Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪

Every Canadian Counts-Executive Director | Don’t be a spectator in life - get in the game and make a difference.

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

It’s a wrap. Did my best. Final message: The government has all the information they need on a national disability insurance model of support. Now it’s time for them to act.

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

Drive through euthanasia with your morning coffee and donut. Don’t forget to dispose of your needle in the bio hazard container on the way out.

[Andrew Kooman @akooman]

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario wants you to know MAiD is “a highly regulated area of medical practice with well-defined expectations”. That's why when a doctor met a patient at a donut shop then personally chauffeured him to be euthanized, they placed him "under three months of moderate supervision".

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

To get a movement started you have to keep moving. Yes it means being at a table with people that have bad history. It seems they have acknowledged wrongs. It’s to their benefit big time. You will get them votes. Seize the opportunity. Help shape the future by raising all boats.

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

I attended the People Livng With Disabilities commission meeting yesterday with a few colleagues from on here. It was the first met of the new two year cycle. There was a lot of organizational stuff to get through, encouraging words from @NiallRicardo and @LeahGazan who pressed the urgency of our struggles and group suggestions of community building from the NDP. It was acknowledged that past leadership has failed but that these two have lived experience and that along with Avi's momentum, there may be a spotlight on our needs. 1 in 4 or 27% of Canadians identify as having a disability, it's time we voted like a block. That's the only way we will be taken seriously.

There working parties were assembled and the next meeting was penciled in for June 28. @FolkDawson and team led the meeting with accessibility in mind, we were supplied an ASL interpreter and the minutes/transcript will be available soon.

I joined this meeting to help shape policy from the only federal party to even consider us voters while the Liberals, Cons, and Greens treat us like problems to deal with later.

I wish I was more hopeful, but we have seen outreach crumble before through Bonita and Jagmeet, through Trudeau and Qualthrough, but instead of negative energy, I'm going to keep up pressure to make things better for all of us in the face of starvation, homelessness and democidal abuse of MAiD.

#odsp #aish #pwd

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

Love it.

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

This is my favorite #MAiD quote so far this year. #cdnpoli #assisteddying

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

What do people not understand about legislated poverty?

When you eat so poorly you develop illnesses like the sliding hiatial hernia I have, which untreated wakes me up in the middle of the night with panic attacks from the acid reflux and GERD. This has been caused by a poor diet since I was 17 and first homeless on the streets on Guelph.

The agoraphobia from 6 more times being homeless has eaten away at my muscles. I tried walking to University of Guelph to take pictures in the Arboretum. When I arrived I was terrified I couldn't make it back, my legs were shaking, my spine aches and I was on the verge of Charlie horsing. This has been caused by trauma, terror and being forced to live in horrible shelters, or slums with terrible landlords that threaten my physical and emotional wellbeing.

I have no money, ever. I cannot go see a movie. I cannot afford a phone bill. My rent and groceries purchase empty my account at the start of the month and no one will hire me due to being stuck in my room for days with agoraphobia made worse by not having money to thrive or even survive. This has been caused by gaslighting about fraud (odsp is less than 1% fraud, it took me two doctors and seven years to be accepted, lived on $733 ow before that) and purposeful underfunding of shelters, addictions, and affordable homes by Premiers and Prime Ministers who care only about their friends and bank accounts.

It costs YOU, the public, to keep me in legislated poverty. Less than three cents from your paycheck goes towards social services, how much are you paying for a spa in Toronto, how much for the fake private jet scandal, why $5 billion to expand an airport with less traffic than Pearson, why give away mining rights to foreign companies or forgive billion dollar dues for foreign owned highways????

#Ontario spends $33 billion on poverty maintenance, new first month's rents after illegal evictions from an overwhelmed judicial system (on purpose), or food programs as we allow a grocery monopoly led by an Eptein Lister in Galen Weston. #Canada spends $80 billion minimum on poverty maintenance whilst a fully funded basic income would cost only $60 billion.

These terrible choices by Mayors, Premiers and Prime Ministers to make you hate the poor, disabled and unemployed is a gambit to keep you distracted while they steal from your pocket and vilify the sick and dying so you feel false righteousness.

It's time to stand up and demand action from all tiers of government, for your grandparents fearing LTC, for your sick or disabled children who just want a safe place to learn with support, for your neighbors who lost their jobs to AI or for yourself.

