Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update United for a Barrier-Free Society for All People with Disabilities http://www.aodaalliance.org aodafeedback@gmail.com Twitter: @aodaalliance
October 17, 2019
SUMMARY
With the federal election only four days away, the AODA Alliance now makes public a non-partisan issue-by-issue comparison of the position of the 6 major federal political parties on what they would do, if elected, to ensure that Canada becomes accessible to over 6 million people with disabilities.
Just four months ago, all parties in Canada’s Parliament united to unanimously pass the Accessible Canada Act. It has the purpose of achieving a barrier-free Canada for people with disabilities by 2040. This election gives the parties an excellent first chance to say what they would do to fulfil that important goal. The AODA Alliance has extensive experience in this area, having done this in the past federal election and the past seven Ontario elections.
What’s the bottom line? The votes of millions of voters with disabilities are on the line. It is therefore very regrettable if not deeply troubling that only two of the major parties, the NDP and Liberals, even answered the AODA Alliances July 18, 2019 letter to the party leaders. That letter sought 11 concrete commitments on this topic. Of those two parties, the NDP clearly gave stronger specific commitments. The Liberals did not give specific commitments to take most of the actions we were seeking. It is especially troubling that only one of the six parties, the NDP, explicitly committed in responses to our July 18, 2019 letter, not to allow public money to be used to create new accessibility barriers against people with disabilities in Canada.
The Conservatives and Greens were strong critics of Bill C-81 because it was so weak, and commendably pressed to have it strengthened. Whether or not they respond to the AODA Alliances July 18, 2019 letter before the October 21, 2019, we will hold them to those positions, and to the Tories’ commitments to strengthen this law if elected. The Liberals proclaimed that the Accessible Canada Act is historic legislation. It is therefore hard to see why they would give such non-specific responses to our requests for clear, specific commitments.
In this comparison, we refer to the responses to our July 18, 2019 letter to the party leaders, and to positions that parties expressed in Parliament during debates over Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act. The 11 commitments which the AODA Alliance sought from the parties are based on key issues which the AODA Alliance and many other disability organizations raised regarding Bill C-81 during extensive public hearings before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee last fall, and before the Senate’s Standing Committee last spring. The entire history of these efforts is available at www.aodaalliance.org/canada
It is during an election campaign when politicians put their best political foot forward and are most eager to show their interest in and support of causes that affect millions of Canadians. The federal parties have had ample opportunity to let us know their position on our issues. We wrote them fully three months ago, and have tweeted many of their candidates across Canada over a good number of weeks to try to get them to answer us.
For over 6 million people in Canada who now have a disability, and for all others who will later acquire a disability there is a powerful message here. It emanates from the comparison that is set out below. During public hearings on Bill C-81, one disability organization after the next emphasized that this legislation is deficient because it gives the Federal Government a series of helpful powers, but it does not require the Government to use those powers or set time lines for their exercise. The opposition NDP, Conservatives and Green Parties repeatedly echoed this serious concern.
However despite this, the bill was not substantially amended to eliminate this problem. Here we now are, just four months after this law was passed, and yet most of the parties are not prepared to say what, if anything, they would do to use those powers. This proves, beyond any doubt, why the Accessible Canada Act must be strengthened to make it strong and effective, and to require its effective implementation and enforcement.
We in the disability community were correct to push for amendments last year to achieve this goal. We will be wise to do it again when parliament resumes. The AODA Alliance will be ready to work with all parties, and with whomever forms Canada’s next government, to achieve that goal.
In providing this comparison, we yet again repeat that the non-partisan, AODA Alliance does not seek to support or oppose any party or candidate. We try to get the strongest commitments from all the parties and candidates.
If we receive any further responses from any of the parties before voting day, we will make them public as fast as we can. We will continue up to the last minute, trying to get all parties to make commitments on this issue.
The AODA Alliance’s July 18, 2019 letter to the major party leaders is available at: https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/aoda-alliance-writes-federal-party-leaders-seeking-election-commitments-on-advancing-the-cause-of-accessibility-for-over-6-million-people-with-disabilities-in-canada/
The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliances available at https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/what-pledges-will-the-federal-party-leaders-make-in-this-election-to-make-canada-accessible-for-over-6-million-people-with-disabilities-federal-ndp-leader-jagmeet-singh-is-first-national-leader-to-wr/
The Liberal Party’s October 15, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance’s letter is available at https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/liberal-party-of-canada-answers-request-for-election-commitments-on-achieving-an-accessible-canada-for-over-6-million-people-with-disabilities-liberals-promise-less-than-the-ndp-tories-greens-peop/ The AODA Alliance’s federal election action kit that gives the public ideas on how to raise these issues during the election campaign is available at https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/federal-election-action-kit-raise-disability-accessibility-issues-in-canadas-2019-federal-election/
Follow @aodaalliance to see our relentless stream of tweets to federal candidates, seeking their commitments on this issue, and to follow our analysis of election returns, as they bear on this issue.
