He sued his parents for the right to leave the institution they had placed him in as a child. (Submitted by Robbie Giles)Īfter spending his youth at the now-closed Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls, Ontario, he decided that he wanted to control his life. Their friendship was fast and lasted (see below) a lifetime. Justin Clark, who died Thursday at the age of 58, is pictured with his friend and former teacher Robbie Giles as they attend Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa.
Justin Clark, a man who never learned to take no for an answer, died Thursday at the age of 58.īorn in 1962 with cerebral palsy, unable to walk or talk, he leaves a legacy few Canadians will ever match.Ĭlark became a pioneer in the fight for the rights of disabled people-determined that they should be treated as full-fledged human beings.
