ODA Action Tip
February 18, 2001

Let's Make the ODA a Prominent Issue
in the Parry Sound - Muskoka
March 22, 2001 By-Election

A provincial by-election has been called for Thursday, March 22,
2001 in the Parry Sound Muskoka riding, to fill the vacancy,
created when Conservative Treasurer Ernie Eves resigned. No party
has yet selected their candidate for this by-election.

The ODA Committee wants to make the Ontarians with Disabilities Act
a prominent issue in this by-election. The ODA Committee's Hamilton Region
and ODA supporters did an excellent job of raising the ODA in last
September's by-election in Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot.
Let's repeat that success here.

As a non-partisan coalition, we do not seek to elect any particular
person. As we did in the 1999 provincial election, and the 2000
Hamilton by-election, we have three goals here:

1. to get commitments from as many candidates as possible to
   support a strong ODA;
   
   
2. to let the public know about the records of the three parties
   on the ODA issue, and
   
   
3. to encourage voters to make the ODA issue a major factor in
   their decision when they vote in this bi-election.
   
   

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

Here are ideas on what you can do to help. These ideas focus
largely on people who live in or near this riding. If you live
outside this riding, you can also help a great deal by getting our
message out to people you know who live in the riding, and/or by
visiting the riding yourself.

You are encouraged to bring to the attention of voters the need for
a strong and effective ODA, and the record of the three parties on
this issue.

The Conservatives promised to enact the ODA in their first term,
but have never kept that promise, even though they are well into
their second term. The Liberals and NDP both have actively
supported a strong and effective ODA, and have repeatedly pressed
the Harris Government to keep its broken promises to us.

1. Action Tips Before Each Party Nominates its Candidate

None of the three parties have yet selected their candidates for
this bi-election. The media reports that there are three
candidates for the Conservative nomination. They will likely
nominate their candidates quickly.

You can quickly get the ODA raised during the nomination process,
by:

• Contacting candidates for nomination by each party. Encourage
  them to endorse enactment of a strong, mandatory ODA by November
  23, 2001. The ODA should comply with the 11 principles we have
  put forward, and which the Legislature unanimously approved by
  resolution on October 29, 1998. Inform them of the Government's
  record on this issue to date.
  
  
• Letting the media know the positions on the ODA issue of each
  candidate for nomination.
  
  
• Attending a party's candidate nomination meetings or any debates
  among those seeking nomination, and publicly ask them about their
  position on the ODA. Let the public attending those meetings know
  about the ODA issue and why this is important to voters. It will
  be especially interesting to see what position is put forward by
  those seeking the Conservative Party's nomination. Will they
  defend the Harris Government's record on the ODA, or will they seek
  a mandate to go to Queen's Park to urge the Harris Government to be
  more supportive of a strong, mandatory ODA?
  
  

2. During the Bi-Election Campaign Itself

Here are steps you can take throughout the campaign. You do not
need to wait until all three parties have nominated their candidates:

• Publicize the ODA issue in your local media. Inform reporters
  about this election issue. Write guest columns and letters to the
  editor. Phone in to radio call-in shows. Call or visit your local
  news media and urge that they give this issue real profile during
  the campaign.
  
  
• Let other voters know how important this issue is to you, and
  encourage them to take it into account when deciding how to vote.
  You can do this at public meetings or even by word of mouth.
  
  
• Find out when all-candidates debates are. Attend them, and
  raise the ODA issue with the candidates. Let us know when and
  where these debates will occur so we can pass the word on to
  others.
  
  
• Insist that this by-election be fully barrier-free.
  
  
• Read through this site for ideas on election action, posted during
  the 1999 election campaign.
  
  
• Circulate this action tip on the Internet, and print it up to
  distribute to others in hard-copy form.
  
  
• If you are part of a province-wide community organization, notify
  your offices in or near the Parry Sound Muskoka riding. Urge them
  to distribute this action tip and to do what they can to get the
  word out. Also, encourage them to do whatever they can to help
  ensure that all voters with disabilities will be able to get to the
  polling booths and to vote without facing barriers.

Let us know what you are doing regarding this by-election. Send us
any media coverage.

Contact our ODA Committee Regional Contacts in Parry Sound at:

Mr. Bob Foster and Ms. Kathie Horne
1-10 Belvedere Dr.
Parry Sound, ON P2A 1Z9
Tel: 705-746-8084
Fax: 705-746-1515
Email: rkfoshor@vianet.on.ca

 

Website maintained by Barbara Anello

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Last updated February 19, 2001