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The CCD was founded by persons with disabilities to ensure that the voice of persons with disabilities is reflected in the development of law and policy. CCD is dedicated to promoting the rights, full participation of, and equal opportunity for, persons with disabilities in all aspects of society including employment, education, transportation and health care.  CCD also works to remove barriers to accessibility and advocate for inclusive communities.  The CCD engages in law reform, policy development, and strategic systemic test case litigation to further its mandate.

The Disability Justice Litigation Initiative:

• Provides advice and leadership on the human rights initiatives undertaken by CCD
• Identifies human rights issues of concern to persons with disabilities that could be addressed through law reform initiatives
• Selects human rights/equality rights test cases that will advance the rights of persons with disabilities

CCD seeks to focus attention on and prevent private and societal actions that make people with disabilities die prematurely. Death-making is rooted in fear, prejudice and negative perceptions about life with a disability.

The Social Policy Team:

• Identifies social policy issues of national concern to persons with disabilities
• Provides advice to CCD National Council on reforms that would improve the social and economic participation of Canadians with disabilities

The Latimer case directly concerned the rights of persons with disabilities. Mr. Latimer's view was that a parent has the right to kill a child with a disability if that parent decides the child's quality of life no longer warrants its continuation. CCD explained to the court and to the public how that view threatens the lives of people with disabilities and is deeply offensive to fundamental constitutional values.

CCD is committed to the principles of self-determination and the positive promotion of the image of Canadians with disabilities in society in a manner that is consistent with the principles of equality, personal security, freedom of conscience and human dignity.

CCD believes that the devaluation of the lives and experiences of persons with disabilities has been used to justify acts of violence against people with disabilities, including the murder of people with disabilities.

The Transportation Portfolio:

• Identifies transportation issues of national concern to persons with disabilities
• Provides advice to CCD National Council on reforms that would improve the transportation access of Canadians with disabilities
• Convenes working groups regarding specific transportation issues such as: CTA Working Group that is currently involved in monitoring the implementation of the Accessible Transportation for People with Disabilities Regulations (ATTDR)

CCD's approach to international cooperation is based upon human rights and our disability rights principles of equality, consumer-control, self-representation, citizenship, and empowerment. Canadians with disabilities focus on the need to remove barriers to participation that individuals with disabilities face within their communities. CCD's International Development Committee provides leadership on international issues.

The International Portfolio:

• Provides advice and leadership on international issues that effect persons with disabilities
• Identifies international issues of concern to persons with disabilities
• Provides advice to CCD National Council and the federal government on reforms that would improve the affect of Canada's foreign aid and policy on persons with disabilities.
• Monitors and advises on the implementation on the United Nations Convention on the Rights the Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Canada

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the first human rights convention of the 21st century. The CRPD is an international law that provides guidance to countries on how to meet the human rights of persons with disabilities. The CRPD also has an Optional Protocol, which is another international law that provides a mechanism for individuals and groups, who have exhausted all domestic avenues of redress, to have claims of discrimination heard by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.