People with disabilities who endured hell in the early days of the strike fear they will be deprived of home care if the Common Front strikes as planned in December.
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“We don’t know what kind of service we will have,” explains François Bourbonnière.
The 49-year-old man, who suffers from cerebral palsy, lives alone and requires the help of an assistant every morning to dress him and take care of his personal hygiene.
Last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday he experienced great stress during the Common Front strike days, which also included health and social care workers.
François Bourbonnière Photo Anouk Lebel
“There were surprises. “On Tuesday, a nurse came in a hurry and I didn’t have partial hygiene,” he says. On Wednesday he was no longer able to make an appointment. He preferred to go to bed fully clothed as he was unsure whether he would be taken care of.
No service
“On the first Monday of the strike, November 6th, the CLSC called me to tell me that I would not be on duty and would have to stay in bed,” denounces Caroline Lapensée Savaria.
Caroline Lapensée Savaria Photo Anouk Lebel
The 49-year-old Montrealer underwent spinal decompression in 1997, the effects of which she still has. She is paralyzed and cannot stand up, eat or drink on her own.
Since suffering a stomach ulcer in 2021, she has had to take medication four times a day at regular intervals.
“At one point they sent someone to me at half past one. I have to take my first tablets by 9 a.m. at the latest,” she explains.
“I have a tumor in my stomach that could explode at any time. I ended up in the hospital once,” she adds.
Weakened care
Before the strike, stories about aid workers not coming home or coming home late were already commonplace for Ex Aequo, an organization that advocates for the rights of people with motor disabilities.
“The system is already weakened, the strike brings an additional burden that cannot be absorbed, even if the auxiliary workers are considered an essential service,” emphasizes Hugo Vaillancourt, responsible for health and social services.
He supports the demands of the auxiliary staff, whose working conditions are not attractive enough to compensate for the numerous deficits in the network, he said.
“It has to move,” believes François Bourbonnière. This will ensure our services are not impacted.”
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