Conquerall Bank man wants federal help for people with disabilities

A Conquerall Bank man with muscular dystrophy has started an online petition for the federal government to implement a national assistance program for Canadians with disabilities.

Alex Peeler, 23, requires an electric wheelchair to get around and knows from personal experience medical equipment is expensive.

"It's a human right because it enables people to live their lives and people shouldn't be disqualified from that because they can't afford the medical equipment that they need," he said. 

Peeler estimates it will cost around $30,000 to replace his wheelchair. The Nova Scotia government doesn't cover the cost, so his new chair will be paid for with insurance, non-profits and fundraising.

'It makes you feel helpless'

"It's very humbling, you know, having to ask people to help you every few years because, you know, it just makes you feel helpless," Peeler said.

"A lot of people see a wheelchair as representing a limitation. But it doesn't. It represents freedom. Because without a wheelchair I can't even get out of bed, I can't get around. I can't live."

Peeler also needs a wheelchair-accessible van to get around. He says his current van often breaks down, leaving him confined to his rural home near Bridgewater. He estimates a new van would cost around $50,000.

Peeler says he'd like to see the federal government work with the provinces to cover the cost of necessary medical equipment — like lifts, wheelchairs, and vans.