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Social Policy Archives
Social Policy
January 29, 2009
Federal Budget Sends New Signal to Disability Community
In these challenging times, CCD urges you and your colleagues to ensure that those who already face significant disadvantage are not forgotten. Canadians with disabilities struggle when times are good to have their needs met and when times are bad sadly we are often the first to feel the effects of cutbacks or loss of employment. Read more.
National Action Plan on Disability
October 7, 2009
National Action Plan Video
Jim Derksen presents the National Action Plan. Read more.
September 22, 2009
End Exclusion 2009 Agenda
Roundtable Dialogue “Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship”
October 1, 2009
Ottawa City Hall Council Chambers
110 Laurier Avenue West
Objectives:
• To build solidarity within the disability community and with other anti-poverty groups.
• To highlight our shared priorities regarding Poverty Alleviation and inform key decision makers of our policy proposals.
• To build understanding of how a disability poverty alleviation agenda fits within broader anti-poverty proposals being advanced.
• To build on the success of End Exclusion 2006 and 2007.
July 14, 2008
Your Help Is Needed!
June 1, 2008
Your Help Is Needed!
CCD explains what individuals can do in support of an accessible and inclusive Canada. Read more.
November 1, 2007
From Vision to Action: Building An Inclusive and Accessible Canada: A National Action Plan
The National Action Plan presents a shared vision for an inclusive and accessible Canada. Read more.
National Action Plan on Disability Archives
Poverty
November 4, 2012
Tony Dolan's Speaking Notes for an October 2012 Presentation to Finance Committee
In October 2012, CCD Chairperson Tony Dolan appeared before the House of Commons Finance Committee, when it was consulting Canadians about Canada's next Budget. Tony shared CCD's views on initiatives that the Government of Canada should undertake to create a more accessible and inclusive Canada. Read more.
March 22, 2011
Dealing with Today´s Disability Poverty
The disability community has shared with the Federal Government a plan, with short and long term steps, for eradicating disability poverty. A refundable Disability Tax Credit is the measure that many of us in the disability community were hoping to see in Budget 2011, but, once again, the Federal Budget has chosen to ignore Canadians with disabilities at the lowest rung of the socioeconomic scale. A refundable disability tax credit would put desperately needed dollars in the wallets of Canadians with disabilities living in poverty.
December 3, 2010
United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The disability recommendations made by the HUMA Committee in their "Federal Poverty Reduction Plan" report would improve the lives of Canadians with disabilities by reducing disability poverty by removing barriers in income assistance, training, and employment. Many of its recommendations are drawn from the disability community's National Action Plan to build a more inclusive and accessible Canada.
We encourage all Members of Parliament to support the HUMA Committee's recommendations. Recognizing they cannot be all implemented immediately, a refundable disability tax credit would be an excellent first step for the Government to take. Including a refundable DTC in the upcoming Federal Budget would be an excellent down payment on income security for people with disabilities facing the severest poverty.
December 2, 2010
Support for Bill S-216
On behalf of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national human rights organization of people with disabilities, I am writing to you in support of Bill S-216, the Protection of Beneficiaries of Long Term Disability Benefits Plans Act, and to follow-up on the presentation made to the Senate Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee by Jim Derksen on 18 November 2010, when he spoke in support of Bill S-216. The purpose of this Bill is to protect people with disabilities on long term disability (LTD) benefits, whose plans are self-insured by their employers, should their employers declare bankruptcy. As you will recall, when Nortel declared bankruptcy, there was protection for Nortel creditors but Nortel employees on long term disability, much to their shock and dismay, discovered that they would be losing much of their long term disability benefits. Bill S-216 seeks to create a more just bankruptcy process for those Canadians who have LTD plans self-insured by employers. Read more.
December 2, 2010
Federal Poverty Reduction Plan: Working in Partnership Towards Reducing Poverty in Canada
We are hopeful that the Federal Government will be guided by this report and it would be gratifying to see the next Federal Budget implement the recommendation on the refundable DTC. In the coming weeks, therefore, we will be encouraging the Government of Canada to respond positively to the recommendations contained in the "Federal Poverty Reduction Plan" report.
December 2, 2010
International Day of Persons with Disabilities - We're Sending Our Christmas Wish List to Federal Government
For this year's observance of December 3rd, CCD is drawing attention to the disproportionate level of poverty experienced by Canadians with disabilities in comparison to their nondisabled counterparts. Many Canadians assume that people with disabilities are well provided for by disability pensions. Few, unless they have a family member with a disability, understand that disability and poverty are largely synonymous—disability can lead to poverty and poverty can result in disability. Read more.
