With the federal election only 6 months away, some advocates for Canada’s Accessibility Act are fearing that Bill C-81 may never resolve, and concerns of Parliament running out of time to ensure the passing of this bill are growing.
However, the second reading of the bill revealed a friend in high places to the disability community. On March 19th, the Honourable Mary Coyle gave a pressing speech to the Senate of Canada regarding the passing of the Canada’s first accessibility act:
“… more will need to be done to enable the cultural shift necessary to achieve true equality for those living with a disability.
“Some important issues have been raised by advocates and critics of the bill. These are largely related to the bill not going far enough, having sufficient funding associated with its implementation, appropriate powers for certain players, coordination with the provinces and territories, needing to take into account intersectionality, sufficient attention to removing barriers for Indigenous peoples, and the need for navigational support.
“The main concern I have heard, however, is the concern that we deal with this bill efficiently in order that it can be passed quickly, so that we do not miss this historic opportunity.”
Click here if you are interested in reading more of Coyle’s favourable case for the accessibility act: https://sencanada.ca/en/senators/coyle-mary/interventions/517033/34#hid
The time to have our voices heard for the accessibility of all Canadian citizens has never been more urgent. See our previous post to learn how to contact your local Member of Parliament and Senate to make Canada accessible for all! https://advancedlistening.ca/chha-calls-for-action-on-promoting-the-passing-of-bill-c-81-an-accessible-canada-act/
