The Project

Overview

The Canadian Disability Policy Alliance addresses two broad questions: "How effective is current public policy on disability in Canada?" and "What initiatives are needed to provide the most effective policies to uphold the principles of justice, access, equity and quality of life for Canadians with disabilities?"

The CDPA brings together an interdisciplinary team of academics with representatives of a broad spectrum of community-based organizations and policy makers. Using a methodology of evidence-based policy analysis, this group will undertake a series of collaborative research projects aimed at new directions for disability policy in Canada in four key areas: Citizenship, Education, Employment, and Health Services.

The CDPA and each of its teams are guided by the following vision:

Our vision for Canada is a place where people with disabilities enjoy full participation and citizenship, supported by a coherent network of legislation, regulation, and program entitlements.

The mission of the CDPA will be carried out in alignment with its three core values:

Speaking With United Voices:

The CDPA brings together the voices of researchers, consumers, policy-makers, care providers, educators, and employers across jurisdictions and policy areas, across the academic/community group divide, and across varying disability types - cognitive, physical, and sensory/perceptive. Broad consensus will be sought in everything we do, as we live by the philosophy, "When one group wins we all win".

Learning Collaboratively:

Another guiding principle of our research is that we are a group of people who will learn collectively about what the most pressing needs of people with disabilities are within our current Canadian policy framework, and how to effectively mobilize that knowledge with policy-makers and other key stakeholders so that more equitable public policy is developed and implemented. The primary methodology that will be used for this is the PDSA Cycle, which stands for Plan-Do-Study-Act. To learn more about this methodology click here.

Tools for Change:

The PDSA method is anchored in the understanding that we will learn each time we seek to mobilize knowledge for more effective policy for people with disabilities. With this in mind, the CDPA is committed to gathering and mobilizing current knowledge on effective policy change, and contributing to that body of knowledge through the results of our own research.

Next: Background