ODA Committee Update
dated August 27, 2003
posted August 29, 2003

ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMMITTEE UPDATE ODA Committee Presses Ahead With Its Call For A Barrier-Free Provincial Election August 27, 2003 SUMMARY There are strong rumours that Premier Eves will call the much-anticipated provincial election next Wednesday, September 3, 2003, for an October 2 vote. Back on March 26, 2003, the ODA Committee kicked off its campaign to call for this year's anticipated provincial election to be barrier-free for all voters with disabilities. We want to ensure that all voters with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of the provincial election, including being able to vote, to get into polling stations, to attend and participate in all-candidates debates, and to be able to read all campaign and Elections Ontario literature in accessible formats. With an election call looming, we want to update you on what is happening on this front. We launched this campaign by our letter to the Chief Elections Officer John Hollins on March 26, 2003. You can see that letter at: http://www.odacommittee.net/news83.html Mr. Hollins originally wrote us back on April 22, 2003. His letter is set out below. He expresses appreciation for our contacting him and undertakes to review our suggestions. He also wrote Liberal Disability critic Ernie Parsons on May 13, 2003. there he provides further details on Elections Ontario's actions in this area. That letter is set out below as well. The ODA Committee wrote Mr. Hollins a follow-up letter on July 23, 2003. That letter is set out below. In it we ask for specific information on steps to be taken to ensure a barrier-free election, and again offer our help. Mr. Hollins responded by a letter to us dated August 8, 2003, but received on August 21, 2003. You can see that letter below. Finally, Liberal MPP Steve Peters, who is also the former Liberal Party Disability Critic, wrote Mr. Hollins on August 13, 2003, to support our request. His letter is set out below. With all this activity, it remains to be seen whether this election will be barrier-free for all voters with disabilities. It is important to emphasize that the Chief Elections Officer does not control all aspects of the campaign. For example, he cannot ensure that every all-candidates' debate is fully accessible and barrier-free for all voters with disabilities. We encourage you to write letters to the editor to newspapers around Ontario to talk about how important it is that this provincial election be barrier-free for voters with disabilities. For email addresses for Ontario newspapers and tips on how to write a letter to the editor, visit: http://www.odacommittee.net/action-tip36.html The Conservative Government promised Ontarians with disabilities a barrier-free province. A provincial election is a fundamental part of our democracy. There is no reason why an election in 2003 should not be barrier-free. ***** Elections Ontario 51 Rolark Drive Toronto, Ontario M1R 3B1 April 22, 2003 Mr. David Lepofsky Chair Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee c/o Marg Thomas 1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4G 3E8 Dear Mr. Lepofsky: This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter concerning the application of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. I noted with interest the correspondence which you have had previously with this office. We continue our preparations for the pending provincial general election, expected within the next year. We will be reviewing the issues which you have raised in your letter. If we require your assistance with any additional information, I hope that you will allow us to contact you. Thank you very much for making us aware of your concerns. Yours sincerely, John L. Hollins Chief Election Officer ***** Elections Ontario 51 Rolark Drive Toronto, Ontario M1R 3B1 May 13, 2003 Mr. Ernie Parsons, M.P.P. Prince Edward-Hastings Room 421, Main Legislative Building Queen's Park Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A4 Dear Mr. Parsons: This is further to the letter which you wrote to me concerning persons with disabilities. I would like to apologize to you for not replying in a more timely manner, however, we have been working on our plans for the pending general election. Over the past number of months Elections Ontario, through an outreach programme, has been in contact with many organizations representing Ontarians with disabilities. As a result of this consultation, and because we have been examining all aspects of the election process in light of the enactment of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, we are presently contemplating changes to a number of our administrative procedures to facilitate access to the election process. As examples, we will be supplying ballot templates and magnifiers to every polling place, our publications issued during the election will be available in alternative formats such as large print and on audio cassette and our television ads will include closed captioning. In addition, the call centre responding to our advertised toll-free number will be equipped with a TTY machine. It is important to note, however, that it is the Election Act which provides the legislative framework for the election process and it is not within my authority to change the legislation. Please be assured, though, that this review of the process has also served to highlight areas of the legislation where, at the earliest opportunity provided to me after the election, I will be making recommendations for amendments to the Election Act. Thank you very much for bringing these important concerns to my attention. Yours sincerely, John L. Hollins Chief Election Officer ***** ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMMITTEE c/o Marg Thomas 1929 Bayview Avenue, Toronto ON M4G 3E8 Tel: (Voice direct) 416-480-7686 Fax: 416-480-7014 Voice mail: 416-480-7012 email: oda@odacommittee.net TTY: c/o Susan Main 416 964-0023 ex. 343 Web site: www.odacommittee.net July 23, 2003 