How we started
#LastStand is part of the Disabled Peoples’ Revolt, a grassroots collective of disabled activists living in legislated poverty in Canada. Many of us have been advocating as individuals and/or with NGOs for years and are seasoned organizers and activists, while others are new to the struggle.
Since 2019 Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party has promised to deliver a federal Canada Disability benefit comparable to historical federal Canadian programs including Old Age Security which was implemented in the 1960s to combat senior poverty, and the Child Benefit, implemented in the 1930s to alleviate child poverty (Open Policy Ontario)
When Budget 2024 was released, we were shocked to find that contrary to five years of promises and reassurances that the government wanted to get the benefit right, that we are left behind again.
Neither the cities, provinces nor federal government are helping – so we are taking things into our own hands.
We are ad hoc, informal, organized, and are not beholden to any politician, party or ideology. To paraphrase the great Imani Barbarin, our politics is disabled people.
LastStand/Disabled Peoples’ Revolt movement stands in solidarity with Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island and everywhere, free Palestine, free Congo, free Sudan, free West Papua, protesting students, encampments and all other oppressed people rising up around the world to stop genocide, ecocide and racial capitalism
When we center disability justice, and the needs of the most marginalized disabled people (Black & Indigenous) it becomes clear that ability status as defined under racial capitalism is what determines the value of labor power produced by our bodies.
Our demands
As an ad hoc, independent collective that reflects the diversity of disability, we expect our demands will evolve with the needs of the people who make up our movement. With respect to federal budget 2024,our demands are simple:
(1) Every disabled person in Canada dependent on social assistance programs is to receive $2000.00/month (on par with CERB),
(2) paid out via cheque or direct deposit within 5-10 business days.
After implementing medical assistance in dying (MAiD) as a legal option, we were promised that we would not be pressured into acquiescing to kill ourselves. Without adequate support to live with dignity, Trudeau’s Liberals (backed by Singh’s NDP as a coalition) have broken these promises and are actively genociding our vulnerable population. We must make a #LastStand against their dismissal and show we don’t consent to die for Canada’s financial interest.
We are more than our disabilities, yet right now our politicians force us to assume greater advocacy than ever for basic human rights and needs. We’ll rise to this challenge.
Not All Disabilities Are Visible Landscape Rectangle Sticker by earthnamek