Employment
April 8, 2013
CCD Brief for Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance
The government of Canada has a clear labour force agenda and one in which persons with disabilities can participate. We are a population in waiting – waiting for government to implement strategies and approaches which support people with disabilities to exercise their skills and expertise. Such action by the Government of Canada would demonstrate that they both recognize and value the place of people with disabilities in this country – after all, there is no “THOSE PEOPLE”. We are you Read more.
March 22, 2013
Budget 2013: Creating More Inclusive Labour Markets
CCD is pleased to see a reaffirmation within Budget 2013 of continued support for Canadians with disabilities through extension of the Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities, and the fact that the Enabling Accessibility Fund and the Opportunities Fund have been made permanent programs. Read more.
March 12, 2013
People with Disabilities: Getting Beyond Being the Population in Waiting
The government of Canada has a clear labour force agenda and one in which persons with disabilities can participate. We are a population in waiting – waiting for government to implement strategies and approaches which support people with disabilities to exercise their skills and expertise. Such action by the Government of Canada would demonstrate that they both recognize and value the place of people with disabilities in this country. Read more.
January 16, 2013
Private Sector Must Show Leadership on Employment and Disability
CCD applauds the good work of the Panel and the commitment of Ministers Finley and Flaherty to bring greater private sector attention to the employment needs of Canadians with disabilities. “CCD hopes the Panel’s good work will spark new commitments within the private sector to insure that their recruiting, hiring, promotion and retention initiatives become more inclusive and result in greater employment of Canadians with disabilities,” said Laurie Beachell, CCD National Coordinator. Read more.
June 14, 2012
Getting and Keeping a Job--What makes a difference
Despite barriers in the labour market, there are Canadians with disabilities who have been successful in obtaining employment and progressing in their chosen careers. If this describes your work experience, CCD wants to hear from you about what has contributed to your employment success. Read more.
April 13, 2012
Key Messages
Key messages on employment and persons with disabilities prepared by CCD Social Policy Committee for the HRSDC stakeholder engagement meeting on employment barriers for Canadians with Disabilities Ottawa, February 8th, 2012. Read more.
Disability Supports
June 6, 2011
Government Tries to Silence Critic of Student Loan Discrimination
Jasmin Simpson seeks fair play from the Canada Student Loan Program. Read more.
September 16, 2010
Pharmacare central to preventing and eradicating poverty and the Premiers are acting on it
A universal pharmacare plan would help prevent poverty and reduce the burden of drug costs for the 1 in every 4 Canadians without drug coverage, anti-poverty groups advise. The 9 per cent of Canadians who live in poverty are at higher risk of poor health, chronic illness and injury. The new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives confirms that in the current jumbled mix of private and public drug plans access to prescription drugs is largely based on income and where you live or work, rather than individual need. Read more.
December 2, 2009
Letter to the Editor Re: Advantage Disabled?
CCD is hopeful that the attention being focused on the benefits of technical aids in the area of elite sports translates into increased support for public programs providing technical aids to Canadians with disabilities. Read more.
October 19, 2005
Question and Answer Fact Sheet
October 19, 2005
Canadians with Disabilities Call for Action, Not More Study
February 1, 2005
A National Snapshot of Home Support from the Consumer Perspective
Access/Inclusion
February 12, 2013
Bill C - 400
I'm asking if you could take 15 minutes to contact your MP and urge their support of Bill C-400.~Tony Dolan, CCD Chairperson
December 3, 2012
We All Are People With Disabilities: You Are Us
“December 3rd, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, is a day to celebrate and highlight our achievements. Much has been achieved but much remains to be done. This year we ask all Canadians to reflect on the fact that disability is only an accident or a diagnosis away and that we all must work for and support efforts to make Canada more inclusive and accessible,” said Tony Dolan, CCD National Chairperson. Read more.
June 14, 2012
The Envelope Please: The Voting Results from CCD's AGM
Tony Dolan was returned to the office of Chairperson for a second term. Joining Tony on the Executive Committee are Pat Danforth, First Vice Chair; Steve Estey, Second Vice Chair; Marc Workman, Secretary; Anne McPhee, Treasurer; and Carmela Hutchison, Member-at-Large on the Executive. Read more.
June 5, 2012
Save the Date
Reserve 28 and 29 November 2012 on your calendar for End Exclusion. Read more.
March 14, 2012
Budget 2012
Following the Budget, Government MP’s will return to their constituencies from April 9th -20th to “sell” the budget and build support for its proposals. Opposition MP’s will present their criticisms of the government’s actions. This is an opportunity for us, Canadians with disabilities, to present our concerns to our Member of Parliament. Read more.