MORE DETAILS
Non-Partisan Issue-By-Issue Comparison of the Major Federal Parties’ Positions on Ensuring that Canada Becomes Barrier-Free for Over Six Million People with Disabilities
General
All parties that were in Parliament before the current federal election voted for the Accessible Canada Act. As such, they have all agreed with the goal of Canada becoming barrier-free for people with disabilities by 2040.
Here is a summary of the 11 commitments that the AODA Alliance asked each party to make in its July 18, 2019 letter to the leaders of the six major federal parties:
1. Enforceable accessibility standard regulations should be enacted within four years.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said this about this issue:
“We can do much more to make Canada an inclusive and barrier-free place. As a start, New Democrats will uphold the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and strengthen the Accessibility Act to cover all federal agencies equally with the power to make accessibility standards in a timely manner.
The NDP made multiple attempts to include implementation of timelines. During Committee meetings of Persons Living with Disabilities, the Government was presented with overwhelming unanimity on the part of the leading experts and stakeholder groups in the country as to which parts of the bill needed amending. The amendments proposed by us aligned with the leading experts’ proposals. The Government brought no one forward to rebut this testimony. They listened but rejected almost all of the amendments brought forward by the opposition parties. A New Democrat government will work hard to enact regulations to set accessibility standards in a timely fashion.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following:
“We are fully committed to the timely and ambitious implementation of the Accessible Canada Act so that it can fully benefit all Canadians. As we operationalize the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, as well as the positions of Chief Accessibility Officer and Accessibility Commissioner, we will ensure that Canadians with disabilities and stakeholder groups are engaged in the process. We will also work with Provincial and Territorial governments, and Indigenous peoples to promote consistency in accessibility standards and a consistent experience of accessibility and inclusion for all Canadians.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders. 2. The ACA should be effectively enforced.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said this on this issue:
Yes, it’s critical to ensure that the ACA is effectively enforced. Once again, the NDP made multiple attempts to ensure the ACA is effectively enforced. During Committee, the Government was presented with overwhelming unanimity on the part of the leading experts and stakeholder groups in the country as to which parts of the bill needed amending. The amendments proposed by us were taken from their proposals. The Government brought no one forward to rebut this testimony. They listened but rejected almost all of the amendments brought forward by the opposition parties.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following:
“We are fully committed to the timely and ambitious implementation of the Accessible Canada Act so that it can fully benefit all Canadians. As we operationalize the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, as well as the positions of Chief Accessibility Officer and Accessibility Commissioner, we will ensure that Canadians with disabilities and stakeholder groups are engaged in the process. We will also work with Provincial and Territorial governments, and Indigenous peoples to promote consistency in accessibility standards and a consistent experience of accessibility and inclusion for all Canadians.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
3. Federal public money should never be used to create or perpetuate barriers.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said this on this issue:
“The Liberal government missed a sizable opportunity in C-81. Federal money should never used by any recipient to create or perpetuate disability barriers. We proposed such an amendment during committee hearing.
Our ultimate goal is to help foster a society in which all of our citizens are able to participate fully and equally. We believe that this cannot happen until all of our institutions are open and completely accessible to everyone. The NDP would require that federal public money would never be used to create or perpetuate disability barriers, including federal money received for procurement; infrastructure; transfer payments; research grants; business development loans or grants, or for any other kind of payment, including purpose under a contract.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance gave this response:
“Disability rights are human rights and we will always stand up to see these rights brought to life across government. We will conduct a comprehensive review to ensure a consistent approach to disability inclusion and supports across government that addresses the unfairness and inequities in our programs and services, and challenges the biases built into our processes. This includes a definition of disability consistent with the Accessible Canada Act. This builds on the work we have done over the past four years, putting into place measures that harness the Government of Canada’s purchasing and contracting power to advance accessibility, including creating the Accessible Procurement Resource Centre, as well as the update to procurement policies across government.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
4. The ACA should never reduce the rights of people with disabilities.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said this on this issue:
“Yes, if a provision of the Act or of a regulation enacted under it conflicts with a provision of any other Act or regulation, the provision that provides the highest level of accessibility for persons with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, employment, accommodation, buildings, structures or premises shall prevail.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response gave this answer on this issue:
“We are fully committed to the timely and ambitious implementation of the Accessible Canada Act so that it can fully benefit all Canadians. Our government established the broadest definitions of disability and barrier to date within federal legislation, and we will continue to work with stakeholders and the disability community to ensure the Act is implemented effectively and achieves its objectives.
