Who We Are

What Does Consumerism Mean

It is generally agreed that the term “consumerism,” as it relates to persons with disabilities, has its roots in the independent-living movement of the 1970s. Prior to this, supports for persons with disabilities were most often provided by publicly funded organizations led by individuals who had the well-intended but often misguided aim of “helping” us by creating programs and services they felt we required.

It was our experience that without informed consumer involvement, the programs and services we accessed often fell short of their intended goals. As persons with disabilities, we were the “consumers” of the services being provided, and we strongly believed that we needed to be involved in the choices that were being made for us. Hence the terms consumers and the consumer movement came to have special and significant meaning for our community.

As the movement gained momentum, we shook off the role of passive recipient, assuming a more active voice in shaping the programs and services that were meant to meet our needs. Across North America, persons with disabilities began to participate as active consumers in decision-making processes, arguing that we who live with disabilities know our situations best and are the best equipped to articulate and define our own needs.

For this reason, when the Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities was formed in 1973, the tenets of the consumer movement became the cornerstone of our philosophy.