Anyone can become disabled, anyone can become unemployed and that anyone will be you if these greedy politicians have their way. #poverty

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

Do you use Aleve? Aleve gave me hives.

[Shirley Nseiri @eeone]

What I thought may have been a bite from a spider seems to be hives . No wonder it felt so itchy,now not only on my inner thigh but also my neck and waist. Not a whole lot and not too uncomfortable so will just keep on eye on it for now. Son says he has Benadryl if needed.

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

Between this news of Ford's failures in disability job training, #DougFord telling us we are lazy, need to find jobs and stop watching the Flintstones AND the Maytree report that ODSP and OW are built to fail... WHEN IS THE TIME FOR A MASSIVE LAWSUIT?

We can prove criminal negligence, the funding has gone to foreign spa scams and Ford even forgave a billion in tolls to a foreign country.

This conservative government is costing you more, paying over $33 billion in poverty maintenance instead of preventative measures like ABOVE POVERTY LINE social assistance. We go homeless, we become addicted, and we die frozen to your curb.

I have been homeless 7 times because of insufficient support. People are dying from self-harm, MAiD applications and dangerous conditions on the streets, in shelters and even in slum apartments.
#onpoli #Ontario

Source Maytree:
https://t.co/1M9oZMY31w

Source Flintstones:
https://t.co/I4AGTjcW7e

Source Erin (Veganlovebunny):
https://t.co/2ysVELMJ4t

Class Action Needed!!! We ARE DYING!

@BakerLaw_TO @pooranlawpc @djnontario @StlawyersOttawa

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

"I didn't want to die, but at the same time I didn't want to live an undignified life stuck in longterm care." - Michal, LIFE AFTER participant

When the lack of dignified care options drives people to apply for medically assisted dying, the care system is broken. It's unacceptable to give disabled people the means to die, before supporting them with the means to live and thrive.

We need affordable, universal healthcare, home- and community-based services, and disability supports.
Interested in diving more deeply into the why and how behind this issue?

Gather your friends, community, colleagues and and watch LIFE AFTER together. Available to rent starting TOMORROW on Kinema, Apple TV, and Google Play."

https://t.co/iTG5AkDcME

#MAiD #assisteddying #cdnpoli

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

There’s a question that goes back a few years at the conclusion of the DIAP input. It wasn’t clear then either.

[The280Times Trivia Channel @The280Times]

@avilewis @princessrott For clarity, which is rare when promises like this are made.. are you saying $2150 per month, absolute total income all sources combined.. OR.. a supplemental benefit (Canada Disability Benefit) of $2150 in addition to existing (F/P/T) supports ?

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

As a spec ed teacher, I was often the voice of the voiceless. After retiring, that hasn’t changed. Many disabled people are voiceless, fighting for survival, due to systems that have legislated them into poverty. If you want to lend your voice support an #NDIP @EveryCdnCounts

[𝒜𝓃𝓃ℯ 𝒥ℯ𝓃𝓈ℯ𝓃 @annemargaretj]

@MarkJCarney Not for disabled Canadians. I’m almost 35 and I’m back living with my parents because I can’t afford a place of my own. It was promised that the CDB would bring us out of poverty. $200/month doesn’t do that.

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

I think many lives are in flux. We learn as we go and improve where we can.

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

@HubertVan Thanks Hubert! Doing what I can, making it up as I go.

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

Those are very impressive statistics. Looks like you’ve started a new chapter in your book, and it’s looking good.

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

My April analytics if anyone is interested. It's been a hard month between the root canal retreatment, endoscopy and my first colonoscopy. But I did learn more about my conditions and have been feeling better with the pantoprozole and I am grateful for all the support.

I started advocating in 2021 as I went homeless in a disgusting mold filled basement with an abusive landlord and roomate. My steadily sick cat Batman passed after I finally found this safe housing and I was so angry, lashing out at anyone who was going to take #MAiD away from me.

I see the coercion now, how the elites want us drinking, doing drugs, homeless and dying in a form of hands free eugenics and #democide. I want to stop the cycle that almost destroyed me as a homeless 17 year old who had just been diagnosed with 6 mental health disorders and was abandoned by a drunk cop dad and an injured mother who was extremely emotionally abusive.