We have already established a working group that includes all agencies involved in the ACA, and they have already started working on the coordination of the implementation and enforcement. This will be furthered by the leadership of the Minister of Accessibility, the Chief Accessibility Officer and the Accessibility Commissioner. As we move forward, we will continue to look for new ways to ensure that Canadians with disabilities are able to identify and resolve complaints in a timely and effective way.
As we operationalize the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, we will also ensure that Canadians with disabilities and stakeholder groups are engaged in the process. We will also work with Provincial and Territorial governments, and Indigenous peoples to promote consistency in accessibility standards and a consistent experience of accessibility and inclusion for all Canadians.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
5. Section 172(3) of the ACA should be amended to remove its unfair and discriminatory ban on the Canadian Transportation Agency ever awarding monetary compensation to passengers with disabilities who are the victims of an undue barrier in federally-regulated transportation (like air travel), where a CTA regulation wrongly set the accessibility requirements too low.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said this on this issue:
“We will review section 172(3) of the ACA a take the appropriate corrective measures to make sure airlines and railways pay monetary compensation in situations where they should have to pay up.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response gave this answer on this issue:
“We are fully committed to the timely and ambitious implementation of the Accessible Canada Act so that it can fully benefit all Canadians. Our government established the broadest definitions of disability and barrier to date within federal legislation, and we will continue to work with stakeholders and the disability community to ensure the Act is implemented effectively and achieves its objectives.
We have already established a working group that includes all agencies involved in the ACA, and they have already started working on the coordination of the implementation and enforcement. This will be furthered by the leadership of the Minister of Accessibility, the Chief Accessibility Officer and the Accessibility Commissioner. As we move forward, we will continue to look for new ways to ensure that Canadians with disabilities are able to identify and resolve complaints in a timely and effective way.
As we operationalize the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, we will also ensure that Canadians with disabilities and stakeholder groups are engaged in the process. We will also work with Provincial and Territorial governments, and Indigenous peoples to promote consistency in accessibility standards and a consistent experience of accessibility and inclusion for all Canadians.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
6. The ACA’s implementation and enforcement should be consolidated in one federal agency, not splintered among several of them.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following on this issue:
“Yes. The Liberal government’s Bill C-81 wrongly gave several public agencies or officials far too much sweeping power to grant partial or blanket exemptions to specific organizations from important parts of this bill. C-81 separated enforcement and implementation in a confusing way over four different public agencies. Rather it should be providing people with disabilities with what they need: the single service location or, one-stop shop..
We will assign all responsibility for the ACA’s enforcement to the Accessibility Commissioner and all responsibility for enacting regulations under the ACA to the Federal Cabinet.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response gave this answer on this issue:
“We are fully committed to the timely and ambitious implementation of the Accessible Canada Act so that it can fully benefit all Canadians. Our government established the broadest definitions of disability and barrier to date within federal legislation, and we will continue to work with stakeholders and the disability community to ensure the Act is implemented effectively and achieves its objectives.
We have already established a working group that includes all agencies involved in the ACA, and they have already started working on the coordination of the implementation and enforcement. This will be furthered by the leadership of the Minister of Accessibility, the Chief Accessibility Officer and the Accessibility Commissioner. As we move forward, we will continue to look for new ways to ensure that Canadians with disabilities are able to identify and resolve complaints in a timely and effective way.
As we operationalize the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, we will also ensure that Canadians with disabilities and stakeholder groups are engaged in the process. We will also work with Provincial and Territorial governments, and Indigenous peoples to promote consistency in accessibility standards and a consistent experience of accessibility and inclusion for all Canadians.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders. 7. No federal laws should ever create or permit disability barriers.
New Democratic Party:
The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following on this issue, which can be read as directly or indirectly committing to what we seek:
“The NDP has long been committed to the rights of persons with disabilities. It has been our longstanding position that all of government-every budget,
every policy and regulation-should be viewed through a disability lens. The NDP has supported the establishment of a Canadians with Disabilities Act for many years.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response gave this answer on this issue:
“As stated above, we are fully committed to continuing to work with stakeholders and the disability community as the Accessible Canada Act is implemented to ensure it is fulfilling its objectives.
