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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.
A Voice of Our Own: Special Edition #10
Council of Canadians with Disabilities'
CCD Election Challenge
Conservative Party Platform Released
The Conservatives made a commitment to persons with disabilities in their platform, Stand Up For
Canada: Conservative Party of Canada Federal Election Platform 2006. CCD Council examined the Platform at its January 2006 Council meeting.
The Conservative Party Platform is missing a long-term disability agenda.
CCD is seeking a cross-party commitment to a long-term disability agenda.
As promised in the first newsletter, CCD has shared information on each of the major national parties, fielding candidates in 2006.
Sending out our critique of the political parties' record on disability issues.
Stand Up for Families
In their election platform, the Conservatives commit to the introduction of a National Disability Act.
The Platform states, "A Conservative government will introduce a National Disability Act to promote reasonable access to medical care, medical equipment, education, employment, transportation and housing for Canadians with disabilities."
CCD believes a single mechanism or initiative will not be effective in addressing disability issues.
Progress requires commitment to a long-term agenda that is
- comprehensive,
- coordinated,
- inter-sectoral &
- multi-jurisdiction
in its approach.
Stephen Harper states,
"It's time for new government that will get things done-for all of us. We will clean up government, cut the GST, offer parents help with child care, cut patient wait times for medical procedures, and crack down on crime. Our plan will help individuals, families, seniors, and small business. A new Conservative government will strengthen national unity and advance our interests on the world stage."
Steven Fletcher, Conservative Health Critic, on Disability
The Conservative Party's Health Critic, Steven Fletcher, who is a wheelchair user, has indicated support for legislation to address equal access to services across Canada.
The Conservatives on Housing
The Conservatives will provide tax incentives to create better access to affordable housing. The Conservatives in their housing section, did not address visitability. At the local and provincial levels, the disability community has been working to have the concept of visitability accepted: all new housing should have a level access entry and first floor doorways and a washroom usable by persons with disabilities.
Public Transit
The Conservative Platform addresses plans for improving public transit.
The Conservative Platform does not address accessible public transit issues.
National Disability Act
The Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Green Party commit to the development of a national act on disability. The NDP indicated that their proposed Canadians with Disabilities Act is a framework for a broader long-term initiative to address poverty, the need for supports and investment in programs, not tax cuts.
The Conservative Party has indicated that a National Disability Act could bring together a patchwork of programs and services that affect persons with disabilities and seek to address the discrimination facing people with disabilities. In general, the Conservatives support achieving agreements in consultation with the provinces and territories.
CCD believes a single mechanism or initiative will not be effective in addressing disability issues. Progress requires commitment to a long-term agenda that is comprehensive, coordinated, inter-sectoral, and multi-jurisdiction in its approach.
Limit Growth of Spending on Grants & Contributions
The Conservatives are promising tax cuts. They plan to save dollars by "limiting the growth of spending on grants and contributions and in government departments and agencies." However, they plan to maintain projected growth in transfers to people, such as seniors, EI recipients, and transfers to health and social programs. The Federal Government's Grants and Contributions programs have strengthened the disability community because they have been promoting citizenship activities
Investigate the Parties' Positions
The Parties' positions are available for further review at the following web sites:
Confirm Parties' Positions
Confirming to a long-term agenda is a commitment to building a better Canada. The disability community is interested in working constructively with the next Parliament on a long-term agenda that requires a comprehensive, coordinated, inter-sectoral and multi-jurisdictional approach. Ask your candidate to respond to these questions before 23/01/06:
Do you and your party support:
- The development and implementation of a long-term agenda for transformational change?
- Ensuring access to needed disability and income supports as a focused priority within a long-term agenda?
- Engaging local, provincial, territorial and national disability organizations in this period of change?
This is a non-partisan issue.
Securing a Long-term Disability Agenda
As election day draws near, it is critical that all parties continue to be asked about their position on disability issues. Canadians with disabilities and their families need to know how a party platform commitment for persons with disabilities will translate in to their daily lives and experiences. The disability community has been calling for a commitment to a long term disability agenda with an immediate focus on disability supports. Disability supports remains the number one priority for the disability community. We know that a concerted effort to improve access to needed disability supports will trigger transformational change. We need your help to ensure that all candidates, in all parties, are asked to respond to these questions. With one week to go before Canadians go to the polls, candidates need to be reminded that advancing and promoting the full inclusion and active citizenship of Canadians with disabilities is a national issue of citizenship and human rights.
Council of Canadians with Disabilities
CCD
926-294 Portage Ave
Winnipeg, MB
R3C 0B9
Phone: 204-947-0303
Fax: 204-942-4625
E-mail: ccd@ccdonline.ca
Confirm the Parties's Positions
Canadians with disabilities need a cross-party commitment to secure a long-term disability agenda. Before 23 January 2006, ask your candidate to confirm support for a long-term disability agenda.
Committing to a long-term agenda is a commitment to building a better Canada. The disability community is interested in working constructively with the next Parliament on a long-term agenda that requires a comprehensive, coordinated, inter-sectoral and multi-jurisdictional approach.
Our Questions to Candidates are simple-Do you and your party support:
- The development and implementation of a long-term agenda for transformational change?
- Ensuring access to needed disability and income supports as a focused priority within a long-term agenda?
- Engaging local, provincial, territorial and national disability organizations in this period of change?
Ask local candidates to respond to these questions before 23 January 2006.
This is a non-partisan issue.