December 1, 2011
Celebrating Our Accomplishments on UN Day of Persons with Disabilities
On 3 December 2011, Canadians will be celebrating the United Nations’ Day of Persons with Disabilities. The history of advances in disability policy at the federal level is presented in a new book, called Celebrating Our Accomplishments, published last month by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national organization of people with disabilities working for an inclusive and accessible Canada. Read more.
Federal Disability Act
October 1, 2006
A Federal Disability Act: Opportunities and Challenges
May 14, 1999
A Canadians with Disabilities Act?
October 7, 1998
Disabilities Act must have teeth
Income
June 6, 2012
CCD Presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee of Finance
Budget 2012 has created some new initiatives that CCD believes will help build a more inclusive and accessible Canada as well as initiatives that raise serious questions and possibly new barriers for people with disabilities. Read more.
March 30, 2012
Viewing Budget 2012 with a Disability Lens
Last week, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national organization of people with disabilities working for an inclusive and accessible Canada, called for the Federal Government to consider the effect of Old Age Security (OAS) reforms on Canadians with disabilities. Budget 2012 indicates the Federal Government will have discussions with the provinces and territories about the impact of OAS reforms on Canada Pension Plan (CPP) disability benefits. CCD has identified questions that need a response from Canada’s governments. Read more.
March 26, 2012
Raising Age of Eligibility for Old Age Security Will Prolong Poverty For Canadians with Disabilities
Canadians with disabilities disproportionately live in poverty. Sadly many Canadians with disabilities look forward to reaching age 65 and becoming eligible for Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). These two programs provide a better income benefit than any of the social assistance income support programs for Canadians with disabilities. “Raising the age of eligibility for OAS means prolonging poverty for many Canadians with disabilities,” said Marie White, Chairperson of CCD’s Social Policy Committee. Read more.
March 21, 2012
An Emerging Issue: Old Age Security (OAS) and Raising the Age of Eligibility
Most Canadians are aware of the comments of the Prime Minister and Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada in regard to increasing the age of eligibility for the Old Age Security from 65 to 67. What CCD questions is whether policy makers have considered the impact this change will have on Canadians with disabilities? Raising the age of eligibility for OAS will prolong the poverty of Canadians with disabilities. Read more.
May 27, 2010
Nortel Employees on Long Term Disability Benefits
CCD urges all Members of Parliament to find ways of protecting the income and benefits of the Nortel employees on long term disability benefits and of also addressing the similar problems that many other Canadians may face in the future. The Nortel Employees on LTD describe their “insurance” as “toxic insurance” and we would agree that this maybe an apt description. We support Senator Eggleton’s Bill S-216 and urge all Members of Parliament and the Senate to find ways of ensuring the intent of this bill is realized as soon as possible. Bill S-216 is non-partisan and protects disabled Canadians. Read more.
January 24, 2008
Proposal for A Refundable Disability Tax Credit
CCD explains why it supports a refundable Disability Tax Credit: it would vastly improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of Canadian residents with disabilities. Read more.
Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship
November 8, 2012
The Welfarization of Disability Programs
John Stapleton presented research produced by the Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship research project. Read more.
June 14, 2012
Provincial and National Leaders on Disability Issues Recognized
Through the presentation of the CCD Awards, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national organization working for a barrier-free Canada, recognizes the contributions of leaders in the disability community. At the CCD Annual General Meeting on 9 June 2012, Tony Dolan, CCD Chairperson, announced the recipients of this year’s CCD Awards. Read more.
June 5, 2012
Rethinking Knowledge and Power: Reflections on the Disability Community in Canada (presentation)
Michael Prince explores the following questions: what kinds of knowledge circulate in and around the disability community in Canada? How does this knowledge connect the disability community with the Canadian state and other institutions in society? And, what might the future hold for more creative and innovative knowledge production for disability studies, disability activism and social change? Read more.
June 5, 2012
Rethinking Knowledge and Power: Reflections on the Disability Community in Canada
A politics of socio-economic redistribution is at the core of disability activism in Canada, complemented by a politics of recognition and a democratic politics of representation, the latter of which involves claims for more accessible, empowering, and accountable policy making structures and processes. Read more.
May 8, 2012
How the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Might Be Used in Canadian Litigation
This paper examines the intersection between the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“CRPD”) and Canadian litigation. Read more.
April 11, 2012
The Fight Against Poverty and Exclusion in Québec: Mixed Results, Including for Persons with Disabilities
Although it is too early to pass final judgment on the success of the Québec strategy to fight against poverty and social exclusion, we will attempt in this paper to evaluate the progress made since the adoption of the law regarding the evolution of poverty and inequality in income distribution in Québec. Read more.
