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4 April 2011--The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national disability organization working for an inclusive and accessible Canada, welcomed the Liberal Platform’s twin-track approach to disability issues, featuring (1) specific disability initiatives and (2) an attentiveness to the concerns of Canadians with disabilities reflected in major initiatives for all Canadians.

Moving from the Charity Model to the Human Rights Paradigm

The Role Played by Canada and Canadians with Disabilities

1948—The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). John P. Humphrey, a Canadian with a disability, headed the Human Rights Secretariat at the UN and played a pivotal role in the drafting of the UDHR. The Declaration and subsequent thematic human rights conventions applied to people with disabilities.

Presentation by Jim Derksen to P/T Minister Meeting re CRPD

Mr. Steve Estey, Former Human Rights Officer, Disabled Peoples' International

In this presentation I will focus on the events that led up to the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). I was involved, with other representatives of the worldwide disability community, in the drafting of the treaty from 2002 to 2006, over the course of nine or ten meetings at the U.N. in New York and at regional meetings around the world. “Nothing about us without us” is our prevailing motto.

Short Term

Will Your Party:

Commit to delivering on the intent of CRPD by:

1. Designing a National Action Plan to provide the vision and framework for successful implementation of the CRPD? An action plan would identify necessary mechanisms for collaboration, benchmarks for monitoring and reporting, and strategies for priority areas for action the disability community has identified, including:

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 handica

Short Term

Will Your Party:

• Set participation goals for Canadians with disabilities in labour market agreements with provinces and territories?

Short Term

Will your Party:

• Make the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) refundable?
• Make recipients of the Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit automatically DTC eligible?
• Extend Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits to 52 weeks of coverage?

Long Term

Will your Party:

• Support an expanded federal role in disability income support to free provincial/territorial resources for re-investment in disability-related supports?

Inform Candidates about Disability Poverty

For Immediate Release

28 March 2011, Winnipeg, MB--Very shortly Canadians will be asked to choose who should represent them in the House of Commons. To make this choice, all Canadian voters need to be informed about candidates’ views and the Parties’ Platforms.