Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Teen's accessibility plan gets minister's attention
NDP MP Pat Martin and Grade 12 student Sam Unrau are seen in the foyer of the House of Commons. (SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
OTTAWA -- Sam Unrau hasn't changed the world, yet, but it seems he is well on his way.
The 17-year-old future politician won a contest held by Winnipeg NDP MP Pat Martin to write a piece of legislation that Martin would introduce in the House of Commons. When Unrau went to Ottawa Wednesday to claim his prize, he also won the ear and the sympathy of senior Conservative cabinet minister John Baird, who is ready to put Unrau's idea on the government's to-do list.
Unrau's bill calls on Baird, as the transport minister, to order an accessibility audit of all federally mandated modes of transportation such as airplanes and trains, to remove any barriers to the mobility of people with disabilities.
"I just want to make sure we have a nation that is accessible and inclusive for everyone," said Unrau, a Grade 12 student at Argyle Alternative High School.
He got the idea from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, which provided him with "a whole wackload" of issues facing Canadians with disabilities. Barriers to transportation such as airplanes which can't easily accommodate wheelchairs and guide dogs, or trains which aren't accessible to people in wheelchairs at all, are one of the key issues for the CCD.
Unrau is in a wheelchair due to spina bifida, and he said while he hasn't had problems accessing planes or buses, he knows people with more limiting disabilities do. He noted in the 1990s there were regulations in place requiring accessibility, but those regulations became voluntary and accessibility fell by the wayside.
"We need to get back up to 1990s standards," said Unrau.
Unrau's idea was selected by independent judges, not by Martin, from more than three dozen entries from high school students in Martin's Winnipeg Centre riding. Martin said the bill is practical and achievable.
"I couldn't hope for a more well-spoken representative from Winnipeg," said Martin. "I'm hoping the government will take note and maybe won't wait for the whole private members' bill system to play out."
Martin arranged for Unrau to meet Baird on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, and Baird said he was quite impressed with the teen's work.
He said he plans to talk to departmental officials and his colleagues about what it might take to implement the idea.
"We're prepared to have a look at it," Baird told the Free Press. "It's a great initiative. He's an impressive young man."
When told what Baird said, Unrau broke out into a huge grin.
"I'd be happy if I made one extra bus accessible somewhere, even if I didn't know it," he said. "If I make the whole country accessible, that's great, too."
Just getting to see how the political process worked first-hand was a rush for Unrau, who said he will "probably" pursue a career in politics. He is already on the mayor's accessibility advisory committee.
He wasn't even turned off by the yelling on a particularly raucous day in the House of Commons.
"I love yelling at people," he said.
Unrau's teacher, Dave Taylor, knew the contest was perfect for his pupil, and he was clearly proud of Unrau as he experienced "the Hill" Wednesday, including a press conference with the national media.
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
Poll
Most Popular
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Tactical squad storms St. Vital house
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- Stobbe said someone else came into yard: witness
- Police seize $1-M worth of drugs in raid; 7 arrested
- Caterpillar shuts Electro-Motive plant in London, Ont., where workers locked out
- Sisters spoke hours before death
- Saskatchewan couple guilty of neglect after girl starved, kept in basement
- Girl, 15, missing from St-Pierre-Jolys
- Alouettes hire former Bombers head coach Reinebold as defensive co-ordinator
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- An inside look into the Shafia case; police tell how the killers were caught
- Nick Carter's sister dies
- Two armed men rob store at Grant Park Shopping Centre
- Bystanders help security guard being beaten by grocery thieves
- Should Ottawa increase the Old Age Security age of eligibility to 67?
- Smith injured after transit fare protest
- Sledder given grim mission after death on snomo trail
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Driver killed in head-on crash with ambulance
- Shot in the eye, woman insists on finishing beer
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Group's speed-limit sign removed from Pembina Highway
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Kate Beckinsale's weight fears over Underworld catsuit
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Polar bear cub rescued after mother rejected him introduced at Toronto Zoo
- McKesson and Target announce big moves in Canada's drug store industry
- Caterpillar shuts Electro-Motive plant in London, Ont., where workers locked out
- Tactical squad storms St. Vital house
- Former NHL player Fred Sasakamoose recalls abuse at residential school
- Wake up to the fact your body needs sleep
- Province giving that freezing feeling
- Education faculties should disappear
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- Mom banned after battle with school
- Paddler trekked from Winnipeg to Amazon
- An inside look into the Shafia case; police tell how the killers were caught
- Your choice of smartphone reveals a lot about your dating habits: survey
- City teacher facing sex charge
- End of an oasis: neighbourhood's food desert grows
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Shot in the eye, woman insists on finishing beer
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Local shooting spoofed on SNL
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- 4 dead in northern Ontario plane crash
“I recall a trip to Boston where we visited "the north end" (sort of an old part of town similar to the exchange district but better developed). There were beat cops everywhere and I have to say I really felt safe there. I don't know if we need 24 hour beat cops but it would be nice if they scheduled beat cops when there are events downtown that run later than their normal beat shifts.”
Posted by: Everybody Up
Article: Police officers walking the beat
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.