September 2019
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CACL Federal Election 2019 Campaign: We Need a National Disability Action Plan 

The 43rd federal election will take place October 21st, 2019. CACL is calling on all parties to commit to a National Disability Action Plan. D eveloped in collaboration with our national Federation, our plan calls for action to be taken in the areas of health, employment and economic security, housing, and the Accessible Canada Act. We think any federal government must put a National Disability Action Plan in place, in consultation with persons with disabilities, their families, and their respective organizations, in order to build a truly inclusive Canada for people with disabilities. 

This election, let's make the disability vote heard! 
Please consider meeting with your federal candidates and sharing our call for a National Disability Action Plan
Quebec Superior Court Decision on Truchon & Gladu v. Canada & Quebec Threatens Disability Community

CACL is deeply disturbed by the Quebec Superior Court's decision to strike down a fundamental protection for the equality rights and inclusion of the elderly, ill, and persons with disabilities in Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAiD) legislation.
 
We encourage   community members to review our election campaign materials  and engage in discussions with your local Federal candidates of all parties. Please stress the importance of following through with an appeal on this contentious decision .
 
My Home, My Community: Making the Canada Housing Benefit Work for People with Disabilities

Canada's National Housing Strategy, A Place to Call Home , includes a $4B commitment to a Canada Housing Benefit. Scheduled to become available in 2020, this benefit is being created to make housing more affordable - including providing financial assistance to help with the cost of rent.

My Home, My Community recognizes the potential that the Canada Housing Benefit could have for people with developmental disabilities. Our report, Making the Canada Housing Benefit Work for People with Disabilities , explores the wide range of potential designs for a disability supplement.     

CACL in Action!
Highlights of our recent national and international work. 
  • CACL EVP Krista Carr and Director of Policy and Program Operations Tara Levandier presented to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at UN Headquarters, Geneva, as part of the Canadian civil society delegation. While in Geneva, Krista and Tara also met with the UN High Commissioner to Canada, the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the International Labour Organization, staff from the International Movement Against all forms of Discrimination and Racism, and the Ukraine civil society delegation.
     
  • CACL EVP Krista Carr attended the conference of the International Initiative for Disability Leadership in Washington, D.C., to connect with and learn from people working in the field of disability around the world. 
  • Ready Willing and Able (RWA) Phase II officially launched September 1st, 2019. The RWA National Team has been working with provincial/territorial delivery partners to staff the national delivery team. By September 23rd, positions in each of the 20 RWA communities will be filled. Stay tuned for more updates as we roll out this national inclusive employment initiative!
     
  • CACL, in collaboration with our national Federation, is developing a new platform in response to medical assistance in dying in Canada. Life Worth Living tells a compelling narrative: that lives marked with suffering, frailty, or disability can be good lives, worth living. We need your stories! We invite you to connect with Natalia Hicks, National Coordinator, for more information and to share your story: nhicks@cacl.ca
CACL attends 22nd Session of UN CRPD Committee

From September 2 -6  2019, CACL Executive Vice-President Krista Carr and Director of Policy and Program Operations Tara Levandier were at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva to present at the 22nd  Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as part of the Canadian civil society delegation.

Canadian civil society has been working since May 2019 to prepare a list of issues for the CRPD Committee in preparation for Canada's second report, using the Committee's Concluding Observations from Canada's first report to the United Nations and new information on CRPD implementation in Canada. 

Helpful Resources: 2019 Federal Election and Inclusion at the Polls

On October 21st 2019, Canadians will head to the polls to vote in the Federal Election. Every voice matters, and under  Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities , everyone - including people with an intellectual disability - has the right to vote. Even still, polling stations and voting can be difficult to access for individuals with a disability. 

Over the last several years, Elections Canada has worked with CACL, People First of Canada, and other national disability organizations so that polling stations are more inclusive for individuals with an intellectual disability. This month we're sharing some helpful general resources on voting accessibility. Stay tuned for more resources from CACL on the upcoming Federal Election! 
Upcoming Dates and Events
October 10 - World Mental Health Day
October 14 - Thanksgiving (CACL offices closed) 
October 21 - 43rd Canadian Federal Election - Your Vote Matters! 
November 24 & 25 - Belonging: The International Conference of AKIM Israel & Inclusion International. Registration now open.


Our work to strengthen families, defend rights, and transform communities could not be achieved without the financial support of our dedicated donors and partners.  If the stories in this newsletter resonate with you, we  hope you will continue to support CACL through your generous donations.  Thank you.
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