Individual and Family Supports in the Canadian Federation: Jurisdictional Responsibilities, Policy Roles and Intergovernmental Relations Remarks to the Sixth Annual Federal Policy Forum on Inclusion Canadian Association for Community Living & People First of Canada Ottawa December 2, 2015

Outline Canada is a federation Our new political context Disability related supports Policy roles of government Federal funding for disability supports Tax measures Trudeau government agenda Bigger dreams Concluding thoughts 2

Canada is a federation Division of legislative powers or jurisdictions between the federal and the provincial orders of government In practice, some overlaps, shared areas 3 Provincial JurisdictionsFederal Jurisdictions HealthCommunications EducationIncome security Social ServicesTransportation WelfareVeterans HousingIndigenous affairs EmploymentImmigrants and refugees TrainingSpending power Taxation

Our new political context Majority Liberal government in Ottawa formed in November 2015 Persons with disabilities and issues of disability are on the federal agenda, with a Minister of Persons with Disabilities A promise of new partnerships between the federal and provincial/territorial governments on a number of health and social policy issues Possibilities of new working relations between the disability community and parliamentary committees 4

Disability-related individual and family supports Attendant services Community-based services and facilities Financial assistance to offset cost of goods and services Home health-related services Homemaker services Information and counseling services Modified personal vehicles Respite services for caregivers School and learning-related supports Technical aids, devices and equipment Work-related supports 5

Policy roles of government Income benefits to individuals and families Grants to community organizations and businesses Transfer payments to other governments Measures through income and sales tax systems Direct provision of goods and services Purchase of services on behalf of a client group Legislate and regulate services and facilities Research, evaluation and information dissemination 6

Federal Funding for disability supports CPP Disability – Vocational Rehabilitation Program Canada Study Grants for post-secondary students Residential Rehabilitation Assistance for persons with disabilities Veterans’ disability benefits Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities Enabling Accessibility Fund Social Development Partnership Program: Disability Canada Health Transfer Canada Social Transfer Labour Market Development Agreements Labour Market Agreement on Persons with Disabilities 7

Tax measures Federal tax expenditures: Attendant Care Expense Deduction Caregiver Tax Credit Child Disability Benefit Disability Tax Credit Infirm Dependant Credit Medical Expense Tax Credit Medical Expense Supplement for Earners Working Income Tax Benefit – Disability Supplement GST exemptions for medical devices Provincial sales tax measures: exemptions on disability-related goods and services Rebates on equipment, vehicles or fuel costs 8

Trudeau government agenda: 1 Canadians with disabilities Introduce a National Disabilities Act Reinstate the Court Challenges Program of Canada Establish a plan to implement the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities Tax expenditure review Target measures that benefit wealthiest one-percent Why not also improve measures for low-income? Federal Poverty Reduction Strategy Will there be an access and disability lens applied to this? Canadian veterans and their families $100 million for vocational rehabilitation and other services and supports New $80 million per year post-secondary education benefit Increase income benefits in disability awards and permanent impairment allowance 9

Trudeau government agenda: 2 Employment Insurance More flexibility in Parental and Compassionate Care benefits Additional $200 million per year to provinces for training programs Canada Labour Code Amend to give federally regulated workers right to request more flexible working arrangements from their employers Health care Major investment in home care through new Health Accord What about services for social needs of individual and families? Retirement Income Security Increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement for low-income seniors Work with provinces to expand the Canada Pension Plan – What about the Disability component of CPP? 10

Bigger dreams, real change through the federal spending power? To expand access to disability-related supports and services, essential for active participation in daily living, other ideas worth discussing: 1.A dedicated federal investment to provinces and territories, through an updated Canada Social Transfer, to enhance the supply, access and portability of disability supports and services for individuals ad families 2.A national disability supports allowance to help cover the additional expenses of living with disabilities. Could be done through extending the Child Disability Benefit to those over age 18 and by making the Disability Tax Credit refundable. A form of Canada-wide individualized funding. 11

Concluding thoughts Federalism matters: Main responsibilities for disability-related services and supports rest with provincial governments. Federal government does have several responsibilities and obligations. Expectations are high. We are entering a new phase in Canadian federal politics and in intergovernmental relations. In the next four years, there could be several opportunities for disability organizations to engage in federal government, parliamentary, intergovernmental, and provincial policy processes With opportunities come real challenges: capacity to engage meaningfully, to have resources and time, to consult with membership and other associations Government support and open processes are essential to ensure genuine democratic processes and positive results 12

Thank you Michael J. Prince Lansdowne Professor of Social Policy University of Victoria 13