What To Ask Federal Election Candidates about Access and Inclusion

Will Your Party support:

• Accessibility regulations, instead of voluntary codes, for modes of transport in Federal jurisdiction?
• An accessible technology procurement policy?
• The renewal and expansion of the Social Development Partnerships Disability Program?
• The re-establishment of the Court Challenges Program for equality rights test case litigation?
• Amendment of the National Building Code to include Universal Design?
• Accessible voting, including independent voting and verification for persons handicapped by print?
• Amendment of the Official Languages Act to give ASL/LSQ official language status?
• Establishment of a Parliamentary Committee on Disability Issues?

Inform candidates about access barriers

• Disability discrimination in Canadian society is rampant. Of all protected groups, people with disabilities are the most frequent complainants at human rights commissions. We don’t want to be laying complaints; but we are forced to because there are few other ways to address barriers.
• Over two million Canadians with disabilities lack one or more of the educational, workplace aids, home modification or other supports they need to participate fully in their communities.
• There are no real time captioners east of Montreal. Real time captioning provides access to people who are Deaf and hard of hearing.

Election 2011 Fact Sheet 3