ARCH Disability Law Centre 425 Bloor St. E. Ste. 110 Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R5 Tel.: 416-482-8255 Toll-free: 1-866-482-2724 Fax: 416-482-2981 Toll-free: 1-866-881-2723 TTY: 416-482-1254 Toll-free: 1-866-482-2728 www.archdisabilitylaw.ca ARCH Alert January 16, 2006 In This Issue: - Disability Issues in Federal Election Platforms - Fully Accessible Candidates' Meetings - Accommodations for Voters Disability Issues in Federal Election Platforms By Heidi Lazar-Meyn, Staff Lawyer On Monday 23 January 2006 there will be a federal election. Every Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old can vote for the Member of Parliament who stands for the government of their choice. This article will briefly set out what the major political parties are presenting in their platforms with respect to disability issues. Liberal Party of Canada The Liberal Party states near the beginning of its platform, in the section "Our Vision", that they want to "[c]reate a truly accessible and inclusive Canada so that persons with disabilities and others who may be disadvantaged do not want for equal opportunity". In the section "An Accessible and Inclusive Canada", the Liberal Party promises to: - Create a Registered Disability Savings Plan so that families of persons with disabilities who are dependent on them for financial support can save money for their future that will not be taxed until the person accesses it. The family members would get a tax deduction for their contributions; - Work with the provinces and territories to develop and put in motion a national plan to provide the supports and services that persons with disabilities need to participate fully in their communities; - Consider the "disability dimension" in everything that the federal government does; - Work with the disability community, provinces, territories, municipalities, businesses and voluntary organizations to promote an understanding of disability and to eliminate stigma; and - Review and strengthen existing laws and standards that guarantee equality and freedom from discrimination, and consider whether a Canadian Inclusion and Accessibility Act is needed to fill in gaps, further protect rights and eliminate barriers. The Liberal Party also proposes to create a Canadian Mental Health Commission, in co- operation with provinces, territories, Aboriginal leaders and stakeholders, as part of their commitment to bring persons with psychological impairments "much more fully into the mainstream of Canadian society." Several proposals are about programs that would include persons with disabilities as well as other persons and groups. These are: - Allotting $135 million from a Post- Secondary Education Innovation Fund to improve access to post-secondary education for students with disabilities; and - Increasing, by $150 million over five years, support for Labour Market Agreements with provinces and territories that help persons with disabilities to work, and including workplace-based skills development for persons with disabilities as a priority in new agreements. The Liberal Party also proposes to continue its support for a national agenda for unpaid caregivers, including increasing the amount of medical and disability-related expenses that can be claimed by a caregiver to $15,000, and making this tax credit refundable. Conservative Party of Canada In the section of its platform called "Stand Up for Families", the Conservative Party promises to "introduce a National Disability Act to promote reasonable access to medical care, medical equipment, education, employment, transportation and housing for Canadians with disabilities." New Democratic Party ("NDP") In the section of its platform called "People with Disabilities", the NDP says that it is the only party that has a proposed law ready, The Canadians With Disabilities Act ("CDA"). The NDP reports that the party was a leader in developing the CDA, with broad-based consultation. The NDP commits to introducing the CDA as a bill in Parliament "at the earliest opportunity." The NDP also promises: - to restart a 10-year program to build 200,000 affordable and co-op housing units, including homes for persons with disabilities; and - to amend the Canada Pension Plan benefit formula to credit persons for the time that they spend as caregivers of persons with disabilities. Green Party of Canada The Green Party promises that its Members of Parliament will `[i]ntroduce a Disabilities Act based on consultations with disabled Canadians." Bloc Quebecois The Bloc Quebecois does not specifically address disability issues in its platform. It does, however, refer to the need to review the status of immigrant caregivers of persons with disabilities. Consistent with their view regarding labour force issues, the Bloc Quebecois takes the position that the federal government should withdraw from employment programs including those for persons with disabilities, youth, the elderly and immigrant workers. More Information Platforms are not the only place that parties give information about their positions on issues. For further information, ARCH recommends the election coverage provided by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities at: http://www.ccdonline.ca/ (select "Election 2006") The parties' platforms can be downloaded at: Liberal Party: http://www.liberal.ca/images/dir/PDFs/platfor m_e.pdf Conservative Party: http://www.conservative.ca/media/20060113- Platform.pdf NDP: http://www.ndp.ca/ndp-drupal/files/platform- en-final-web.pdf Green Party: http://dev.greenparty.ca/download/GPC_Platf orm_2006.pdf Bloc Quebecois: http://www.bloc.org/archivage/plateforme_200 5-2006.pdf *** Fully Accessible Candidates' Meetings All voters want to have the information that they need to decide who to vote for in the upcoming federal election. One way to get that information is to go to a meeting at which all of the candidates in the riding tell what their parties plan to do about important issues, and at which voters can ask them questions. In past elections, persons with disabilities had difficulty in attending these meetings, or in getting the information that they needed. For example, some