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| 2 - "'Devastating' U.S. disabilities laws won't work in Ontario, premier says" (editor's note: This article is very timely ... I have recently received several emails from non-Americans wondering what 'rights' they have regarding having Moebius and seeking employment... "A bit of background: In 1995, the soon-to-be-elected premier of Ontario, Michael Harris, promised in writing to meet with members of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) Committee, and to enact barrier-removal legislation. He has so far even refused to meet the Committee, let alone pass meaningful legislation. Readers may wish to write Premier Michael Harris and let him know what you think about his understanding of the impact of the ADA (and similar legislation) on the lives of Americans with disabilities. He can be reached at [email protected].) |
| (By Colin Perkel) TORONTO (CP) American disability legislation has been "absolutely devastating" to the very people it was designed to help and similar laws wouldn't help in Ontario either, Premier Mike Harris said Friday. That's one reason the Tory government has so far failed to keep a six-year-old promise to bring in similar legislation, Harris suggested outside the legislature. There are people who want the government to be "very aggressive" and draft an Ontarians With Disabilities Act modelled after the U.S. legislation, he said. "(But) I'm told by some of the research the results have been absolutely devastating to those with disabilities," said Harris, who suggested U.S. law has led to fewer disabled people being hired into the workforce. The premier's assertion was greeted with disbelief by activists for the disabled. "Nonsense," said David Lepofsky, whose Ontarians With Disabilities Act Committee has been trying for years to get the government to move on the issue. "Complete nonsense. I mean, give me a break. The U.S. is a far more accessible place because of that legislation than Canada is." Among other things, the U.S. legislation introduced 10 years ago gives the disabled the right to complain about discrimination when it comes to employment. It also mandates the removal of barriers to the disabled by providing wheelchair ramps or braille on elevators, for example. An independent study prepared for the province shows the legislation has been beneficial and cost effective, Lepofsky said. Activists want Ontario to put into law standards and a timetable for a sector-by-sector removal of barriers to the disabled. But Harris noted that no other province has passed such an act since he first promised legislation six years ago. "I don't think there are uncompassionate, uncaring governments across this country," Harris said. "It tells you how complicated and difficult an issue it is," he said, adding he still plans to make good on his promise. "It's a complicated issue. We're trying to strike that right balance and we're trying to take our time to do it right." However, a leaked cabinet document released this week and denounced by Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty as "an insult" suggests otherwise. The document shows the government considered and rejected measures to force private companies to reduce barriers. It also rejected setting up an enforcement agency. Instead, the document indicated the government would essentially rehash existing measures -- condemned by the disabled as useless -- and employ a public-relations strategy to sell the public on the approach. "The reaction from people with disabilities all over the place is that they're shocked, they're disgusted and they're hurt," said Lepofsky. "The reason it's taken so long is because they don't want to do it," he said. The disabilities committee, which is plotting its next steps, has written Harris, who has previously refused to meet with them, calling for an urgent meeting. |
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| NEWS RELEASE ("What's the price tag for citizenship?" - Ontario Association for Community Living) News that the government has decided to reduce the scope of a proposed Ontarians with Disabilities Act because it is afraid of the price tag is an insult to all citizens of Ontario, not just those with disabilities, says the Ontario Association for Community Living. 'The issue of costs is just a red herring,' says OACL President David Barber. 'First of all, we're not talking about the massive overhaul of existing buildings. We're in a boom economy with lots of new construction. It's far more efficient to incorporate accessibility into the design of new buildings that to try to fi x these buildings later. It makes business sense, and that's something we know this government prides itself on.' Besides, says Mr. Barber, the ODA is not just about physical barriers like ramps and washrooms. 'People with intellectual disabilities also face social barriers throughout their lives, whether it's at school, in playgrounds and recreation centres, in the job market, everywhere. It's an issue of citizenship ' people's right to have the same opportunities and challenges as everyone else. 'An effective ODA could start Ontario on an exciting road to changes in attitudes by helping to dissolve social barriers now,' says Mr. Barber, 'so that future citizens can truly feel a part of the community they live in.' Mr. Barber says it is sad to hear people say citizenship is a right for some people but a matter of dollar value for others. 'I wonder where the world would be if Americans had demanded that Martin Luther King, Jr. come up with a price tag on civil rights legislation.' More than 12,000 people belong to the Ontario Association for Community Living through their membership in 100 local associations throughout the province. Local associations provide direct services and support to people with intellectual disabilities, and help their communities build the capacity to support people within the community. The provincial association advocates for public policy and social change with the goal that 'all persons live in a state of dignity, share in all elements of living in the community, and have the opportunity to participate effectively." Visit OACL's website at www.acl.on.ca or contact us by e-mail at [email protected] |