| accessibility |
the ease of entry or use of an item. A place is accessible when someone with a disability can enter it easily. Information is accessible when it is easy to find and is available. |
| accommodation |
a change which makes a task or a job easier |
| adjudicate |
to judge or make a decision |
| advocacy |
helping yourself or someone else to get what you or they are entitled to |
| community services |
locally based private and public services |
| compensation |
payment to a person for difficulties suffered through no fault of his or her own |
| computer bulletinboard (BBS) |
a place in a computer system through no fault of his or her own |
| criteria |
standards for assessing or measuring something, such as eligibility or qualifications for a job |
| disability |
definitions of disability vary widely, particularly as qualifications for various services or incomes. They are based on differing views of what makes a person unable to function. |
| discrimination |
putting a person or a group of people at a disadvantage because of a personal characteristic, such as disability, age, race, gender |
| documentation |
documents that support a claim or confirm facts, for example, in an application, claim, appeal |
| eligibility |
a person's meeting the requirements for something |
| Employment Insurance (EI) |
formerly known as Unemployment Insurance (UI). This works like an insurance policy |
| empowerment |
recognizing and expressing the right to control one's life and circumstances |
| entitlements |
benefits (services, income) a person is qualified to receive |
| equal rights |
the legal concept that everyone is entitled to the same rights as everyone else |
| extended family |
the broader family including more distant relatives |
| family therapy |
a mode of psychological treatment that involves all or most family members |
| "flare" |
in lupus, a period of severe illness which can brief or lengthy |
| group, self - help, group, support |
several individuals who share a difficult situation and meet to support one another |
| health professional |
a professional working in the health care system |
| health care practitioner |
a person who works with patient on a treatment basis; a medical practitioner as defined below, a chiropractor, a nurse practitioner, a midwife, physiotherapist, etc |
| home care |
a service in the home for people who are ill or convalescing; involving medical/nursing tasks and/or personal assistance |
| homemaking |
a service in the home for people who need help with basic tasks |
| Human Rights Tribunals |
these are courts that consider violations of a person's legal rights under the human rights code in their jurisdiction |
| Human Resources Development Canada |
the federal ministry (formerly Manpower and Immigration) that administers income security programs such as Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security |
| Income Security Programs |
federal programs such as Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security, administered by Human Resources Development Canada |
| impairment |
a disability or loss of function that interferes with a person's ability to manage easily in everyday situations |
| jurisdiction |
the area (location or subject matter) in which a government, agency, office or court has the legal authority to act |
| legal precedents |
previous court decisions which can provide a court with principles it can base its decisions on |
| legal action |
taking a situation to court |
| legislation |
a law or laws, created by elected officials |
| "level playing field" |
an expression used to describe a situation that allows persons who are at a disadvantage to function as fully as those who are not disadvantaged |
| medical practitioner |
someone with a medical degree and licence to practice medicine, for example, a physician, GP, psychiatrist, rheumatologist, or other specialist, dentist, etc. |
| monetary damages |
in a court decision, money awarded as compensation for harm or damage done |
| "moon face" |
facial swelling from the use of drugs |
| relief, or remedy |
in a court decision, compensation or action towards setting things right |
| resources |
in the context of advocacy, resources usually mean money, services or support, something that can help fill a need |
| self-contained domestic establishment |
a private place (home or apartment) where an individual lives, as opposed to an institution |
| supersede |
stand above, or come before. For example, the Constitution supersedes provincial legislation - provincial laws must be in keeping with the Constitution. |
| the "system" |
an expression used to cover all the official structures (both governmental and private) that control services to people, both as individuals and groups. Often used to describe a bureaucracy. |
| vulnerable persons |
people without a lot of power in our society, for example, children, people with disabilities, elderly people; people who could be taken advantage of, and may need supports to defend themselves and their rights |
