The City of New Westminster is the first city in British Columbia to use “plain language” when proclaiming October as Community Inclusion Month.
Instead of using words like “whereas” in the proclamation, the city supported Community Inclusion B.C.’s request to use words like “because” as they’re easier to understand. Burnaby resident Barb Goode has been advocating for the use of plain language.
“I appreciate you making this more plain language for people,” said Goode, who is considered a pioneer in the self-advocacy movement.
Amy Nugent, executive director of the Inclusion B.C. Foundation, said the New Westminster-based organization is pleased the city proclaimed Community Inclusion Month using plain language.
“We are thrilled that this city has really taken a brave step to proclaim this month, using a plain language version. No other municipality yet has taken us up on that,” she told council. “It is just some simple changes.”
Mayor Jonathan Cote said institutions need to be more upfront and use language that the general public can understand.
“I was particularly touched when I received the request for a plain language proclamation,” he said. “It’s actually a beautiful idea. … I was really excited to see this idea come forward. I’d love to see how we can better apply it to other ways in which governments work. I think there are definitely some lessons to be learned here.”
Throughout October, communities across B.C. are promoting inclusion, celebrating diversity and raising awareness about the strengths and abilities of people with intellectual disabilities. In addition to proclaiming Community Inclusion Month, the city has also raised the Disability Pride flag at Friendship Gardens in October and is making space available at Anvil Centre for the Big House exhibit, which runs in the community art space until Dec. 3.
“It’s a show that was originally put up in 1998, a couple of years after Woodlands closed,” Nugent said. “It’s people’s experiences and feeling of living in the big house – in Woodlands.”
Inclusion B.C. is excited to celebrate and share this emerging culture of community inclusion here in New West, Nugent said.
“Your organization has really done an amazing job in advocating and really helping to educate regarding these issues. We are certainly proud that you are centred right here in the city of New Westminster,” Cote said. “Our city has a long history, some of it a troubled history, when it comes to dealing with individuals with mental disabilities, but I think we have also been able to grow through that and learn from that experience. We are certainly very happy to support your organization and all the works it is doing.”
