For immediate release
November 25^th, 2021

A coalition of over 25 disability organizations delivered the new Liberal Government recommendations for the most pressing issues that persons with disabilities are facing. The recommendations are included in a drafted Throne Speech for the 44th Parliament of Canada to showcase an inclusive and accessible Canada. As well, the recommendations are incorporated in draft Mandate Letters which the Prime Minister routinely issues at the outset of a Cabinet Minister’s term.
This is the first time the coalition has written recommendations for the Throne Speech and Mandate letters.

“Canadians with disabilities are far too often an afterthought of politicians and government, during the last federal election we were pleased that many of the political parties included disability issues within their election platforms,” said Christopher T. Sutton, CEO Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility. “We were inspired to push the envelope - to show what could be possible by writing an inclusive Throne Speech and Mandate letters.” Mr. Sutton stated that accessibility, disability rights, and full inclusion are a shared responsibility, and must be evident in the Throne Speech and in every Cabinet Minister’s mandate, not just one Minister responsible for disability inclusion. “The Speech from the Throne is where the Queen's representative outlines the government's agenda for Parliament. Throughout history, persons with disabilities have been absent from these speeches. This is our “what if?” – what if our Government really stepped up and centered disability in their vision for a better Canada" said Krista Carr, Executive Vice-President of Inclusion Canada.

The pan-Canadian Disability Coalition urges the government to prioritize items such as: the national housing strategy, the national action plan to address gender-based violence, the national childcare, the Disability Inclusion Action Plan and the Canada Disability Benefit, which benefits all Canadians during the recovery of the pandemic and beyond. When disability rights are achieved, and barriers faced by people with disabilities are resolved, everyone benefits. The pan-Canadian Disability Coalition urges all Canadians to explore the materials and to call on Government to act.

Download the Mandate Letter here and Speech from the Throne here.

About the pan-Canadian Disability Coalition
The pan-Canadian Disability Coalition is a coalition of over 25 disability organizations across Canada. Its mission is to ensure that attitudes, policies, services, and programs in all areas of Canadian society are barrier free and welcome participation by everyone living in Canada. This mission is to be achieved by working together to ensure that all Canadian policies, services, and programs are designed, implemented, and evaluated using a disability/ accessibility lens.

List of pan-Canadian Disability Coalition members:
Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
Barrier Free Canada
British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society
Canadian Association of the Deaf
Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance
Canadian Council Rehabilitation Work
Canadian DeafBlind Association
Canadian Disability Participation Project
Canadian Hard of Hearing Association
Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Communication Disabilities Access Canada
Council of Canadians with Disabilities
Community Living Toronto
Deaf Culture Center
Deaf Literacy Initiative
Disabled Women’s Network Canada
Easter Seals Canada
Environmental Health Association of Québec
Eviance
Inclusion Canada
Independent Living Canada
L’Arche Canada
March of Dimes Canada
Muscular Dystrophy Canada
National Network for Mental Health
Plan Institute
Realize
Rick Hansen Foundation
Spinal Cord Injury Canada
Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility
Liste des membres de la coalition :
Accès Troubles de la Communication Canada
Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
Association canadienne de la surdicécité
Association canadienne des troubles du spectre autistique
Association des malentendants canadiens
Association des Sourds du Canada
Association pour la santé environnementale du Québec
British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society
Canada sans barriers
Centre de cultures des sourds
Conseil Canadien de la Réadaptation et du Travail
Conseil des Canadiens avec déficiences
Community Living Toronto
Deaf Literacy Initiative
Dystrophie musculaire Canada
Eviance
Fondation Rick Hansen
Inclusion Canada
Institut national canadien pour les aveugles
L’Arche Canada
La marche des dix sous du Canada
Lésions médullaires Canada
Plan Institute
Projet canadien sur la participation sociale des personnes en situation de handicap
Réalise
Réseau d’action des femmes handicapées
Réseau national pour la santé mentale
Timbre de Pâques Canada
Vie autonome Canada
Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility