Three Projects on CCD's Agenda

September marks the arrival of a busy time of year for members of Canada’s disability community. In the next few months, the following issues and events will be consuming much of our attention at CCD:

End Exclusion 2009—On October 1, 2009, in Ottawa, leaders from the disability community, the poverty community, and other equality seeking sectors will be participating in a roundtable discussion of strategies to eliminate the poverty experienced by a disproportionate number of people with disabilities. CCD, the Canadian Association for Community Living and Canada Without Poverty are the organizers of this event.

Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship Research Project—The entire research team will be meeting in Winnipeg November 5-6, 2009. New information about poverty and disability is now available. Read more.

Standing Committee on Finance—The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance is holding pre-budget consultations. CCD’s key message to the Committee: support the vulnerable, because, when times are bad, sadly, people with disabilities are often the first to feel the effects of cutbacks in services and supports or loss of employment. CCD urged the Federal Government to include in its next budget measures to develop an accessible and inclusive Canada. CCD’s brief to the Finance Committee, emphasized the broad priorities of the disability community: new initiatives in disability-related supports, initiatives to alleviate poverty, initiatives to create employment including those most marginalized and investments to remove barriers to full and equal participation in the community. Read more.