In 2014, the Government of Ontario conducted a periodic legislative review of two important pieces of legislation – the Employment Standards Act and the Labour Relations Act. The Review Committee at the Ministry of Labour asked Canadian Disability Participation Project’s Employment Team Lead, Catherine Connelly, to present results of her research for their consideration. She focused on disabled employees in temporary agencies, and… Read more »
TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2015 /CNW/ – The leaders of Canada’s largest disability organizations serving upwards of four million Canadians with disabilities are urging government leaders, influencers and the public to support a new non-partisan campaign to introduce federal legislation to ensure accessibility, inclusion and equal opportunity for Canadians with disabilities, and to fulfill Canada’s commitments to the UN Convention on… Read more »
As the Americans with Disabilities Act turns 25 years old, interest is again mounting for a Canadians with Disabilities Act. With a federal election scheduled for October 2015, a coalition called Barrier-Free Canada has reiterated the call. Several high-profile disability organizations, including several of our partners, have joined the movement. Recently, Andre Picard wrote in the Globe and Mail that… Read more »
In 2014-15, CDPA conducted research for the Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities on the experience of disabled students in post-secondary education. The report provided a detailed analysis of policy governing access and supports for post-secondary education over the past 30 years. None of the legislation administered by the Ministry specifically mentions the situation of disabled students or the obligations… Read more »
If Canadian disability policy over the past 25 years has been effective in promoting equality and inclusion, then it stands to reason that the daily activities of people with disabilities should be looking more and more like those of their non-disabled counterparts. A test of this assumption has been conducted by the federal disability policy team of the CDPA. Canadian… Read more »
In collaboration with Dr. Catherine Connelly of the School of Business at McMaster University, we have conducted a scan of policy governing employment supports for people with disabilities in 14 jurisdictions in Canada – federal, provincial and territorial. This is the first of three reports supporting the work of each of the research teams of the CDPP. Similar reports will be forthcoming… Read more »
Recent data from the College of Family Physicians of Canada (2010) shows that only 17.5% of family practices are open to new patients. Given the acknowledged shortage of family physicians in all jurisdictions, the CDPA’s third accessibility initiative was a study that investigated whether patients with disabilities had greater difficulties finding a family physician in Ontario. Primary care is especially important for… Read more »
Members of the Canadian Disability Policy Alliance examined the Ontario election campaign of 2011 to identify the extent to which it “opened doors” to electoral participation for persons with disabilities. A recent publication, More Than Voting Booths: Accessibility of Electoral Campaigns for People with Disabilities in Ontario, outlines the findings. Obstacles to electoral involvement for persons with a disability are not… Read more »
Rarely are teacher associations a topic of investigation in inclusive education research, and yet they play a critical role in its implementation and efficacy. A study was conducted by members of the CDPA Education Team that explored the extent to which leaders of Canadian teacher associations were aware of inclusive education policy. Although every jurisdiction in Canada (federal and provincial)… Read more »
The next phase of the Canadian Disability Policy Alliance is part of a seven-year project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The project is led by Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, and will enhance the quantity and quality of community participation among Canadians living with a physical disability. More than 50 partners – ranging from community-based disability-related… Read more »
