The Toronto Star’s Helen Henderson today published two stories featuring Justin Clark, who with the help of David Baker won a landmark court case in the early 1980s that gave him the right to leave behind life in an institution and live independently:

“For 16 years, Clark heard nothing from his parents – until he turned 18 and a couple of friends started inviting him out on excursions. When the institution contacted his parents to get their permission, they refused and subsequently went to court to have their son declared mentally incompetent.

“Clark’s battle for the right to make decisions about his life made headlines across the country. With the help of lawyer David Baker and a legal resource centre for people with disabilities, he proved to the court that he was capable of running his own life.”

Click here to read Henderson’s piece on the long struggle for disability rights activism in Canada, featuring Mr. Clark’s story and commentary from David Baker on the current state of disability rights.

Click here to read Henderson’s background article on Mr. Clark’s compelling story.