John L. Hollins Chief Election Officer 51 Rolark Drive Scarborough, Ontario M1R 3B1 Fax (416) 326-6200 Dear Sir, Re: Ensuring A Barrier-Free Provincial Election for Voters with Disabilities I again write on behalf of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee. We are a voluntary, non-partisan, province-wide coalition of individuals and community organizations. We have united to achieve a barrier-free Ontario for some 1.9 million Ontarians with disabilities through the enactment and effective implementation of a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act. On March 26, 2003 we wrote you a detailed letter to address the need for positive steps to be taken to ensure that the forthcoming provincial election will be barrier-free for all voters with disabilities. We want to ensure that all voters with disabilities can fully participate in this important democratic process. We very much appreciate your April 22, 2003 letter in response. In it you indicated that you would want to call upon us if you require any further assistance. As well, Mr. Ernie Parsons, MPP (LIB) was kind enough to give us a copy of your May 13, 2003 letter to him. In that letter, you indicate some steps your office is taking to address barriers in the election process. We are very eager to learn more about the steps that your office is taking to ensure a barrier-free election. Because the election was initially expected to be called last spring, but has now been delayed at least until this fall, there is extra time to address this important issue. We want to do what we can to help. In addition to the numerous items we mentioned in our March 26, 2003 letter to you, we would like to suggest that your office issue a commitment to make this a barrier-free election insofar as your jurisdiction goes. We also would recommend that your office establish and advertise a toll-free 1-800 Elections Disability Barriers Hotline. This hotline could be in operation during the formal period of the provincial election campaign, once the election is called. If a person encounters a disability barrier in the election, this hotline could be available for them to immediately report a complaint and seek corrective action by your office. We would be pleased to do what we can to assist you in publicizing such a hotline. This recommendation is especially important since it will be necessary for corrective action to be taken very quickly if there is a barrier, e.g. if one is discovered on voting day. If a voter with a disability encounters a barrier and has to go through the protracted process of filing a human rights complaint, the election would be long over before a resolution would be reached. We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, David Lepofsky, C.M. Chair Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee cc: The Hon. Ernie Eves 325-7578 Carl DeFaria 326-9338 Chris Stockwell 325-7755 Dalton McGuinty 325-9895 Dwight Duncan 325-2201 Steve Peters 325-7262 Ernie Parsons 325-4757 Howard Hampton 325-8222 Peter Kormos 325-7067 Marilyn Churley 325-3252 Tony Martin 325-3720 Nadia Temple, Director, Accessibility Directorate Jeff Adams, Chair, Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario ***** Elections Ontario August 8, 2003 David Lepofsky Chairman Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee 1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4G 3E8 Dear Mr. Lepofsky: Thank you for your letter of July 23, 2003 reiterating your concerns about access to the election process for Ontarians with disabilities. Elections Ontario's ongoing outreach program can only succeed with the support of organizations like yours. We value your input and recommendations in helping us ensure a fair and accessible election process for all Ontarians. With regard to your suggestion of a toll-free hotline for Ontarians with disabilities, we are, in fact, considering this approach and will confirm the details with you, shortly. Equally important, I want to assure you that our call centre representatives and their supervisors will continue to receive sensitivity training, with specific emphasis on customer service to individuals with disabilities who may choose to use our regular lines. As noted earlier, we have a TTY line and this also will be staffed by trained individuals. Again, thank you for your continued support of our efforts to ensure, as noted in our Strategic Plan, that "our procedures and practices must accommodate electors with disabilities." Sincerely, John L. Hollins Chief Election Officer ***** August 13, 2003 Mr. John L. Hollins, Chief Election Officer Elections Ontario 51 Rolark Drive Toronto, ON M1R 3B1 Dear Mr. Hollins: Please find enclosed a letter from Mr. David Lepofsky, Chairperson of Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee. As you will read in his letter, Mr. Lepofsky has written to you for a second time this year in an attempt that steps are taken to ensure that the upcoming provincial election will be barrier-free for all voters with disabilities. In addition to the issues raised in his previous letter, Mr. Lepofsky is now suggesting your office establish and advertise a toll-free Elections Disability Barriers Hotline. The purpose of this 1-800 phone line would be for those experiencing a disability barrier during the election process to report a complaint which your office would quickly respond to. Mr. Hollins, I encourage you to do as much as you can to ensure that this upcoming provincial election is barrier-free for all Ontarians. I would appreciate your reviewing the letter, responding to Mr. Lepofsky and forwarding a copy of your correspondence to my office. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Steve Peters, M.P.P. Elgin-Middlesex-London Cc: Mr. David Lepofsky, Chairperson, Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee Honourable Ernie Eves, Premier of Ontario Mr. Ernie Parsons, Ontario Liberal Critic for the Disabled

Top of Page

 

Website maintained by Barbara Anello

Please email your feedback on the website.

Last updated August 29, 2003