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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.
Responding to Concerns
(February 2, 2001) — On 18 January 2001, the Supreme Court of Canada denied Robert Latimer's appeal and Robert Latimer turned himself over to the correction's system.
Some Canadians have been calling for the Government of Canada to grant Robert Latimer a Royal Prerogative of Mercy. Publicly, Mr. Greenspan, one of Latimer's defense lawyers, has indicated that he would not seek the Royal Prerogative of Mercy before Latimer had served at least a year in prison. Some Canadians have been signing petitions calling for a Royal Prerogative of Mercy. Others have been going to rallies to express their concern about Robert Latimer's sentence.
The CCD office and volunteers who have been working on the Latimer case have received many communications from people who are concerned about the Royal Prerogative of Mercy issue.
CCD continues to monitor the developments in this case. Part of CCD's role is to be vigilant and work to protect vulnerable persons with disabilities. CCD will continue to be vigilant on this issue, as it has been during all the previous stages.
Individuals who want to speak out against a Royal Prerogative of Mercy for Robert Latimer can express their concerns to the following:
The Hon. Anne McLellan
Minister of Justice
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Email: McLellan.A@parl.gc.ca
Letters could also be sent to the Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien and your Member of Parliament. Now that the House is session letters can be sent without postage.
People in Equal Participation (PEP), one of the intervenors before the Court in the Latimer case, is circulating a petition that encourages the Government of Canada to uphold Latimer's sentence. Those interested in learning more about the petition should contact:
Theresa Ducharme
215 Victoria Avenue West
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2C 1S7
CCD will continue to update the community on developments in this case.
Tracy Latimer
The Latimer Case
The Latimer case directly concerned the rights of persons with disabilities. Mr. Latimer's view was that a parent has the right to kill a child with a disability if that parent decides the child's quality of life no longer warrants its continuation. CCD explained to the court and to the public how that view threatens the lives of people with disabilities and is deeply offensive to fundamental constitutional values. Learn more.