The Freedom Tour

The Freedom Tour is a powerful documentary that has been raising awareness about institutions both nationally and internationally. Produced in partnership with the National Film Board, The Freedom Tour is unique in that People First members were involved in all aspects of the film-making process. Members were trained on sound, editing, camera work, interviewing techniques, marketing, promotion, and more.

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[youtube height=”480″ width=”640″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa3dLNaCtyg[/youtube]

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It is our privilege to share remarks made by Dr. Catherine Frazee following a showing of The Freedom Tour. Dr. Frazee is a Professor of Distinction in the School of Disability Studies at Ryerson University, and Co-Director of the Ryerson RBC Institute for Disability Studies Research and Education.

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REMARKS ON THE FREEDOM TOUR BY CATHERINE FRAZEE

What can you say at a time like this?

What can you say in a moment that is heavy with the honour and fierce conviction of the men and women who have brought us this mighty film? What can you say when you are breathless from what you have just witnessed, not breathless from the crimes and degradations of these dark and ugly places, but breathless from the sheer force of so much survival, so much resistance, so much humanity.

What can we say except thank you, thank you to each and every person who contributed to the making of this monumental film. Thank you for your fearless tellings of truth, for your fearless singing of strength, for your fearless knowing of right from wrong. Thank you for the grace of your showing us what it means to be People, First.

What can you say when the steel doors close on a dark era, when you are safely outside but your history is in shards, when the bleeding stops but the pain does not, when the buildings that housed this ugly history stand, finally, empty and silent. What can you say except never again, never again will our people be warehoused, never again abandoned, never again humiliated on such a massive scale.

What can we say except that never again will we turn away, for we have learned that the indifference of many is precisely what permits the ravages of institutional abuse. What can we say except that we know better, and we demand better.

What can we say except that we will not rest until the promise of decent lives in real communities is made real for each and every disabled Canadian.

– Dr. Catherine Frazee

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[youtube height=”480″ width=”640″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCcsEa7qp8s[/youtube]