Inclusion Matters
May 2023
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Happy Community Living Month!
For Ontarians and many other Canadians across the country, May is Community Living Month! This month, we recognize the valuable contributions of the Community Living and Inclusion Movement to advancing the rights of people with an intellectual disability and their families across the country.
From education, employment, housing, income security and everything in between, we have made many strides to the full inclusion of people with an intellectual disability across their lifespan. But much work remains. This month, let's celebrate the successes.
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Update on C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit - Bill Passes the Senate!
Good news on the parliamentary progress of Bill C-22. This week the Senate passed the Bill as amended at Third Reading.
Unfortunately, because of the amendments, instead of proceeding to Royal Asset and passage into law, it will make its way back to the House of Commons. The government and all Members of Parliament will now need to consider the merits of the six amendments, debate and vote on them and then on the Bill itself before it can pass. We hope the amendments will not significantly slow down the process.
Timing is critical now.
Next week the House of Commons is on a break week. It will return on May 29th. It will only sit for four more weeks before it rises for summer recess on June 23rd.
Stay tuned for more information but let's hope they can now finally get the job done and put the Bill over the finish line.
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Advancing Equal Access for People with Intellectual Disabilities in the Workplace
For the past 3 years, Inclusion Canada, People First of Canada and the Canadian Institute for Citizenship and Inclusion have been researching employment barriers and the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. This information will be provided to the Government of Canada and the Canadian public. The intent of this research is to inform the government's approach to removing all barriers to employment in Canada for people with intellectual disabilities.
This research is now available! Click the link below to check out our research report, plain language executive summary, informative videos, infographics and more!
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Two Important Legal Victories for People with Disabilities in Manitoba & Nova Scotia
This month saw 2 massive human rights victories for the disability community.
In Manitoba, the provincial government finalized a settlement for people with disabilities forcibly confined and abused at the Manitoba Developmental Centre (MDC).
In Nova Scotia, the provincial government committed to address human rights violations against people with disabilities perpetuated through their current institutional housing model. They've endorsed a report which would prioritize inclusion in community and person-centred planning in all supported housing moving forward.
Both victories cannot be understated. They represent massive advancements in the rights of people with an intellectual disability in Canada and pave the way for other provincial governments to advance inclusion.
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NB Educators Recognized for Contributions to Inclusive Education
We salute the recent NB recipients of the National Inclusive Education Awards.
This is a national award from Inclusion Canada and was recently presented by Inclusion NB to four teachers for their outstanding contributions towards advancing inclusive education in the province.
Inclusion NB also launched the inaugural Dr. David Jory Award in honour of his significant contributions to the inclusion movement. David was awarded, posthumously, the first award. David's son, John Jory, had the honour to accept the award on behalf of his father.
You can read more about the recipients -> click here
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Why should you consider an RDSP?
An Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) helps people with disabilities save money for the future. You or your family member may be eligible for free money from the government in the form of grants and bonds. The RDSP can be a useful tool for the financial security of people with intellectual disabilities and their families
In the coming weeks we will have some more information about the RDSP.
In the meantime, we want to share with you an excellent webinar that our partners at Partners for Planning (P4P) put together. It is a basic webinar that explains the benefits of an RDSP with some very useful tips.
We invite you all to watch and learn on how this program could be of benefit to you.
Click on the following link HERE to view the webcast.
Once in the link, press the "play" arrow to start the broadcast.
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Inclusion Canada in Action
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Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) is pleased to advise that as a result of a recently approved amendment to our current agreement with the Government of Canada (via the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities), the current phase of RWA is now extended until March 31, 2027.
- On April 25-26, Inclusion Canada staff met in Quebec City for an in-person staff meeting. As our team has grown to include staff from coast-to-coast, we greatly value this opportunity to collaborate in-person to advance our mission and vision of inclusion.
- Executive Director of Legal & Public Affairs, Kurt Goddard, recently attended the Pro Bono Students Annual Conference where he had the opportunity to present on Inclusion Canada's annual project. The presentation focused on the topic of "Legal Information versus Advice" and took place this past Wednesday, the 10th.
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Krista Carr participated as a keynote speaker on May 18 at the launch of IDEA - Inclusive Design for Employment Access. IDEA is an initiative set to break down barriers, creating a more inclusive labour market. More info can be found here -> https://bit.ly/3IiQQLa
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Inclusion Canada - Annual Feedback from People with Intellectual Disabilities and Families
We want to hear from you about how we're doing!
Each year, Inclusion Canada asks people with an intellectual disability, their families and allies for feedback on our national work. We appreciate your thoughts on how you feel we are advancing inclusion for people with an intellectual disability and their families. Your honest answers allow us to flag important opportunities for growth and improvement in the areas that matter to you.
The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete, and there is an opportunity at the end of the survey to be entered to win an Inclusion Canada prize package!
We hope you can take a few minutes to share your thoughts! The survey will be open until May 19th 2023.
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National AccessAbility Week
From May 28 - June 3, join Inclusion Canada and the disability community in celebrating National AccessAbility Week (NAAW). NAAW is an opportunity for the country to recognize the valuable contributions and achievements of Canadians with disabilities and reflect on how we can build an inclusive and accessible Canada.
Stay tuned for updates on our social media as we explore NAAW 2023's theme and provide some sneak peeks of how we'll be celebrating this important week!
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Upcoming Dates & Events
June 18 - Father's Day
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WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!
Our work to strengthen families, defend rights, and transform communities would not be possible without your financial support.
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