Disabling Poverty/Enabling Citizenship Archives
Immigration
March 23, 2012
Immigration and Disability
Canada has removed biases which prevented the immigration of some groups of people; it is now time that Canada removes discrimination on the ground of disability from the decision-making process in the immigration system. Read more.
April 13, 2011
CCD Dismayed Family with a Disabled Child Ordered Deported
CCD calls upon the Minister of Immigration to allow the Barlagne family to remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds.Canadians with disabilities also call upon all political Parties to commit to an overhaul of Canada's immigration policy to remove the discriminatory practices that put the Barlagne family's immigration to Canada in jeopardy. Canada's immigration policy is based upon a negative and outdated understanding of disability that fails to recognize the contribution that people with disabilities can, and do, make.The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a human rights organization of people with disabilities, works for an inclusive and accessible Canada.
Read more.
January 20, 2011
None is Still Too Many: An Historical Exploration of Canadian Immigration Legislation As It Pertains to People with Disabilities
While trumpeting the values of diversity, Canada's current immigration practices exclude immigrants with disabilities who are deemed likely to place an "excessive demand" on health and social services. The ethics of these practices are challenged by Dr. Roy Hanes, Associate Professor of Social Work at Carleton University and a member of the CCD Social Policy Committee, in a paper titled "None is Still Too Many: An Historical Exploration of Canadian Immigration Legislation As It Pertains to People with Disabilities" that outlines the discriminatory trajectory of Canada's policy on immigrants with disabilities, from 1869 up until the 2001 passage of the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act. The paper first appeared in Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, Volume 37 (Number 1 & 2), 2009. Read more.
January 14, 2011
Immigration Video
Marie White and Laurie Beachell explain how Canada’s immigration practices discriminate against people with disabilities and why this is an issue being addressed by CCD. Read more.
May 27, 2010
Immigration and Disability
CCD urges you to undertake a review of the excessive demand clause of the Immigration Act. Canadians with disabilities are insulted by Canada’s immigration law. Our current law belittles our contributions and reinforces the old stereotypes that people with disabilities will be a drain upon our society, not contributors to it. Read more.
Federal Elections
April 27, 2011
We Are Electors. We Are Women with Disabilities.
We are moms; we are caregivers; we experience spousal abuse; we are renters and home owners. We are also women with disabilities. Women with disabilities need to see themselves reflected in the election commitments of all Canada’s Federal Parties. DAWN-RAFH Canada and CCD are encouraging candidates running in the Federal Election to address the issues of women with disabilities. Read more.
April 26, 2011
What to Ask Federal Election Candidates about Women with Disability?
We are moms; we are caregivers; we experience spousal abuse; we are renters and home owners. We are also women with disabilities. Women with disabilities need to see themselves reflected in the election platforms of all Canada’s Federal Parties. Investment in women makes good economic sense because women are the major purchasers for their homes and families. The needs of women with disabilities do not change in response to economic trends. Because we usually live below the poverty line (or near it) 100% of our incomes are turned to local economies.
Acknowledgement: “What to Ask Federal Election Candidates about Women with Disability?” was developed collaboratively by DAWN/RAFH Canada and CCD.
DAWN-RAFH Canada is a national bilingual cross-disability organization for women with disabilities. Our mission is to end the poverty, isolation, discrimination and violence experienced by women with disabilities. 25 years in service to women with disabilities! 25 ans en services des femmes handicapees!
Read more.
April 14, 2011
Conservative Government Has Future-oriented Approach to Disability Issues
“CCD reminds the Conservative Party that Canadians with disabilities need a government prepared to address both present and future needs. We need measures focusing on disability-related supports, labour market participation, implementation of the CRPD, poverty eradication and full inclusion and accessibility,” stated Tony Dolan, CCD Chairperson. Read more.
April 13, 2011
Conservative Party Platform-- Here for Canada: Stephen Harper's Low-Tax Plan for Jobs and Economic Growth
April 13, 2011
NDP Take Page from Disability Community's Action Plan
In 2007, the disability community launched its own National Action Plan, which over 100 groups endorsed and the Plan called for action on disability supports, poverty alleviation, labour market participation, and access and inclusion. This February, the disability community presented Canada’s Federal Parties with a plan for implementing the CRPD. The NDP have responded by including these issues in their action plan for Canada—the 2011 NDP Platform. Read more.
End Exclusion supporters rally in support of an accessible and inclusive Canada.