End Exclusion 2009 Agenda

Roundtable Dialogue “Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship”

October 1, 2009
Ottawa City Hall Council Chambers
110 Laurier Avenue West

Lead Organizations:
Council of Canadians with Disabilities
Canadian Association for Community Living
Canada Without Poverty

Accommodations Provided: Sign language interpretation, Captioning, Infra-Red System

Event chaired by CCD National Chairperson, Marie White

Objectives:
• To build solidarity within the disability community and with other anti-poverty groups.
• To highlight our shared priorities regarding Poverty Alleviation and inform key decision makers of our policy proposals.
• To build understanding of how a disability poverty alleviation agenda fits within broader anti-poverty proposals being advanced.
• To build on the success of End Exclusion 2006 and 2007.

8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast – Foyer outside Ottawa City Hall Council Chambers
A refreshment break is scheduled for 10:30

9:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions: Marie White

9:10 a.m. Overview of Dignity For All Campaign – Canada Without Poverty - Rob Rainer
(includes a questions and comments session)

9:45 a.m. Overview National Action Plan on Disability and Current Proposals from Disability Community re: Poverty Alleviation – Marie White

10:00 a.m. Roundtable on Key Questions related to disability community position on poverty reduction strategies.

Questions for Discussion (35 minutes per topic)

1. What are the major barriers to greater economic independence?
How do we craft our messages on barriers so that the broader community understands it? Michael Bach

2. What is the role of the federal government in addressing the disproportionate poverty of Canadians with Disabilities? Michael Prince
• direct transfer payments
• income assistance, tax system, EI or other means
• leadership in labour market reform

3. What do we expect of Federal/Provincial/Territorial collaboration? Michael Mendelson
• Poverty reduction
• Employment and Training
• Removal of Barriers

12:00 Noon Building Consensus: Where do we go from here? - Laurie Beachell

12:15 p.m. Closing Remarks: CCD, CACL, Canada Without Poverty

12:30 p.m. Adjournment