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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.
CCD Chairperson's Update - May 2014
This edition of the Update presents the activities of some of CCD's Committees.
Social Policy Committee
Dr. Michael Prince finalized for the CURA project a new paper "Disabling Poverty and Enabling Citizenship: Recommendations for Positive Change".
On 29 May 2014, Yvonne Peters and Laurie Beachell consulted with members of Winnipeg's poverty and disability communities about the policy directions presented in "Disabling Poverty and Enabling Citizenship: Recommendations for Positive Change." Participants were generally supportive of the recommendations.
Carly-Anne Sturdy consulted CCD about barriers created by community mailboxes. Carly-Anne is an independent researcher hired by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to conduct a research study on how losing door-to-door services will affect Canada Post customers with disability and mobility issues, seniors and individuals with low-income.
International Committee
The United Nations approved Steve Este's participation in the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which will be held in New York in June. Steve chairs the International Committee and is a vice chair of CCD.
On 21 May 2014 in Ottawa, Vangelis Nikias, CRPD Project Manager, participated in a meeting of human rights NGOs and Foreign Affairs officials for a discussion of issues arising from the 25th session of the Human Rights Council (in February) and to provide input into the development of official Canadian priorities and positions at the upcoming 26h session of the Council, taking place in Geneva, 10 to 27 June 2014. Vangelis attended to share information about the CRPD.
Ending of Life Ethics Committee
On 14 May 2014, Amy Hasbrouck and David Baker addressed a non-partisan event on end of life issues hosted by the Senate Liberal Caucus and explained why the disability community does not support assisted suicide. The other speakers were: the Honorable Steven Fletcher, P.C., M.P.; Dr. Derryck Smith, Director, Dying with Dignity; and Rick Firth, Vice President, Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association.
The Ending of Life Ethics Committee met by conference call on 22 May 2014. The conversation focused mainly on Steven Fletcher's Private Members Bills, the Quebec bill on assisted suicide and the Carter case.
Executive Committee
Anne McPhee, CCD Secretary/Treasurer, participated in the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association's national conference, which was held in Toronto 22- 24 May 2014.
Nominating Committee
CCD's Nominating Committee, Steve Estey and Jean Beckett, were hard at work getting CCD ready for the Annual General Meeting in June. Jean represents the National Network for Mental Health on the CCD National Council of Representatives.
New Volunteer at CCD Office
Huma Gulrez, a student in the University of Manitoba Disability Studies, agreed to volunteer at the CCD office for the summer months. Huma's first volunteer assignment with CCD will be to assist at the CCD Council meeting in June.