Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee

Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario
35 McCaul Street, Suite 310
Toronto, Ontario M5T IV7
(416) 979-5514 Fax: (416) 979-0849
Contact: Steve Kean

February 5, 1997

The Hon. Marilyn Mushinski
Minister of Citizenship,
Culture & Recreation
77 Bloor Street West, 6th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2R9

Dear Ms. Mushinski:

I am writing on behalf of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee in response to your letters to me dated November 27, 1996 and January 13, 1997. We very much appreciate that in both of your letters to us, as well as in response to questions presented in the Legislative Assembly and elsewhere on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, you declare in vague and general terms your commitment to removing barriers confronting people with disabilities. We are, however, very concerned that you have provided no specific or direct answers to the key questions of concern to the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee, namely when and how you shall be undertaking public consultations on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and when the Ontarians with Disabilities Act will be introduced in the Ontario Legislature for debate and passage.

We are therefore writing to reiterate our request that we have an opportunity to meet with you as soon as possible to discuss these specific questions. We also wish to provide you with a copy of the Brief which we have prepared for submission to the Ontario Legislature's Standing Committee on Social Development for its hearings into the impact of budget cuts on persons with disabilities on February 3, 1997. We would appreciate your written response to the five specific recommendations set out at the conclusion of our Brief, which provide as follows:

1. The Ontario Government should now act promptly to keep its written election promise to enact the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. It should immediately announce the date for the introduction of a bill into the Legislature.
2. Premier Harris should now agree to meet with representatives of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee, consistent with his written election promise to work together with this important community coalition.
3. Disability Minister Mushinski should forthwith agree to meet with representatives of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee, to work out a prompt and effective planfor full, accessible and meaningful public consultations leading to the introduction of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act in the Legislature.
4. The Ontario Government should put on hold major plans for downsizing, budgetcutting and off-loading of provincial programs until the Ontarians with Disabilities Act is enacted and in force.
5. The Ontario Government should commit itself to ensure that any budget cuts, downsizing, restructuring or off-loading does not have any disproportionate harmful impact on persons with disabilities. It should appoint an independent body to ensure that this commitment is met, consistent with the aims and spirit of the proposed Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Please address replies to: M. David Lepofsky, Co-chair
Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee
c/o Deborah Thynn
The Canadian Hearing Society
271 Spadina Road
Toronto, Ontario M5R 2V3

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