1. Looking to Ottawa: disability policy issues at the federal level
Keynote Address
Indigenous Disability and Wellness Gathering
“From the Outside Looking In”
March 29, 2019
Michael J. Prince

2. Recent Federal Developments
In 2017, Canada Revenue Agency’s Disability Advisory Committee reinstated
Budget 2018, EI Sickness Benefit to allow working while on claim to stage return to employment during an illness
New funding of $18 million over six years to expand Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities, in To assist businesses recruit, accommodate and retain persons with disabilities
Federal government committed to hiring at least 5,000 people with disabilities over next five years

3. Budget 2019: measures to assist persons with disabilities
Initiative
Investment
Canada Student Loans for students with permanent disabilities
$15 million over five years
Employment supports for persons with intellectual disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder
$12 million over three years
Removing technological barriers in federal government workplaces
$13.7 million over five years
Accessible materials for persons with print disabilities
$25.8 million over five years
Employment opportunities for persons with visual impairments
$1 million in
Implement a National Dementia Strategy
$50 million over five years

4. Budget 2019: Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
Change and benefit
Estimated expenditure
To allow a RDSP to remain open when a beneficiary no longer qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit
Person will no longer have to repay grants and bonds to the Government of Canada. They can remain in the RDSP
Recognition of severe but episodic disabilities in a person’s life
Better protection of long-term savings of eligible persons with severe disabilities
$109 million over next five years
($33 million per year ongoing)

5. Recent Intergovernmental Development
Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities (LMAPDs) expired March 2018
Replaced by Workforce Development Agreements, which consolidate LMAPDs, Canada Job Fund Agreements, and the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers Agreements
Canada-BC Agreement commits “to ensure continued support for persons with disabilities in gaining and maintaining meaningful employment”

6. Workforce Development Agreements
Areas of focus: training, supports, employment partnerships, building knowledge
Provision of “supports to maximize potential for training; and continue to support persons with disabilities to enter and stay in the labour market”
Principles include:
Inclusive – to support underrepresented groups, including those further from the labour market
Engagement – to work collaboratively and respectfully with Indigenous peoples. Canada will continue to provide its own labour market programs for Indigenous peoples.

7. Workforce Development Agreements
In each fiscal year to , BC commits to allocating a specified amount of federal transfers and an equal amount of provincial revenues on programming for persons with disabilities
Accountability includes an Annual Plan that describes process of consultations with organizations representing employers and employees, Indigenous peoples, the disability community
Performance outcomes on employment, increased earnings, and sustainable employment of individuals

8. Bill C-81, Accessible Canada Act
Introduced in House of Commons June 2018, following consultations from July 2016 to May 2017
The progressive realization, within the legislative authority of Parliament, of a Canada without barriers
Unanimously passed by House of Commons, November 2018 with some amendments
Many other amendments recommended by disability groups and by Standing Committee rejected by government
Now at Senate, referred to Social Affairs Committee March 21, 2019 for study and public hearings
Intent is to have legislation passed by June 2019

9. Bill C-81, Accessible Canada Act
Federal government announced $290 million over six years, staring in , to implement the Act
Creation of a new Deputy Minister for Public Service Accessibility in 2018
Objectives:
Shift burden off individuals with disabilities to address systemic accessibility issues
Provide entities under federal jurisdiction with standards to achieve and maintain
Involve Canadians with disabilities in the new approach
Report annually on progress and results to Canadians

10. Accessible Canada Act: who is covered and not covered?
Parliament – the House of Commons, Senate, Library of Parliament
First Nations
Federal government departments, Crown corporations, and agencies
Organizations that contract with the federal government or receive federal funding (e.g., hospital, university or public transit system)
Federally regulated private sector: banking, broadcasting, federal transportation and telecommunications
American Sign Language (ASL) and Quebec Sign Language (QSL) as official languages of people who are Deaf
Canadian Forces and RCMP (with some qualifications)
Provincial and territorial authorities – though Minister to collaborate with provinces or territories in coordinating efforts on accessibility

11. Promising opportunities
Participating in public policy making is fundamental
Investing in research, knowledge and evaluation: children with disabilities, Indigenous persons with disabilities
Inclusion is no one thing or fixed place: meaningful roles and respectful social relations in various settings and transitions, sustained over time
Strengthening capacity of service agencies
Connecting the UNDRIP & CRPD: Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – collective and individual truths and entitlements

12. Thank you!