My fight here is for all the vulnerable people across #Canada, using my lived experience and gift of articulation, I will not stop representing my community. I've never felt so connected and heard, and we need to pass that on.

I may have started this journey with anger, survivor's guilt and fear... But I try to do this now with compassion, love for my fellow vulnerables and with a sliver of hope that we can beat this recycled fascism and create a space for all walks of life.

-@odspoor

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

Look into goats milk.

[jennifer evans 🇵🇸🇱🇧🇨🇦 @nejsnave]

On my way back from the doc 🙏🏻 feeling better and supporting a charity that does important work with kids in poverty in Cambodia 💙 https://t.co/J8D9o5msoY

I had an anaphylactic reaction that built slowly over a couple of days but because I didn't know what was happening it got a little scary. Have apparently developed a severe allergy to casein, the main protein in dairy.

It's a too many lattes punishment 😂 gradually returning to normal and figuring out how to transition to coconut and oat milk. 🙏🏻

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

Such an honour to MC the Ontario Association for Developmental Education @oade14 conference held at the Famous People Players @FPPTheatre . Proud of this 69 year old organization advocating for students with disabilities and families.
@EveryCdnCounts

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

In the past most people moved away from baseboard electric heaters because it was far more expensive than natural gas. Electric homes also didn’t have ductwork for AC or ventilation. Heat pumps are a good alternative, but not as good in colder climates.

[Eric Lombardi (EricForOLP.ca) 🇨🇦🚀 @EricDLombardi]

I’ve been thinking a lot about energy in Ontario recently. I think our leaders have missed a crucial objective:

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗼��𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆?

This should be a central question for governments, but instead the focus has been on consumer energy efficiency.

That’s not just limiting for wealth creation and quality of life. Over time, it also works against climate goals.

Because almost every substitute for fossil fuels runs on electricity.

When we talk about building electricity supply, it’s usually in the context of attracting industry. Data centres, advanced manufacturing, large users.

And we run top-down consumer incentive programs for EVs, heat pumps, rooftop solar, and more.

All of that matters.

But there’s a constraint that isn’t getting enough attention.

𝘈 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦

Not because electricity is too expensive, but because the system inside the home can’t handle the load.

A typical household today might use 8,000 to 10,000 kWh per year. Add an EV and that moves into the low teens. Electrify heating and you can be closer to 20,000. Turn it into a multiplex, and it becomes even higher.

That’s where we want to go.

But much of the housing stock is still built around 110A service, sometimes 220A. A 110A service supports roughly 24 kW of peak load. A Level 2 EV charger alone can draw 12 kW. Electric heating adds several more. You run out of capacity quickly.

So even when people want to electrify, they hit a physical limit.

Upgrading is possible, but moving to higher capacity (eg 320A) often costs $10,000 to $40,000 once you include panel work and utility upgrades. It’s slow, uncertain, and handled one property at a time.

So it doesn’t happen at scale.

This is where our policy approach is incomplete.

We focus on encouraging adoption of EVs and heat pumps, but we don’t address the underlying electrical infrastructure needed to support them.

If we are serious about electrification, we should be clear about making it easier for homes to consume more.

I am thinking about a program where homes and neighbourhoods are built or upgraded to roughly 320A–equivalent capacity (or more), or at least designed so they can get there easily.

If you have thoughts or expertise in this area, I’d encourage you to reach out!

[Harminder Dhillon @DhillonHariGTA]

China plans to double its renewable energy capacity by 2035. If past is any indicator where China achieved its previous target 5 years ahead of schedule, China will reach these targets by 2030. A huge for climate change.

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

You’re thinking of Home Hardware.

[Nahtan Maerb @nahtan_maerb]

@mynamesnotgordy Yes Home Depot owned by Canadian

[Hubert van Niekerk OCT #NDIP 🇨🇦🇾🇪 @HubertVan]

@ODSPoor Read it.

[Mitchell Tremblay @ODSPoor]

Our two person team is proud to share #TheDisabilityBulletin Spring 2026 edition is here!

https://t.co/7vtI7QecTg

This issue covers the balance of #MAiD in #Canada, healthcare privatization, and even includes a comprehensive MAiD fact sheet assembled by me.

Download the interactive PDF through our linktree, print and share it within your bubbles and communities.