If Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) decides that any of their claimants "don't look sick", they may legally stalk, surveil and record them as well as their families, friends, children and communities. Even if those communities consist of youth in the care of CFS, Disabled Individuals and caregivers or other physically or mentally vulnerable persons. Eleven DVDs of my own personal surveillance include legal footage of hundreds of these individuals. Currently, MPI does not need a reason to surveil Manitobans and if any claimant does not appear to be unwell, they may lose their entitlement to benefits. What MPI attempts to discern through surveillance is incredibly ableist and willfully ignorant of actual medical realities, including dynamic (fluctuating in severity) disabilities.

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities I made an open call for my MLA, Matt Wiebe (who is also the Province's Opposition Critic for MPI) to bring forward new Legislation that will protect Manitobans like me and other individuals with disabilities from further harm, saying that "you don't look sick" hurts us all. Matt met with me about my situation and that I believe he cares about community. We ask for your support as we work toward the following:

1) Legislation stating that surveillance needs to happen with substantiated, just cause (ie. valid reason)... not just "this person could be lying".

2) Legislation preventing Investigators or other individuals performing surveillance from including vulnerable individuals without both having the appropriate checks completed (such as criminal record with vulnerable sector search and Adult/Child abuse registry checks) and also obtaining informed consent from said individuals or their Legal Guardians.

Disabled individuals deserve to feel safe at all times. In fact, MPI may surveil me again (covertly, without my knowledge) and/or any members of my community at any time with no repercussions of any kind.

Please take this situation as seriously as if it were vulnerable individuals in your own family or community and act now to protect Manitobans from MPI!