PRESS RELEASE

December 3rd, 1999

Friday December 3, 1999:   For Immediate Release

Ontarians With Disabilities Act Committee

WILL U.N. INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WITNESS PROGRESS FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES?

Friday December 3, 1999::   Ontarians with disabilities will be waiting to see whether today, the UN's official International Day for Persons with Disabilities, will witness real progress towards their goal of having Ontario become a barrier-free society. Numbering 1.5 million, Ontarians with disabilities face many serious barriers every day of their lives when they seek access to jobs, goods, facilities and services.

"We are eager to learn whether the Ontario Government will take this important occasion to unveil its action plan for the promised Ontarians with Disabilities Act", said David Lepofsky, chair of the province-wide non-partisan Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee. "The October Throne Speech committed that we would see an action plan on this proposed legislation in this session. There is no better day for a real and concrete announcement on that front than today, the day which the U.N. has marked for real progress towards equal opportunity and full participation for all people with disabilities around the world."

In the 1995 election campaign, Premier Harris promised to enact the Ontarians with Disabilities Act in his first term to tear down the barriers which block people with disabilities from access to jobs, goods, services and facilities. Ten days ago, on November 23, the Ontario Legislature for the third time passed a unanimous resolution calling on the Government to at last keep this promise. This last resolution imposed a two-year deadline for this new law to be passed.

 

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