We are writing to share the great news on the federal election
front: three of the five major parties running in the federal election have now
committed to introducing a Canadians with Disabilities Act if they form the
next government.
The Liberal Party of Canada made this commitment earlier today: http://www.liberal.ca/realchange/a-new-health-accord/
On September 29, 2015, the NDP made the commitment to:
·
Introduce a Canadians
with Disabilities Act which will seek to eliminate systemic barriers that
Canadians with disabilities face;
·
Develop a National
Action Plan to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities;
·
Work with provinces,
territories, indigenous communities and disability organizations to review and
coordinate income supports; and
·
Defend the rights of
Canadians with disabilities by reinstating the Court Challenges Program and
fixing the CPP disability appeals process.
The Green Party promised to support passage of the Canadians
with Disabilities Act earlier in the campaign.
The only two major parties in this federal election that have
not yet pledged to support passage of a Canadians with Disabilities Act are the
Conservative Party of Canada and the Bloc Quebecois.
This remarkable progress has been made possible by the
exceptional work of Barrier-Free
Canada. While Barrier-Free
Manitoba endorsed their efforts, we cannot take any of the credit. The many
involved with Barrier-Free Canada have worked tirelessly to get these
commitments. We extend our earnest thanks and hearty congratulations.
This wonderful progress demonstrates yet again the major
difference disability communities can make when we work together.
With only 2 weeks left before voting day, a lot of work still
remains. We encourage you to get involved. And the best place to start is using
the handy dandy Barrier-Free Canada 2015 Federal Election Action Kit.
Check it out.
That gets us to the ‘more great news coming’ section of this
message. Barrier-Free Manitoba has been busy working on two major plans to
advance disability rights in Manitoba in 2016 and beyond. We look forward to
sharing information on these two developments soon after the federal election.
Regards,
Patrick Falconer
Consultant to the Barrier-Free Manitoba Steering Committee
Phone: 204.475.7627
Email: barrierfreemanitoba@shaw.ca
Social media: twitter / facebook / daily digest
