Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee
May 27, 1997
The Hon. Dave Johnson
Chair, Management Board of Cabinet
Ferguson Block, 12th Floor
77 Wellesley Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1N3
Dear Mr. Johnson:
Re: Ontarians with Disabilities Act
I am writing on behalf of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee, a voluntary coalition of individuals and community organizations which have united to advocate for a strong new law in Ontario to achieve a barrier-free society by the year 2000 - the new law to be called the Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
I wanted to confirm the content of our discussion outside the Legislative Chamber at Queen's Park on Thursday May 15, 1997, just after Question Period. I brought to your attention the fact that Premier Harris refused to meet with representatives of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee who had come to Queen's Park on May 15, to commemorate the first anniversary since the passage of the all-party resolution calling on the government to keep its promise to enact an Ontarians with Disabilities Act. I asked you to ask the Premier to meet with us. You agreed to pass along our request. I also asked if you could get back to us with his response.
I wish to reiterate that request, and look forward to hearing from you as to the results of your discussion with the Premier.
Also, during our discussion, I asked whether you as House Leader for the government side, would be prepared to give high priority to the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. You indicated to me that once the Minister of Citizenship, Marilyn Mushinski, had an act ready for introduction into the House, you would do whatever you could to expedite it. We very much appreciate this commitment from you and will be in touch with you to follow up once Ms. Mushinski completes her task of developing the legislation.
We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
David Lepofsky,
Co-chair
cc: Dalton McGuinty
Dominic Agostino
Gilles Morin
Marion Boyd
Frances Lankin
Hon. Marilyn Mushinski
Howard Hampton
Hon. Mike Harris