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.
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