We will conduct a comprehensive review to ensure a consistent approach to disability inclusion and supports across government that addresses the unfairness and inequities in our programs and services, and challenges the biases built into our processes.
We will also work with Provincial and Territorial governments, and Indigenous peoples to promote consistency in accessibility standards and a consistent experience of accessibility and inclusion for all Canadians.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders. 8. Federal elections should be made accessible to voters with disabilities.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following on this issue:
New Democrats have always fought to remove the barriers keeping persons with disabilities from living with dignity and independence, because when barriers are removed all Canadians are empowered to participate fully in society and we all benefit.
We brought forward amendments to C-81 that require the Accessibility Commissioner to appoint, within 12 months of the bill being enacted, an independent person (with no current or prior involvement in administering elections) to conduct an Independent Review of disability barriers in the election process, with a requirement to consult the public, including persons with disabilities, and to report within 12 months to the Federal Government. Their report should immediately be made public. Additionally, we would require the Federal Government to designate a minister with responsibility to bring forward a bill to reform elections legislation within 12 months of the completion of that Independent Review.”
Liberal Party:
The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response gave this answer on this issue:
We modernized our electoral system, making it easier for citizens with disabilities to vote. As we do after every election, we will review lessons learned from these changes and work with stakeholders and the disability community on further steps we can take to address barriers that may exist.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
9. Power to exempt organizations from some ACA requirements should be eliminated or reduced.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance included the following on this issue:
“Nine years ago, Canada ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Though the Liberal government has tabled a new Accessibility Act, its’ exemptions mean C-81 falls short of meeting Canada’s goal of creating an inclusive and barrier-free country. An NDP government will reduce the power to exempt organizations from some of the requirements that the ACA imposes.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment to amend the Accessible Canada Act on this issue, but a commitment that would in practice narrow the use of this power. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response said the following on this issue:
“Should any exemptions be implemented in accordance with the Accessible Canada Act these will be limited and due to very exceptional circumstances. The rationale for the exemptions will also be made public.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
10. Federally-controlled courts and tribunals should be made disability-accessible.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following on this issue:
“The amendment we brought forward during the C-81 proceedings would have required the Minister of Justice, on behalf of the Federal Government, to develop and implement a multi- year plan to ensure that all federally controlled courts (e.g. the Supreme Court of Canada and Federal Courts) as well as federally-created administrative tribunals become fully accessible to court participants with disabilities, by the bill’s accessibility deadline. This should adopt and build upon the work of the Ontario Courts Accessibility Committee, which oversees efforts on accessibility for provincially-regulated courts in Ontario.”
Liberal Party:
A commitment to “examine this issue”. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following on this issue:
“We will examine this issue as part of promised comprehensive review of federal policies and programs. In doing so we will work closely with provinces, territories, stakeholders and the disability community to effectively identify and reduce barriers.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
11. Proposed Opposition amendments to the ACA that were defeated in the House of Commons in 2018 and that would strengthen the ACA should be passed.
New Democratic Party:
Specific affirmative commitment. The NDP’s September 16, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following on this issue:
“Absolutely! The Liberals hailed this bill as a historical piece of legislation. But without substantial amendments, it is yet another in a long line of Liberal half-measures. New Democrats are committed to ensuring that C-81 actually lives up to Liberal Party rhetoric.”
Liberal Party:
No specific commitment on this issue. The Liberals’ October 15, 2019 response to the AODA Alliance said the following on this issue:
“We are fully committed to the timely and ambitious implementation of the Accessible Canada Act so that it can fully benefit all Canadians. We will continue to work with stakeholders and the disability community to ensure the Act is implemented effectively and achieves its objectives.”
Conservative Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Conservative Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support. On November 22, 2019, the Conservative Party promised in the House of Commons, if elected, to strengthen Bill C-81:
Conservative MP John Barlow: “when a Conservative government comes into power, we will do everything we can to address the shortcomings of Bill C-81.”
Conservative MP: Alex Nuttall “we will get it right, right after the next election. This will be among the first things we ensure we put right, because it is concerning the most vulnerable Canadians.”
Green Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
During debates in the House of Commons on Bill C-81, The Green Party pointed out that the bill was too weak and needed to be strengthened. It quoted the AODA Alliance among others in support.
Bloc Quebecois:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.
People’s Party:
No response to the July 18, 2019 letter from the AODA Alliance to all major federal party leaders.