DSRF Supports Fast-Tracking of Canada Disability Benefit Act
The Down Syndrome Resource Foundation is pleased to join more than 75 other Canadian disability organizations as a signatory to the following letter in support of the fast-tracking of Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act.
June 13, 2022
The Honourable Mark Holland, MP
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Mark.holland@parl.gc.ca
John Brassard, MP
House Leader of the Official Opposition
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
John.brassard@parl.gc.ca
Alain Therrien, MP
House Leader of the Bloc Québécois
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Alain.therrien@parl.gc.ca
Peter Julian, MP
House Leader of the NDP
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Peter.julian@parl.gc.ca
Dear House Leaders:
We are writing to you today as a collective of stakeholder organizations to urge you to work together to bring Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, back for second reading before the House of Commons rises for the summer break.
As you know, Bill C-22 has all-party support after the House delivered unanimous consent for MP Bonita Zarrillo’s (Port Moody-Coquitlam) May 10, 2022 motion for the government to bring forward the Canada Disability Benefit. Additionally, the April 28, 2022 report from the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities demonstrated a desire for this legislation to be speedily brought forward for the Committee’s review and study.
Most importantly, the urgent income insecurity and affordability crisis facing millions of people with disabilities in Canada coupled with the high inflation especially affecting the basic goods makes bringing this legislation back for second reading a critical and time- sensitive priority. The bill’s second reading will be a milestone event that will enable C- 22 to quickly move forward to its assigned Standing Committee and the remainder of the legislative process that follows.
We recognize that there are multiple legislative priorities and approximately 10 sitting days left before the House of Commons adjourns for the summer break. However, people with disabilities waited almost a year for the legislation to be re-introduced after its predecessor bill died on the Order Paper when Parliament dissolved for the 2021 general election. Our community simply cannot wait as another season passes by, not knowing whether our federal representatives will deliver on their support for the dignity and financial security of all people living with disabilities in Canada.
We would appreciate the favour of your reply with all possible haste.
Sincerely,
Disability Without Poverty – Rabia Khedr, National Director
Independent Living Canada – E. Anne MacRae, National Executive Director
L’Arche Canada – Louis Pilotte, Executive Director
March of Dimes Canada – Len Baker, President & CEO
Plan Institute – Stephanie Debisschop, Executive Director
Community Food Centres Canada – Nick Saul, CEO
Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN) – Rebecca Pauls, Executive Director
Finautonome – Guillaume Parent, Director
Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion – Richard Faucher, Co-Executive Director
With support from and in collaboration with:
Canadian Labour Congress – Bea Bruske, President
McConnell Foundation/ la Fondation McConnell – Lili-Anna Pereša C.Q., President and CEO/ Présidente directrice générale
United Way Centraide Canada – Dan Clement, President and CEO
Community Foundations of Canada – Andrew Chunilall, CEO
Imagine Canada – Bruce MacDonald, President & CEO
Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society (IRIS) – Michael Bach, Managing Director
Tamarack Institute – Danya Pastuszek, Co-Chief Executive Officer
Maytree – Elizabeth McIsaac, President
Health Providers Against Poverty – Dr. Talveer Mandur and Dr. Maggie Hulbert, Co- Chairs
Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship – Tim Stainton and Rachelle Hole, Directors
Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) – Maureen Haan, President and CEO
Prosper Canada – Elizabeth Mulholland, CEO
ABLE2 – Heather Lacey, Executive Director
Accessibility For All – Meenu Sikand, CEO
Accessible Housing Network – Kate Chung, Co-chair
Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians – Marcia Yale, National President
ATI Foundation – Selvamanikam Bhrapakaran, President
Avana Capital Corporation – Alan Broadbent, Chair
BC Complex Kids Society – Brenda Lenahan, Founder/ Director
BC People First Society – Dara Watson, President
BC Poverty Reduction Coalition – Rowan Burdge, Provincial Director
BGC Canada – Owen Charters, President & CEO
Brain Injury Canada – Michelle McDonald, Executive Director
