CCD Election Challenge: Volume 1, Issue 3

The Green Party on Disability

The Green Party has promised to address the poverty of people with disabilities:

1st Step—Establish a national Basic Income program for working age people living with disabilities by converting the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) to a refundable credit.

2nd Step—Establish rigorous "needs based" eligibility standards for basic income to permit an affordable benefit system that provides adequate benefit levels.

3rd Step—Redesign Canada Pension Plan/Disability Benefit (CPP/D) test to use the Disability Tax Credit definition of disability and permit employment while retaining eligibility for basic income.

Greens Take a Page from Action Plan

CCD commends the Green Party for addressing ONE of the main issues in the National Action Plan on Disability. The Green Party is essentially supporting a Guaranteed Annual Income. The disability community's National Action Plan on Disability inspired the Green Party's commitments addressing the poverty of people with disabilities. Their promise to eliminate personal income tax for the lowest income Canadians would benefit persons with disabilities. Not addressed: labour market, access, and disability-related supports.

NDP Endorses Action Plan

Long before the election, the New Democratic Party (NDP) became a supporter of the National Action Plan on Disability. Check out www.endexclusion.caand you will see that the NDP endorsed the community's plan.

Endorsing the Plan means that the NDP is supportive of the community's proposals on poverty, labour market, access and inclusion and disability-related supports.

Historically the NDP has been very supportive of the policy reforms advanced by the disability community. Most recently, the NDP initiated a motion, which found favour with all parties, calling for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) after appropriate consultation with the Provinces and Territories. The disability community is calling for ratification by March 2009, which is two years after the signing ceremony at the United Nations. The NDP has committed to reinstating the Court Challenges Program, which funded Charter-based test case litigation.

Check Out the Parties

Don't take our word for what the Parties are saying. Get the real deal by checking out their Platforms on the Parties' web sites.

• Conservative Party
• Liberal Party
• NDP
• Bloc Québécois
• Green Party

Debate on Poverty

Organizations interested in social policy are planning a candidates' debate on poverty for 6 October 2008 in Ottawa. There will be a question focusing on the poverty of Canadians with disabilities. Marie White will be one of the community panelists hosting the event. Having CCD's Chairperson in a leadership role at this event will ensure that disability issues are not forgotten during the debate.

Each Federal Election, CCD and its members educate candidates about needed disability policy reform.

Get the National Action Plan.