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W Employing disabled people is good business young receptionist adroitly fielded three calls in a row. In rapid succession, she took a message, answered a short information request and then connected a third caller to another office. Iwaited quietly at the front desk as the After she had finished handling the phone calls, I expected quick service and even a sign of appreciation for my patience. No such thing. The receptionist went right back to stuffing. some envelopes which were piled on her desk. The receptionist looked up at me, a blank expression on her face. "I beg your pardon?" she asked. "Excuse me," I said, "can you tell me where to take this envelope?" "I want to know where I should take this envelope," I repeated, pushing the envelope in front of her, and raising my tone ever so slightly. "Who is it addressed to?" she asked politely, ignoring the envelope and still looking straight at me. Just as I was about to tell her to look for herself, my eye stumbled on a neat red sign hanging on the wall behind her. It said "RECEPTIONIST LEGALLY BLIND. _ PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOURSELF." To say the least, I was mortified. But furthermore, I was amazed. Here I had been watching her work for two or three minutes, answering the phone, giving out information and even stuffing envelopes, and I had not noticed that she was blind! The main reason for my surprise, of course, was that I did not expect to find a blind person at the reception desk. About 9% of adult Canadians, or 1.5 million people are disabled, but until very recently few of them were given the opportunity to hold regular jobs. A 1984 Statistics Canada survey found that disabled Canadians had an unemployment rate almost double that of the normal population. Although reliable trend data is difficult to obtain, there is little doubt that disabled people have made significant inroads into the work force in recent years. Probably the most important reason for this evolution is that disabled people, and their organizations, are demanding to be included in the mainstream of society. Their pressure has yielded results: the old idea that those with disabilities should be segregated in school and then sheltered for the rest of their lives, has largely been discarded. As a result, disabilities are more frequently taken into consideration in the construction of public buildings and offices. The most visible of these are ramps for wheel chairs and special washroom facilities. Advocates for disabled groups rightly point out that much more needs to be done, but a significant change has already occurred. Restaurants offering breakfasts downtown Furthermore, technology has made it possible to compensate for many severe Downtown Oakville has a brand new event, happening in the Towne Square on Saturday mornings during the months of July and August. Downtown restaurants are taking turns providing a low cost breakfast between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., and there will be some form of entertainment between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The following schedule has been confirmed: July 17th, The Meeting Place, meet your local politicians â€" Gary Carr, Sean Weir, Keith Bird. July 24th, Just an Olde Fashioned Butchery, Morningstar Tae Kwon Do. Aug. 14th, Paradiso, Harmonichords (an excellent singing group!). Aug. 21st, The Meeting Place, Oakville Museums Art Furniture. Aug. 28th, Pasta Cuisine, Morningstar Tae-KwnDo # 0 9 v©# £ 8 o physical disabilities. In 1985, IBM created the National Support Centre for Persons with Disabilities in Atlanta, Georgia. The research of this centre, and of organizations like Canada‘s National Research Council, have put the power of the computer to work to help the disabled. The push for more access to the workplace has come just as employers are beginning to worry about a shrinking labor pool. Current projections show that especially for those who have difficulty saving for a new home purchase. "Yes there is a Santa Claus" comes to mind when this exciting program is explained. utherland‘s new PPST! program at S Forest Chase is a win win situation, This Pre Payment Storage Tab or PPST! Program is designed to assist the buyer in the sometimes impossible deposit money dilemma haunting. many home purchasers today. Sometimes that deposit money hurdle inhibits well intended purchasing plans. There are no such disappointments when buying in Phase IV in Forest Chase. An initial $500.00 deposit is all that is necessary to purchase a home. The builder is waiving the interim occupancy fee as well! This creative buyer assistance plan makes home buying easy and CHASF/â€"., Forest Chase Condominium Garden Homes Phase NV is Now Selling!! PPST! a majority of the current work force will be retiring by the end of the century (only nine years away) and that the slow population growth of the ‘60s and the ‘70s will leave a labor shortage by the year 2000. As a result, more and more employers are letting their prejudices drop and considering disabled people for employment. The initial results are encouraging: a recent poll of 900 U.S. employers by Louis Harris and Associates found that the majority of managers are extremely satisfied with the work of their disabled employees. In general they found that successful hiring of disabled people depended on two important factors: â€" the ability of the person to do the job; â€" the ability and willingness of the above all, entirely possible. 3 Thirty years of innovation, quality construction, and service have made the Sutherland name a hallmark in the building industry. At Forest Chase, over 150 people are enjoying award winning one floor designs in unique 3 level buildings with underground parking, elevators, and stunning landscaping â€" A nice place to call home. The buildings are nestled beside a wooded conservation area brimming with Trillium, Dog Toothed Violets and Jackâ€"Inâ€"Theâ€"Pulpits. . Tuck Creek, winding its way lazily through the surrounding woods on its journey to the lake completes the "up north" atmosphere. An old cliche, "the best of both worlds", applies here as homeowners walk in the woods and walk to the shops near Forest Chase. The one and two bedroom units offer excellent use of space and includes standard interior finishings usually offered as upgrades by other builders. Buyers can move in immediately or plan ahead using the PPST! Program for assistance and move in 1994. Whichever the choice, the Sutherland team at Forest Chase will make it a pleasant experience. Prices range from $99,900.00 to $139,900.00 Affordable? "YES" Attractive? "YES" Easy to Buy? "YES" The on site presentation centre staff Evelyn Reesor and Sandy Durchik are available (24 hour pager) at 332â€"1144 for appointments either during site hours or at your convenience. Put Forest Chase at the top of your shopping list, you‘ll be glad you did. supervisor to recognize that the person could do the job. Where these two conditions were met, it was generally found that disabled persons were good performers and did not cost the company any more to employ. "Demographics has given us a 20â€"year "window of opportunity" in which to institutionalize the employment of people with disabilities," says Paul G. Hearne, executive director of the U.S.â€"based National Council on Disability. During this next period, Hearne projects, employers will be more willing than ever to overlook handicaps which do not impair job performance. Peter Larson is director of Human Resources Development Centre of The Conference Board of Canada. The views expressed are his own. Warranty Program. ue