March 2024

Bill C-62 Passes - MAiD for Mental Illness Delayed Until 2027

On February 29th, Bill C-62 passed the Senate of Canada.

Through this bill, the federal government has delayed the legalization of medical assistance in dying on the basis of mental illness as a sole medical condition until 2027. If Bill C-62 hadn’t been passed, MAiD for mental illness would have automatically become legal on March 17th, 2024 due to a “sunset clause” in the existing legislation.

Although we are relieved that MAiD for mental illness has been delayed, we remain steadfast that more sweeping changes are needed to protect the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

Inclusion Canada will not stop our push for change until the sunset clause and Track 2 MAiD are repealed in their entirety.

Read our press release here. >

Webinar: New Position Statement on Access to Healthcare

On March 27, Inclusion Canada hosted a webinar on our new position statement on Access to Healthcare. We heard from self-advocates, family members, and other professionals in the disability field.

The event was moderated by Robin Acton, Inclusion Canada's Past-President. Our lineup of speakers included Ken Pike from Inclusion New Brunswick, Manel Mhiri from Inclusion International, and Donna Brown from People First of Canada.

We hope takeaways from this webinar and our new position statement will help individuals and families, healthcare providers, and governments take meaningful steps towards equitable access to quality and inclusive healthcare for all.

Thank you to everyone who attended. For those who couldn't be with us, recordings are now available!

• Watch the English recording
• Regardez le webinare en français

View the following relevant materials:

• Position Statement in English
• Position en français
• Position Statement in Plain Language (EN)

Alberta Injunction Case to Have Implications: Can MAiD Providers be Held Accountable?

Inclusion Canada raised awareness of the potential implications of a court case reported by CBC Calgary News on March 11, 2024.

The father of a 27-year-old woman with autism wishes to prevent his daughter from ending her life through medical assistance in dying (MAiD). The father is seeking a Court review of the process for which his daughter received approval for MAiD. As the story above points out there were questionable processes which led to the approval.

This case was important enough to highlight our concerns and we issued a public statement.

Read our statement here. >



Partners 4 Planning Network to hold RDSP Webinar

RDSPs can be a useful tool to save for the future. Yes, we know there are problems with the program which we want addressed as we continue to work to push for changes. But if you are a current plan holder, our friends at Partners 4 Planning are organizing a webinar on April 3 @ 7pm EST.

There will be lots of great information and important tips. Even if you are not a plan member and just curious, you may find this webinar useful.

Register for free:

Register here ->

These Four Walls

On March 22 at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Inclusion Canada joined our partners at People First of Canada who hosted the premiere screening of the new documentary These Four Walls.

This powerful film traces the path of survivors of the Manitoba Development Centre and the class action lawsuit launched by David Weremy in his lifelong quest to close the institution he and others were forced to live in. Over 300 people joined survivors and filmmakers to view this impactful film and speak to the challenging but necessary contents.

These Four Walls aims to ensure that all institutions in our country close and remain closed for good. The film is a call to action for all of us, that the work is not yet done. Closing large-scale institutions is only part of the step. If people with disabilities and their families do not have choice and control over their own lives they are still living in institutions with just a different look and name.

The film is not yet available for wider distribution but stay tuned for more information on its future availability.



Inclusion International & Inclusive Education

On March 13, we joined Inclusion International in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the UNESCO Salamanca Conference, where the historic Salamanca Statement was drafted. This statement is a global call for inclusive education for all students.

We know there is still much work to be done on this front. Segregated classrooms, isolation rooms, and exclusionary practices continue to plague education systems across our country.

We join disability community allies worldwide in calling for an end to these practices and for governments to prioritize ensuring that every child can learn alongside all of their peers in regular classrooms.

Learn more from Inclusive Education Canada. >