Bridges to Belonging – Donnamarie Dunk, Executive Director
Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance – Jonathan Lai, Executive Director
Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence – James Janeiro, Director of Policy and Government Relations
Canadian Down Syndrome Society – Laura LaChance, Executive Director
Canadian Paraplegic Association Nova Scotia – Nancy Beaton, Executive Director
Christian Horizons – Janet Noel-Annable, Chief Executive Officer
CNIB – Angela Bonfanti, Acting President and CEO
Community Living Society – Janice Barr, Chief Executive Officer
Curiko – Janey Roh, Director
Daily Bread Food Bank, Toronto – Diane Dyson, Interim VP Research & Advocacy
DEEN Support Services – Omar Mansour, Chair
Disability Alliance BC – Helaine Boyd, Executive Director
Disability Pride Alberta Foundation – Andrea van Vugt, President
Down Syndrome Resource Foundation – Wayne Leslie, Chief Executive Officer
Every Canadian Counts – Dr. William Cowie, Executive Director
Extend-a-Family Waterloo Region – Allan Mills, Executive Director
Family Support Institute of BC – Angela Clancy, Executive Director
First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society – Adrienne Montani, Executive Director
Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet – Lorraine Green and Carole Holmes, Co-Chairs
Inclusion Alberta – Trish Bowman, Chief Executive Officer
Inclusion BC – Karla Verschoor, Executive Director
Inclusion Langley Society – Daniel Collins, Chief Executive Officer
Inclusion Press – Jack Pearpoint and Lynda Kahn, Co-Directors
Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) – Melinda Ferslisi, Executive Director
Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security – Sarah Stern, Leader
Momentum – Jeff Loomis, Executive Director
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada – Benjamin Davis, Senior Vice-President,
Mission Network for the Advancement of Black Communities – Amanuel Melles, Executive Director
ODSP Action Coalition – Kyle Vose, Agency Co-Chair
Ontario Disability Coalition – Sherry Caldwell, Executive Director
Partners for Planning – Jeff Dobbin, Executive Director
PLAN Calgary – Dawn Leonard, Executive Director
posAbilities Association of British Columbia – Fernando Coelho, Chief Executive Officer
Poverty Free Halton – Maureen Weinberger, Chair
Race & Disability Canada – Rafia Haniff-Cleofas, Chair
Rick Hansen Foundation – Doramy Ehling, CEO
SEED Winnipeg Inc. – Louise Simbandumwe and Carinna D’Abramo Rosales, Co- Director
Single Mothers’ Alliance – Viveca Ellis, Executive Director
Skills Society: Supporting the Citizenship of people with disabilities – Ben Weinlick, Executive Director
Spectrum Society for Community Living – Ernie Baatz, Executive Director
Spinal Cord Injury BC – Edward Milligan, Chair
Spinal Cord Injury Canada – Bill Adair, Executive Director
Spinal Cord Injury Manitoba – Dan Joanisse, Interim Executive Director
Spinal Cord Injury PEI – Glen Flood, Executive Director
Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan – Launel J. Scott, Executive Director
The New Brunswick Coalition of Persons with Disabilities/ La Coalition des Personnes Handicapées du Nouveau Brunswick – Shelley Petit, Chairperson
Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group – Eugene Lefrancois, President
UNITI – Doug Tennant, CEO
Vela Canada – Kim Thomas and Caitlin Goodsell, Co-Executive Directors
Voice of Albertans with Disabilities – Margot Brunner, Executive Director
Women of Halton Action Movement – Steering Committee
CC:
The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister
The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister
The Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
Kevin Murphy, Director of Policy (Disability Issues), Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
Hon. Candice Bergen, Interim Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Yves-François Blanchet, Chef du Bloc Québécois
Jagmeet Singh – Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada
Brenda Shanahan, Caucus Chair, Liberal Party of Canada
Scott Reid, Caucus Chair, Conservative Party of Canada
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Présidente du caucus, Bloc Québécois
Jenny Kwan, Caucus Chair, New Democratic Party of Canada
Stephanie Kusie, Critic for Disability Inclusion, Conservative Party of Canada
Louise Chabot, Députée, personnes handicapées, Bloc Québécois
Bonita Zarrillo, Critic, Disability Inclusion, New Democratic Party of Canada
Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities: Robert J. Morrissey, MP Chad Collins, MP Michael Coteau, MP Marc Dalton, MP Marilyn Gladu, MP Ron Liepert, MP Wayne Long, MP Soraya Martinez Ferrada, MP Tony Van Bynen, MP
Mike Morrice, MP