In a debate focusing on accessibility and the programs to support people with disabilities in Canada, debate moderator Marcy Markusa, host of CBC’s Information Radio show couldn’t get much disagreement between candidates.
Although they were extended an invitation, and questions that would be part of the debate were sent in advance to Manitoba political parties running in the federal election, the Manitoba Conservative party and Peoples Party of Canada did not send any candidates to participate in the debate organized by the Manitoba League for Persons With Disabilities (MLPD). Candidates Leah Gazan (re-elected MP for Winnipeg Centre), Gary Gervais (Green Party Winnipeg Centre), Cam Scott, (Communist Party Winnipeg South), and Ian McIntyre, (Liberal Elmwood-Transcona) participated in the debate, and Animal Protection Party candidate Debra Wall (Winnipeg Centre) was in attendance at the event.
All candidates were in agreement that although the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) was a good piece of legislation, in practice, disabled Canadians are being left to fight their own battles. Gazan was also concerned that one of the first moves by new Liberal party leader Mark Carney was to remove some ministerial positions that focused on human rights, including the Minister of Women and Gender Equality, and Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities.
Candidates agreed that the federal government has created a number of supports but “they are just not being implemented or enforced,” said Green Party’s Gervais. He also watched as a non-profit housing provider was left to expire, and purchased by a for-profit business, saying that to provide the same number of affordable housing units today would be “tens of millions of dollars.”
Gazan said “We know the disability benefit is not enough, people shouldn’t have to be placed in a position in the first place to have to prove that they’re disabled enough to get the benefit.” She also highlighted that Jordan’s Principle program was brought about through a court case, and “not done in good faith.”
MacIntyre, a retired teacher who worked with students with disabilities said some positive initiatives from the federal government include funding to cover the cost of providing doctors’ notes, 154 Million to “make churches and community centres more accessible with ramps and infrastructure,” and the disability tax credit (DTC), a $200 amonth benefit which will start this July. But when, as an afterthought MacIntyre added that the federal government programs “aren’t advertised very well,” all the candidates chimed in to agree.
Gazan said that some provinces and territories will claw back the DTC ( (the Manitoba provincial government has announced that it won’t), and that the amount should be doubled. Gervais eventually told Marcusa that “maybe the debate would be more interesting if there were more diverse viewpoints.”
MLPD executive director Melissa Graham told The Leaf she hoped that the federal government will immediately cut the red tape that has plagued the DTC, and that it will be automatically be attached to other benefits that disabled persons have qualified for (such as a provincial benefit and designation already in place).
“I would like to see some funding to organizations to provide help to navigate the DTC,” says Graham. After the election, “that would be the main priority,” she said.
Manitoba Chiefs from across the province organized a rally to “rock the vote” and highlight the backlog of 150,000 outstanding cases of Jordan’s Principle funding for educational, mental health, medical equipment needs and therapy for First Nation and Inuit children and youth with disabilities on April 25 at the forks in the lead-up to the election. Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Chief Angela Levasseur called on media to stop portraying First Nation communities in a negative light, and to honour treaty obligations in healthcare.
Chief of Brokenhead treaty Nation Gord Bluesky said “I’m proud of the work that we have going on… As first nations leaders we are tired of our people being portrayed in a negative way.”
Southern Chief Organization’s grand Chief Jerry Daniels introduced the organizations youth Chief Lacy Bird, from Black River First Nation. “Our youth deserve the a life full of opportunity provided by Jordan’s principal. And it’s really sad that it took a baby to lose his life for this to happen for a youth. It upsets me a lot and I’m carrying this bear and it has the weight of a baby and it’s just like I can’t imagine the pain that his mother felt when she lost him. And so I just wanted to say that I’m so glad that everyone’s here. I’m so thankful for you all.”
“We will be the change, and we will not stop until we see that change happening in every single one of our young people’s lives. That’s what it’s about, it is about creating the best possible future for our children. ” said Daniels.
“The government has failed our children, but we will not stand and watch this happen,” said Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee. “We are going to keep the government accountable. Children are sacred. This is important, this is critical, we have to rock the vote because our nations depend on it to move our nations forward.”
CAPTION:Trechelle Bunn, Chief of Birdtail Sioux First Nation, and thought to be the youngest Chief elected in Canada spoke at the rally calling for the end to the backlog of approvals for Jordan’s Principle programming.