meetings were held in buildings that are inaccessible to persons who use wheelchairs, and there were no sign language interpreters or deaf-blind intervenors at the meetings. For some Ontarians with disabilities, this election is different. The Canadian Hearing Society ("CHS") has set up fully accessible candidates' meetings in five ridings. CHS is providing sign language interpretation and real-time captioning services, and is working with the Accessibility Centre of Sault Ste. Marie, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the Canadian Helen Keller Centre for intervening services for deaf-blind voters, and the Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario, the Disabled Persons Resources Centre and Ontario March of Dimes for attendant services for persons with physical disabilities. Assistive listening devices also are available. Three of the meetings already have been held, in the ridings of Ottawa South, St. Paul's (Toronto) and Newmarket-Aurora. They were a great success. Everyone who attended was able to participate fully. Many more people came to each of these meetings than the organizers expected. Two more meetings will take place this week: 17 January at Hamilton Centre, Sheraton Hotel, 116 King Street West. and 19 January at Sault Ste. Marie, City of Sault Ste. Marie Civic Centre, Council Chambers, 99 Foster Drive Both meetings will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. *** Accommodations for Voters What Accommodations Are Available Elections Canada publishes documents in alternative formats, including large print, Braille, audio-cassette and diskette. They also have information on open- and closed- captioned videotapes, and have a toll-free TTY number: 1.800.361.8935. Polling stations have a template (a card with holes in it that is placed over the ballot so that it can be marked accurately) that persons can use when marking their ballots. If you need other help in marking your ballot, a member of the election staff or a relative can help you. If you want Elections Canada to provide a sign language interpreter at your polling station, let your local returning officer know before 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, 19 January 2006. Voting by Special Ballot There is still time to tell Elections Canada that you want to mail in your vote rather than vote at a polling place. You can vote by special ballot even if you will be at your home on Election Day. However, to meet the deadline, you will have to fax the form for a special ballot to your local returning officer by no later than 6:00 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, 17 January 2006). You can download a copy of the form at: http://www.elections.ca/ele/39ge/EC78620/ec 78620_e.pdf After you fill out the form, fax it to the returning officer for the electoral district where you live. Along with the form, you also will need to fax a copy of a document that has your name, address and signature on it, or copies of two documents, one with your name and address and the other with your name and signature. Fax copies of both sides of the document unless the back is blank. Who Is My Local Returning Officer? To find out the name, office address, and toll- free telephone and fax numbers of the returning officer for your riding, go to the Elections Canada home page: http://www.elections.ca/home.asp?textonly=fa lse and enter your postal code number in the section for "Voter Information Service". You will get a web page with a list of "frequently asked questions". Select "Where is my local returning office-" How to Get More Information Elections Canada has an automated toll-free telephone service that you can call 24 hours a day. If you want to talk to a person, you can call the same number between 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time: Telephone: 1.800.463.6868 You also can contact Elections Canada by TTY at 1.800.361.8935, or in writing at: Mail: 257 Slater Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0M6 Fax: 1.888.524.1444 Or you can go to their website: http://www.elections.ca/ ARCH ALERT is published by ARCH Disability Law Centre. It is distributed free via e-mail, fax, or mail to ARCH member groups, community legal clinics, and others with an interest in disability issues. ARCH is a non-profit community legal clinic, which defends and promotes the equality rights of persons with disabilities through litigation, law/policy reform and legal education. ARCH is governed by a Board of Directors elected by representatives of member groups reflecting the disability community. The goal of ARCH ALERT is to provide concise information, so that people are aware of important developments and resources. Articles may be copied or reprinted to share with others provided that they are reproduced in their entirety and that the appropriate credit is given. We encourage those who receive it to assist with distribution of information in this way. We do ask that both Word and Text Formats are distributed to ensure accessibility. Charitable Reg. #118777994RR01. Editor: Heidi Lazar-Meyn & Reference Centre Co-ordinator Lishanthi Caldera Production & Circulation: Theresa Sciberras We welcome your comments and questions, as well as submissions. We will endeavour to include all information of general interest to the community of persons with disabilities and their organizations, but reserve the right to edit or reject material if necessary. We will advise you if your submission is to be edited or rejected. Please assist us in your submissions by being brief and factual. Please address communications regarding ARCH ALERT to: Theresa Sciberras, Administrative Assistant, ARCH Disability Law Centre, 425 Bloor St. E., Suite 110, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3R5, fax: 416-482-2981, TTY: 416-482-1254, e-mail: scibert@lao.on.ca Website: http://www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/ ARCH Disability Law Centre 425 Bloor St. E. Ste. 110 Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R5 Tel.: 416-482-8255 Toll-free: 1-866-482-2724 Fax: 416-482-2981 Toll-free: 1-866-881-2723 TTY: 416-482-1254 Toll-free: 1-866-482-2728 www.archdisabilitylaw.ca