CCD is a national human rights organization of people with disabilities working for an accessible and inclusive Canada. Learn more.
We Need Your Support
Donations are tax deductible and you will receive a charitable tax receipt for 100% of your gift.
Act Now
Empower U: Learn to Access Your Disability Rights Training on Canadian Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol (OP) training aims to increase awareness of how to address discrimination using more familiar Canadian human rights laws such as Human Rights Codes and the newer international Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This is training for persons with disabilities by persons with disabilities. The training is part of a project funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and implemented by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) in collaboration with Canadian Multicultural Disability Centre Inc. (CMDCI), Citizens With Disabilities – Ontario (CWDO), Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities (MLPD) and National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS). Read more.
December 22, 2022
Seasonal Greetings
To Council Members, Friends and Allies of CCD:
“I want to congratulate and thank all of you, for your time, commitment, respect and compassion this past year. Your tremendous work with people in our respected communities and your willingness to stretch to also give time to the collective work of CCD, is much appreciated by all of us. As a volunteer organization heading into its 47th year, we collectively have been the home for many for nearly 5 decades.
In June of this year at our AGM, the Qulliq was lit by elder, Mary-Lee Anayok, Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society. https://youtu.be/bJlf52M9SrQ That light gives us warmth and strength and it continues every day to burn softly, continuously, and steadily in our hearts as we work together. This has reaffirmed for all of us, that we continue to be, present, dedicated, respectful, and will continue to do the work together, in defending the Human Rights and Social Justice of the people in our intersectional, cross disability and Deaf communities.
We will continue to do this through our ever emerging knowledge and understanding of each other’s experience and we will continue to do this with our developing principles of Respect, Intersectionality, Sustainability. We will continue the work around our Council Fire, with open hands and hearts, with no weapons and create a safer place for all of us to discuss and work through our many understandings and ways to support our communities.
Many people have found their way to this light this year and we thank all of them who are supporting CCD and giving of their time and welcoming us and opening opportunities for our involvement. Thank you to our Elders Council who are giving their wisdom, generational knowledge and caring spirits to help guide us.
It is an honour to serve you and our work at CCD. I am looking forward to more laughter, caring, sharing and growing understandings in the New Year.”
Heather Walkus
National Chair, CCD
Read more
June 23, 2022
Supreme Court of Canada Rules Charter Challenge to Forced Psychiatric Treatment Laws Can Continue
June 23, 2022, (Vancouver, BC) Today the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the BC government’s five-year legal campaign aimed at stopping the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) – a nationally respected disability rights organization – from challenging BC’s outdated and unconstitutional forced psychiatric treatment laws. The court not only rejected the government’s appeal, but also confirmed that CCD has the legal right to bring the case forward. In an extraordinary move, the Court also ordered that the government pay for all legal costs associated with this unnecessary delay.“The Supreme Court unanimously and decisively resolved the standing question in CCD’s favour,” says Michael Feder, a lawyer with the law firm McCarthy Tétrault who argued the case on behalf of CCD. “This ruling has broad importance for access to justice and for ensuring discriminatory and other unconstitutional laws can be challenged in court.” Read more
November 14, 2022
DISABILITY COMMUNITY-INFORMED REGULATION AND IMPLEMNTATION OF THE CANADA DISABILITY BENEFIT
In this submission, CCD wishes to focus on two aspects of the legislation both of which concern opportunities for democratic engagement in the development and implementation of this new disability benefit. Read more
More on Our Issues
November 2, 2022
THE COUNCIL OF CANADIANS WITH DISABILITIES SEEKS A HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER
July 6, 2022
Sad News: Passing of Jim Derksen
June 13, 2022
Canadian Civil Society Supports Dr. Laverne Jacobs for the UN Committee on the Rights of People with Disabilities
April 9, 2022
Sad News
March 8, 2022
Celebrating International Women's Day
December 18, 2021
Season's Greetings and Happy New Year!
Press Release
June 23, 2022
Supreme Court of Canada Rules Charter Challenge to Forced Psychiatric Treatment Laws Can Continue
June 23, 2022, (Vancouver, BC) Today the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the BC government’s five-year legal campaign aimed at stopping the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) – a nationally respected disability rights organization – from challenging BC’s outdated and unconstitutional forced psychiatric treatment laws. The court not only rejected the government’s appeal, but also confirmed that CCD has the legal right to bring the case forward. In an extraordinary move, the Court also ordered that the government pay for all legal costs associated with this unnecessary delay.“The Supreme Court unanimously and decisively resolved the standing question in CCD’s favour,” says Michael Feder, a lawyer with the law firm McCarthy Tétrault who argued the case on behalf of CCD. “This ruling has broad importance for access to justice and for ensuring discriminatory and other unconstitutional laws can be challenged in court.” Read more.
Videos
September 30, 2015
Voting at an Elections Canada Office
After an election is called, you can vote at any Election Canada office across the country.
Weblog
June 15, 2021
Gathering Momentum for An Inclusive Workplace
On June 1, 2021, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities co-hosted and participated in a roundtable discussion on "The Role of Innovative Technologies in Recruiting and Increasing Retention of Employees with Disabilities" with Facebook and Inclusion Canada. Read more.