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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.
Income Security Reform Archives
Income Security Reform
March 25, 2015
Review of Extra Costs Linked to Disability
This study helps identify situations in which the existence of additional costs is more than a hindrance to the emancipation of disabled people; disability costs cause significant negative impacts on the social and professional integration of individuals. In a context of fiscal austerity in which not only the services to the most vulnerable citizens are threatened but also the allowances to the middle classes, recognition of general and specific additional costs by the government would be a strong symbol: a concrete lever for social participation of people with disabilities and, at the same time, an acknowledgement of their right to self-determination. Read more.
May 16, 2014
Research Report on the Québec Act to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion, a Case of Democratic Co-construction of Public Policy
The objective of this paper is to analyze the Quebec Law to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion, passed in 2002, as an example of a democratically co-constructed social policy. This Law is the result of a large and intensive mobilization of Québec civil society over a seven year period. Read more.
August 19, 2013
What is Happening to Disability Income Systems in Canada?
This paper summarizes findings on recent expenditures on persons with disabilities in Canada. Nationally, social assistance disability income expenditures are growing faster than other programs overall. This is not the case in the eastern provinces and Quebec. Why are there such divergent patterns between the provinces? Read more.
November 8, 2012
The Welfarization of Disability Programs
John Stapleton presented research produced by the Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship research project. Read more.
April 11, 2012
The Fight Against Poverty and Exclusion in Québec: Mixed Results, Including for Persons with Disabilities
Although it is too early to pass final judgment on the success of the Québec strategy to fight against poverty and social exclusion, we will attempt in this paper to evaluate the progress made since the adoption of the law regarding the evolution of poverty and inequality in income distribution in Québec. Read more.
January 17, 2012
Advancing the Participation of People with Disabilities in the Labour Market: International Practices and Lessons
This presentation by Michael J. Prince examines what policies act as barriers to labour market participation for people with disabilities and what policies act as facilitators. Read more.
December 21, 2011
IN UNISON: A Canadian Approach to Disability Issues
This report sets the stage for governments, persons with disabilities, disability advocates, communities, employers, labour and the non-profit sector to jointly focus on disability issues. It builds on the framework document entitled "In Unison: A Canadian Approach to Disability Issues," which was released in 1998 by federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for social services. Read more.
December 18, 2011
Highlights of End Exclusion 2011
Check out the information shared at End Excluison 2011. Read more.
December 18, 2011
Key Messages from End Exclusion 2011 Round Tables
Participants at End Exclusion 2011 shared their views with the Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship research team. Read more.
December 18, 2011
Notes from Presentation by Lived Experience of Poverty Panelist Laurence Parent
I was asked to speak about personal experiences, what it is like to be living in Quebec in 2011 with physical disabilities. Read more.
December 18, 2011
Notes from Presentation by Lived Experience of Poverty Panelist Laurie Larson
I am a caregiver with no pension of my own. How will I support myself? Will I be faced with living in poverty? Is that the price I will pay for loving and raising my children? Last night, we celebrated 30 years of achievements. With a little effort and commitment, and some political will, we could add ending the poverty of families raising children with disabilities to our list of achievements. Many families across this country are counting on us to do that. Read more.
December 14, 2011
IN UNISON: A Canadian Approach to Disability Issues
As Ministers of Social Services, we have developed this document together in response to the request by First Ministers in June 1996, and reaffirmed in December 1997, to make disability issues a collective priority in the pursuit of social policy renewal. Read more.
November 25, 2011
Welfare? Or What? Shifting thinking about poverty reduction and income programs
The process of considering the possibility of a new income program has led to some important conversations that are relevant across the country as other provinces and territories consider review and reform of income programs as part of their anti-poverty interventions. Read more.
November 22, 2011
Celebrating Our Accomplishments
We have produced this booklet both to celebrate our success and to help others understand the contribution of the disability rights movement in Canada.
Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, far left, observes as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, second from left, meets members of the Canadian delegation, including CCD's Steve Estey. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
November 17, 2011
Social Assistance Disability Income Expenditures
“Because they are often excluded from the regular workforce, Canadians who become disabled or those who have disabilities are forced to rely on social assistance programs,” explains social policy consultant John Stapleton of Open Policy Ontario. “Over the past five years alone, the social assistance share of total disability income programs has risen to almost 29% across Canada, even higher in Ontario. The clear trend is toward the ‘welfare-ization’ of disability benefits.” Read more.
November 16, 2011
Canadians with disabilities recognize political allies, denounce the 'welfarization' of disability benefits
"Because they are often excluded from the regular workforce, Canadians who become disabled or those who have disabilities are forced to rely on social assistance programs," explains social policy consultant John Stapleton of Open Policy Ontario. "Over the past five years alone, the social assistance share of total disability income programs has risen to almost 29% across Canada, even higher in Ontario. The clear trend is toward the ‘welfare-ization’ of disability benefits." Read more.
