Recommendations for Change

The Liberal Task Force on Issues Affecting Persons with Disabilities lists 20 recommendations for Canada’s new government.

During the Liberal landslide victory of October 25th, Beth Phinney was re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain. Minister Phinney has a considerable history of advocating for persons with disabilities in Canada. In 1990 she was appointed the Liberal Critic on Issues Affecting Disabled Persons. Minister Phinney also serves as a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Status of Disabled Persons. In 1991, Minister Phinney was appointed Chairperson of the Liberal Task Force on Issues Affecting Persons with Disabilities. The task force heard from over 40 groups representing people with disabilities, as well as many people with disabilities themselves.

In 1992, the task force published its findings in Recommendations for Change. The following is a condensed version of the 20 recommendations contained in this important document.

WE RECOMMEND THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT...

1) Move quickly to enact legislation in all the areas not addressed in Bill C-78, the Conservative government’s omnibus legislation. Reforms in areas such as broadcasting and immigration are an extremely high priority...The government must prepare a comprehensive timetable outlining target dates for these reforms.

2) Move quickly to enact further legislative reforms in all areas not adequately addressed in Bill C-78...The bill contains amendments to the Access to Information Act, Privacy Act, Citizenship Act, Canada Elections Act, Criminal Code, and the National Transportation Act...In many cases the amendments fall far short of the recommendations proposed by the disability community.

3) Create an improved consultative body, to increase the involvement of disabled persons and their representative organizations in determining policies and programs at the federal level.

4) Consider implementing a comprehensive disability assurance program. This federal-provincial, cost-shared program would cover all adults with disabilities, regardless of income.

5) Undertake a review of current social assistance, education and training programs, and implement changes, to eliminate the disincentive to finding employment...This review would take into account the hardship caused by Bill C-69 and Bill C-32, which cap the amount of federal transfer payments to several provinces under the Canada Assistance Plan. The review must also examine the particular problems faced by women with disabilities and Aboriginals with disabilities.

6) Implement a new national health identity card for persons with disabilities.

7) Introduce and implement tax reforms that will assist in the economic integration of persons with disabilities.

8) Review and amend the current employment equity legislation, introducing timetables, enforcement mechanisms and enforceable definitions.

9) Keep its commitment to improving the quality of life for all persons with disabilities by promoting awareness of disability issues through public education programs.

WE RECOMMEND THAT...

10) Canada strive to become a world leader in accessibility and technological expertise. This can be accomplished by:
- allocating more money for research and development of new technology;
- implementing mandatory closed captioning on television;
- developing a high-level sign language interpreter training program, and enforcing standards;
- requiring visual alarms and other technology to remove barriers to access to be installed in government buildings and airports;
- encouraging the production of "descriptive videos" for visually impaired persons;
- making airports more accessible be providing visual paging monitors, lowering flight information screens;
- developing national standards for technical equipment such as hearing aids;
- restoring effective VIA rail service, one of the few accessible means of transportation for many disabled persons.

11) A disability database be implemented at the federal level. This database would be kept up to date by regular, bi-annual surveys of Canadians with disabilities, not just every five to ten years. A 1-800 hotline should be also be implemented as a resource for persons with disabilities, to provide them with "one-stop" information on service and facilities.

12) The federal government develop a national strategy for the prevention of disabilities, including social assistance considerations for proper prenatal care and accident prevention programs.

13) Expenditures related to improving access to public builders be made a line item in the budgets of federal departments and contractors. Listing these expenditures separately should increase awareness of the importance of access, and make it easier to assess the commitment of individual departments to improving access.

14) The federal government review current guardianship laws, keeping in mind the principle that the role of government is to assist, support and complement Canadians to make their own choices, and to structure their own lives to the greatest extent possible.

15 The federal government facilitate the production and distribution of Braille and talking books across Canada, in both official languages.

16) A national review on learning disabilities be undertaken. Of particular concern is the fact that a large number of young offenders in Canada suffer from learning disabilities.

17) Sheltered workshop wages be banned. This practice of paying wages well below the minimum wage perpetuates the economic isolation of disabled persons. The federal government has an obligation to end this practice, and to affirm the principle that all Canadians have a right to be paid equally for work of equal value.

18) The federal government undertake a comprehensive study of the problem of disabled victims of abuse and violence.

19) The federal government conduct a review to ensure that Canada’s network of immigrant services as well as our network of services for disabled persons are both sensitive to the special needs of immigrants with disabilities.

20 The federal government reinstate the Court Challenges Program. This effective and cost-efficient program has played a vital role in clarifying the constitutional rights of disadvantaged groups, including persons with disabilities.