Disabling Poverty, Enabling Citizenship Michael J. Prince Presentation to the Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office Celebrating the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities December 3, 2014, Winnipeg Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Outline Background Key Findings Reform Principles Policy Recommendations Next Steps

Background Community University Research Alliance (CURA) funded by Social Science and Humanities Research Council, Co-Principal Investigators: Yvonne Peters and Michael J. Prince Community partners: CACL, People First of Canada, Canada Without Poverty, Caledon Institute on Social Policy Academic partners: University of Manitoba, Québec a Montréal, Toronto, Ryerson, Victoria Four Themes: Poverty and Exclusion; Income Security and Social Policy; Poverty, Disability and Equality; Policy Reform: Roles of State and Society

Key Findings Through working age years (15-64), people with disabilities twice as likely to live in poverty Two-thirds of total income for low income people with disabilities is government transfers, while for low income people without disabilities it is market income Largest component of income for working-age disabled poor is social assistance Advances in legal protections for people with disabilities on access, less so on poverty alleviation and in advancing economic and social rights UN Convention has potential for positive change

Reform Principles Improving living standards as a human right Promote savings and accumulation of personal assets Facilitate employability and work in inclusive settings Advance reasonable accommodation and equality rights Enable opportunities for democratic co- construction or engagement in policy development

Policy Recommendations to the Canadian Government Establish Refundable Disability Tax Credit Extend EI Sickness Benefit Expand Working Income Tax Benefit Disability Supplement Improve access to RDSPs Enhance Canada Disability Child Benefit Introduce Accessibility Legislation Reinstate Court Challenges Program Develop action plan on UN Convention

Policy Recommendations to Provincial Governments Modernize income assistance programs: asset limits, earnings exemptions, shelter, indexing benefits, supports for transition to employment Child and Family Benefits/Tax Credits: add a disability supplement Implement Trust Fund legislation Amend labour law to protect against bankruptcy the income support for Long- Term Disabled (LTD) employees

Policy Recommendations to all Governments in Canada Develop a new statement on inclusion, accessibility, disability and participation to guide policy development and program reviews and to share effective practices Establish a permanent joint government- disability advisory group to ensure progress on objectives and activities This group would produce an annual report to ministers and legislatures

Next Steps Intended audiences: (i) individuals, families, advocates and groups in the disability community and related poverty community across the country; (ii) policy and decision makers in provincial/territorial and federal governments Further discussion and definition of issues on poverty and disability Working together, raising awareness, and developing solutions to enable citizenship

Thank you Michael J. Prince Lansdowne Professor of Social Policy For more details and background papers visit the website of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities