What Federal Election Candidates Need to Know About: Access & Canadians with Disabilities

A Message from Marie White, CCD Chairperson

Canadians with disabilities want An Accessible and Inclusive Canada. This is a Canada where people with all types of disabilities can go to school, get good jobs, pay taxes, raise families and participate in community activities. Canada has implemented many important measures contributing to improvements in the status of persons with disabilities. Much remains to be done.

How would your party improve access and inclusion in Canadian communities for people with disabilities?

Access measures and inclusion:

• accessibility regulations for federal transport systems to replace ineffective voluntary codes of practice,
• ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
• establish an accessible technology procurement policy for Canada,
• renew and expand the Social Development Partnerships Disability Program,
• re-establish the Court Challenges Program for equality rights test case litigation,
• amend the National Building Code to include Universal Design,
• accessible electoral process, ensuring persons with disabilities can participate fully in electoral campaigns and vote independently and secretly,
• amend the Official Languages Act to recognize ASL/LSQ as official languages,
• re-establish a Parliamentary Committee on disability issues.