November 11, 2011
Disability lens evaluation of four provincial poverty reduction strategies: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia
This report reviews the poverty reduction strategies of Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. Read more.
June 27, 2011
Reducing Poverty and Promoting Social Participation?
An essential question still needs to be carefully observed: if employment can promote the civic participation of people with disabilities, can it also contribute to improve their financial conditions? Read more.
October 25, 2010
A Basic Income Plan for Canadians with Severe Disabilities
Despite billions of dollars spent on a complex assortment of social benefits, many working age Canadians with disabilities end up desperately poor and trapped on welfare—the dead-end default program of last resort. This tragic state of affairs is neither tolerable nor necessary.
This report proposes a 'Basic Income program' which will replace welfare for most Canadians with severe disabilities. Through related restructuring of other programs, the Basic Income program will also offset the cost of disability to all who need it and establish a reformed system of support and services for persons with disabilities. Read more.
August 16, 2010
The Québec Act to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion: How Does it Tackle the Situation of People with Disabilities?
In Québec, the disabled form, with refugees, immigrants and the homeless, one of the segments of the population that are the most touched by poverty and social exclusion (CCLP, 2009). The purpose of this document is to examine the key measures that the Government of Québec has implemented to remove the many barriers that prevent these persons from improving their economic and social situation. Read more.
June 15, 2010
Engaging in Disability Policy Development and Advocacy with the Canadian State
Objectives
To distinguish citizen and community engagement
To survey several organizational sites for policy engagement and other methods of mobilization
To identify benefits and risks to disability groups of engaging with the Canadian state
Read more.
June 15, 2010
Low-income families in British Columbia: the time is now for a new strategy
What are the systemic causes of persistent low-incomes, and how do they affect families in British Columbia from one generation to the next – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal? Are existing methods of measurement accurate, suitable and relevant to BC? Which reduction strategies appear to be successful (or unsuccessful) in other jurisdictions and how can we best measure that success?
Read more.
June 15, 2010
Fixing Our Pension Crisis:Toward retirement security for everyone
What is the best way to enable Canadians to save, invest and prepare for retirement? Read more.
June 15, 2010
Family Policy at Work: Employment Benefits, Women, and Labour Force Participation in Canada
Examine multiple roles of Employment Insurance (EI) policy in Canada Read more.
June 15, 2010
A National Anti-Poverty and Supports Agenda -- The Need to Act
CACL’s ten-year agenda. Read more.
March 23, 2010
Absent Citizens: Making Citizenship Accessible
Outline
- My locations
- Absent citizens and related concepts
- What is citizenship
- Making citizenship accessible
- Continuing thoughts
March 4, 2010
Working Together on Employment
Outline
- Diagnostique of people with disabilities and the Canadian labour market
- Research lessons and gaps in knowing what is, why, and what works
- Brief history of Canadian employment programs for persons with disabilities
- Vision for reforms and reform ideas
- Concluding thoughts
March 4, 2010
A Medium-Term Sickness/Disability Income Benefit
Overview
1. The issues
2. Federal programs in place
3. The gaps and risks
4. Three policy options
5. Conclusions
Read more.
March 4, 2010
BOLD FEASIBILITIES: A NEW POLICY SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE FOR CANADIANS WITH DISABILITIES
In proposing a new social policy architecture for disability income benefits, this submission has four aims: first, to emphasize the serious problems of poverty facing hundreds of thousands of Canadians with physical and mental disabilities; second, to outline how a new national program of Basic Income for people with severe disabilities would interact with a Refundable Disability Tax Credit as well as existing federal and provincial income programs and tax measures; third, to propose specific reforms to the Employment Insurance Sickness benefit and the Canada Pension Plan Disability program; and, fourth, to identify other initiatives that could comprise an overall federal agenda on disability issues facing Canadians. Read more.
December 15, 2009
New deal for disabled
Professor says dignity of pension could replace welfare for thousands Read more.
December 3, 2009
Making the Invisible Visible
In her presentation at the Canadian Social Forum, Sharon Murphy, a member of the CURA project’s Research Team, recounted the experiences of people with disabilities living in poverty. Sharon’s goal was to make the invisible visible. Read more.
July 24, 2009
BOLD FEASIBILITIES: A NEW POLICY SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE FOR CANADIANS WITH DISABILITIES
In proposing a new social policy architecture for disability income benefits, this submission has four aims: first, to emphasize the serious problems of poverty facing hundreds of thousands of Canadians with physical and mental disabilities; second, to outline how a new national program of Basic Income for people with severe disabilities would interact with a Refundable Disability Tax Credit as well as existing federal and provincial income programs and tax measures; third, to propose specific reforms to the Employment Insurance Sickness benefit and the Canada Pension Plan Disability program; and, fourth, to identify other initiatives that could comprise an overall federal agenda on disability issues facing Canadians. Read more.
End Exclusion supporters rally in support of an accessible and inclusive Canada.