Every time I step or wheel into a non-disabled space in Saskatchewan, its a battle. There are the traditional fighting grounds, of course the doctors office, public transit, job interviews but ableism (discrimination based on ability) also exists in less visible ways here.

My province relies on a charity model of disability, socially and politically. I see it when passersby throw pocket change in a friends lap like theyre a cutesy sideshow. As far as I can tell, this is also the provincial governments attitude towards people like me. We make up 20 per cent of the Canadian population, according to Statistics Canadas 2017 Survey on Disability , but are not represented much politically outside of federal ministers like Carla Qualtrough .

We are now on the eve of a provincial election where the incumbent conservatives are expected to win a landslide victory , and Saskatchewans disabled people are once again left out of the conversation.