cc / 0.65 kW / 4.2 kg (9.2 lb)27.2 cc / 0.65 kW / 4.2 kg (9.2 lb)‡ MSRP $189.95 fs 38 Gas Trimmer *Taxes are extra. See store for details rehabilitation program, which serves the employ- ment needs of individuals facing mental health and/facing mental health and/f or addiction issues. The VanderSars' son Adam, 43, has schizophre- nia and has been working at STRIDE since 2012. Marchand's sister Tra- cy, 50, lives with the same condition and has worked at the local charity since 2011. The pair received work contracts through STRIDE and carried out packaging and sorting work for which they re- ceived a few dollars an hour. Adam's parents empha- size that while the pay was low, the program was about so much more than the money. "He needs stimulation, he needs people around him, he needs social as- pects and I think that STRIDE really helps him in that aspect," said Char- lotte. "It forces him to get out ... It's important for him and for us because his bur- dens are our burdens." Marchand said prior to STRIDE, his sister would spend much of the day sleeping. STRIDE, he says, has essentially given her a new lease on life noting she greets her shifts with great enthusiasm. "Now she is a totally dif- ferent human being," saidferent human being," saidf Marchand. "She is full of life and is now not just working at STRIDE, but is also volun- teering at long-term care ... What it provides is that routine, a huge sense of community, a sense of pur- pose. It makes her feel nor- mal because she is going to work and contributing." The below minimum wage payments were per- mitted due to exemptions in the Employment Stan- dards Act for sheltered workshops - work centres that employ people with disabilities to work sepa- rately from others. These exemptions came to an end, however, with the passage of Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act. Marchand and the Van- derSars note that while the intention of this ex- emption removal may be to prevent those with disa- bilities from being finan- cially exploited, the true result is that it is costing them employment as com- panies unwilling to pay $15 per hour are walking away from programs likefrom programs likef STRIDE. Both families say it is completely unrealistic to expect their loved ones to compete for work with ev- eryone else. "These are literally people who are not able to go into your regular work- force. They would not sur-force. They would not sur-f vive, especially with mini- mum wage at $15," said Marchand. "An employer wants performance and they are not going to get that from these individuals. They will never be able to inte- grate that way." Marchand and the Van- derSars say both their loved ones have experi- enced a significant reduc- tion in shifts at STRIDE since the exemption was removed. Tracy, who once had four shifts a week, is downfour shifts a week, is downf to one, while Adam has three half-shifts per week. Both families fear fur- ther shift reductions may not be far away or that STRIDE may close down altogether. In a notice issued to STRIDE families back in March the program dis- cussed the minimum wage development and noted that their employment connections program, youth employment pro- gram and employment peer mentor program would continue to operate. However, in an email to the Beaver this week, STRIDE said it is current- ly redesigning its Work- site Training program and that, effective Dec. 31, it would not longer be able to operate it "as it would not be financially feasible." "One of our primary concerns is to ensure that individuals don't get lost in the system and contin- ue to receive valuable training and supports leading to improved em- ployability and work readiness," they wrote, adding, "we expect that a new program to replace our Worksite Training program will launch in 2019." When reached for com- ment Oakville's now for- mer Liberal MPP Kevin Flynn noted the removal of the exemption for shel- tered workshops is some- thing intellectual disabili- ty advocacy groups like Community Living have been demanding. "People with disabili- ties, people we have been working with to enhance the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disa-for Ontarians with Disa-f bilities Act) have been very, very clear that they want to see inclusion. They want to see people treated the same," said Flynn. "There are certain ex- emptions that are in place. If it is part of an education- al program then the ex- emption applies. If it is a volunteer program, then the exemption applies, but if it is commercial work, part of a commercial con- tract people with a disabil- ity want to be treated the same as everyone else. It is a human right. I would be very surprised if someone were to challenge this con- stitutionally." He added: "You just can't have the work of someone with a disability devalued through govern- ment policy. It just wouldn't stand up to any challenge these days." He said he has hired people with disabilities in his own office and says other companies are doing that as well. Despite these reassur- ances, Marchand and the VanderSars continue toVanderSars continue toV have concerns for the fu- ture. Marchand worries about the progress Tracy has made by attending STRIDE being reversed. "The concern if this is not there is that these peo- ple end up just staying in their apartments," said Marchand. "They will regress and be isolated." "Which Adam is al- ready doing ... regress- ing," said Charlotte. It is unclear at this time how the new Progressive Conservative government will impact this situation. 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