Fletcher co-hosts chair-leaders event on Parliament Hill

May 12, 2010

(Ottawa, ON) - The Honourable Steven Fletcher, Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia co-hosted the Canadian Paraplegic Association’s Chair-Leaders event on Parliament Hill today for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Awareness Month.

“As a member of the Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA) for 14 years, I appreciate the support the Association provides to individuals with a spinal cord injury,” said Fletcher. “The CPA was founded by veterans returning from war 65 years ago. The genesis of the CPA also reminds us all of the types of sacrifices individuals made in order to protect our country’s freedom so many years ago.”

Fletcher co-hosted the all-party event with Peter Stoffer, Member of Parliament for ­­­ Sackville–Eastern Shore and Michael Savage Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour. 24 Members of Parliament and Senators participated as Chair-Leaders, spending the day in a wheelchair.

Each Member of Parliament and Senator went about their daily routines in the wheelchair to raise the awareness of the daily obstacles a person in a wheelchair goes through. The Chair-Leaders also took part in wheelchair races in front of the Parliament Buildings.

“I would like to thank all the Members of Parliament and Senators who participated as a chair-leader today,” said Fletcher. “Their participation has helped increase awareness of the obstacles facing persons’ with physical disabilities.”