An Interview with the Honourable Monique Landry

By Raymond D. Cohen

(On January 4, 1993, The Honourable Monique Landry was appointed Secretary of State, and became responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities in Canada. She was recently interviewed by Raymond Cohen, publisher of ABILITIES Magazine.)

R.C. - Madame Minister, how long have you been involved in politics, and how did you first get involved?

M.L. - I’ve been involved with the Progressive Conservative party since the early 1970s. I became involved in the party organization at the local level, but mainly at the provincial -- the Quebec level. I was part of the organizing committee in the federal campaign for Quebec in ’79 and ’80. I was also involved in the "No" committee during the referendum campaign in Quebec. Then in ’84 they twisted my arm and I decided to run for the PC party in my riding, Blainville-Deux-Montagnes. So I was elected for the first time in ’84 and re-elected in ’88.

R.C. - What other portfolios, as a minister, have you held?

M.L. - It’s interesting to me to note that when I was elected in ’84, my first assignment by the Prime Minister was Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State. So, at that time I had a taste of what Secretary of State was all about. And in ’86 I was asked by the Prime Minister to join Cabinet as Minister of External Relations and International Development, which I maintained for six and a half years, right until this appointment -- though in April 1991 the Prime Minister added to my portfolio the responsibility of Minister of State for Indian and Northern Affairs.

R.C. - So how do you feel about this new position -- and it is very new for you, isn’t it?

M.L. - It is very new, but as I said I had looked at it in ’84 in my role as Parliamentary Secretary. I’m delighted. This is, to me, very exciting -- the challenges and the opportunities ahead. It is a very fascinating portfolio with a lot of diversity. But I think the main difference between this and what I was doing before is that it touches the daily lives of people all across Canada. My other portfolio had more of an international aspect. I find it very exciting to be involved in Canadian life.

R.C. - Of course, the aspect of the ministry that is most relevant to my readership is the disability component. Do you have any particular feelings about this component of your responsibilities now?

M.L.- I guess I was prepared a little bit for that job, by my background. I studied physiotherapy at the University of Montreal, and I practised at the Montreal Children’s Hospital with children with disabilities. So I feel I have a knowledge of the issues and, as I said, a very particular interest, as that was my first career.

I find that the status of persons with disabilities has been an important priority of the Prime Minister and our government since we took office and I think we have a good track record on that, so I’m delighted to be involved in this issue, and I’ll surely work very hard to continue with the ongoing efforts of this government.

R.C. - I think that’s fascinating -- the fact that we now have a minister who has actual front-line, clinical experience . . .

M.L. - Yes, I’m very pleased.

R.C. - In terms of recent developments, you’re familiar, of course, with the recent International Ministers’ meeting in Montreal. I was wondering what your impressions of that particular gathering were.

M.L. - Yes, my predecessor Robert de Cotret had talked to me about this meeting well ahead of it last fall, so I followed with interest the ongoing discussions in Montreal. After my appointment, I met with my predecessor to hear about his ongoing talks.

I guess you are aware that in Paris the week before last, I chaired the meeting of the Working Group of Ministers who were asked to meet after Montreal. Those ministers represent different regions of the world, so it was very exciting for me to chair that meeting. I think in a short day we made progress. First, we’ve clearly defined the mandate of that working group -- and our time frame, giving ourselves a six-month period, until June, to finish our work. Now everybody has gone back to their respective countries and they’re busy studying a document that was given to them which we discussed at the meeting. Briefs are being sent from Ottawa to all ministers responsible for disability issues in each country. A lot of consultation will be held until we finish that work.

It was proposed by the French minister, Monsieur Gillibert (and this proposal was endorsed by the group), that Montreal be designated as the site of the permanent body -- we haven’t given it a name yet, I mean right now we call it the secretariat or the mechanisme -- but Montreal is proposed as the site of this new organization to follow on decision-taking by the ministers. I’m very excited about that idea. Having experience with the international management of issues,
I think that Canada can play a role in ensuring that ministerial involvement takes place on disability issues. This will surely make things move a little faster. So I’m very, very pleased with that decision.

R.C. - Regarding the five-year National Strategy that has been developed and, I think, caused a lot of interest across the country, do you have a particular perspective on that initiative?

M.L. - I think that the National Strategy is a very energetic effort of collaboration, not only with federal government departments, but also -- which is I think very important -- with the partners among the disability community, and other levels of governments and all communities. We surely need the collaboration of labour, business interests and everybody else. I think that this way of bringing real people with real expectations together to deal with one another is truly the best way of trying to approach issues. The National Strategy is only a way to enable this kind of process to develop. Don’t misunderstand me -- I realize that the strategy involves a lot of money. We’ve allocated $158 million over five years, as well as the main service departments of government, and I think that is a reflection of the priority our government places on disability questions. So I believe that the National Strategy is a very good way of demonstrating working together on the goals which we share.

R.C. - Are there any new initiatives planned within the context of the National Strategy?

M.L. - There are some new initiatives: just as an example, my colleague the Minister of Employment and Immigration announced early in January that his department, along with native leaders and the National Aboriginal Network on Disability, are working together to improve employment opportunities of Aboriginal people with disabilities. There are many departments involved with this issue. There’s still a lot of work to do. I will build on progress to date and make sure that our commitment will be fulfilled, and I’ll work hard to encourage this kind of partnership with all parties.

R.C. - As a final question, do you have any particular thoughts which you would like to share with the consumer community through ABILITIES Magazine?

M.L. - A few things come to mind, and I surely welcome this opportunity. I feel, first, it is very, very important to keep the dialogue going with Canadians with disabilities. I feel that the government and all my colleagues in Cabinet recognize that people must be involved with the decisions that affect their lives, and I am committed to that as a basic principle. I’m not saying that I will do everything people ask of me -- I think that would be quite irresponsible -- but I’m saying that I will consult directly with the consumer community in taking action that affects them.

In this regard, I will soon be planning visits with the disability community throughout Canada, specifically during the upcoming National Access Awareness Week. That will surely give me first-hand appreciation of what’s happening in the disability field in Canada, and help me to better understand how we can all work together to best achieve some results. So, as I said,
I’m pleased. I look forward to meeting the community, and I congratulate the consumer movement in the country. I think they’ve been very active and very positive, working with government and all fields of society to achieve their goals.



INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF MINISTERS MEETS IN PARIS

At the invitation of M. Michel Gillibert, secretaire d’État aux handicapés et aux accidentés de la vie, a Working Group of 16 ministers, representing each region of the world, had its first meeting January 19, 1993 in Paris.

The Honourable Monique Landry chaired the meeting of the Working Group, which was established following the International Conference of Ministers responsible for the Status
of Persons with Disabilities. This gathering of 75 ministers took place in Montreal last October.

At the Paris meeting, the ministers adopted the Canadian proposal to create an international mechanism for ministers to promote co-operation and international exchange concerning the status of perosns with disabilities.

The Working Group, after having established its mandate, adopted a plan of action and timetable. At the same time, it identified a role that a permanent mechanism could play.

The Working Group’s proposals will be compiled in a working document to be circulated for comment to ministers from all member States of the United Nations. The United Nations General Assembly and international non-governmental organizations will also be involved in the consultative process.

Michel Gillibert proposed that "each country will now proceed to identify two priority concerns that can form the basis for common solutions geared to the particular situation in each country." He also reaffirmed that a global policy on disability should be a key factor in determining action to be taken to promote the economic and social participation of persons with disabilities.

The Working Group is expected to meet in two months in order to finalize the proposal for the permanent mechanism.