ODA COMMITTEE
NEW YEAR'S ACTION KIT

January 5, 1999

|   The Message   |   How You Can Help   |
|  Sample Letter to the Premier  |
|   |Sample Letter to Conservative MPPs   |
|  Links  |

UNITED TO ACHIEVE A BARRIER-FREE ONTARIO
FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT'S BILL 83 QUIETLY DIES

From the moment the Ontario Government introduced its short, 3-page Bill 83 last November 23, it was denounced right across Ontario as an empty, ineffective law that was a slap in the face to one and one half million Ontarians with disabilities. Our call for Bill 83 to be replaced by a meaningful bill was echoed by a quickly spreading range of voices. This included not only the disability community but many others, including a number of newspaper editorials such as the Toronto Star's. Confronted with this, the Harris Government quietly let Bill 83 die on the Legislature's order paper when the Legislature rose for the holidays on December 17, 1998. It died a short period of just over three weeks after Bill 83 was born. No one shall mourn its passing.

This leaves Ontarians with disabilities right back where they were three and one half years ago when the current Ontario Government took office. We have nothing, but unkept election promises, with a new election coming at any time. The Government has indicated its intention to reintroduce this bill when it resumes sitting, likely in March. It has given no commitments whatsoever that it would revamp the bill before re-introducing it, so that it would embody the 11 important principles that the Legislature unanimously adopted on October 29 of last year. Nothing less than a bill that fulfils those principles is acceptable.

To kick off the New Year, the ODA Committee has written Premier Harris, to ask him to end his boycott against meeting with us. Only if he is prepared to sit down and work together directly with us, as he promised in the last election, to make this bill strong and effective, can he show that he has any intention of keeping his election promises to Ontarians with disabilities.

AT THE CROSS-ROADS - WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

With Bill 83 now dead, we are committed to two major strategies in the final months of this Government's term. First, we are going to maintain and step up the pressure to have this Government introduce and pass an Ontarians with Disabilities Act that is strong and effective, and which embodies all 11 principles that we have formulated and the Legislature has adopted. Second, we want to start right now to prepare for the upcoming election, so that we can make the votes of people with disabilities, count, as well as the votes of others who care about people with disabilities. The disability vote is going to become a real and meaningful force in Ontario, starting in 1999.

We encourage you to take as many of the following steps as possible. Let us know what you are able to do. With an election looming, your actions can have an even greater impact than ever.

1. Organize local events, public forums, meetings, or even just informal gatherings to spread the word and to get others to write letters or to make phone calls to MPPs. Encourage your local disability organizations to help with these events. Invite the media and local MPPs from all three parties to come and hear your views. No matter how big or small, these events are a huge help.

2. Get our latest ODA poster from our Web Site or by contacting us at the above address. Make copies and put it up in public places wherever you can.

3. Spread the word in the disability community and beyond the disability community. Get friends, family, co-workers and others involved in these activities. Encourage local community organizations to join in the effort.

4. Again write, fax, phone and/or visit Premier Harris and as many members of his caucus as possible. Sample letters are set out below. Conservative MPPs addresses are available on our Web Site, or by contacting us at the address above. Send us copies of your letters and any responses you receive.

5. Start thinking up ideas for the next election, and let us know about them. Check now to make sure that you are on the voters' list. If you are not sure how to do this, you can call your MPPs office, the office of any of the three political parties or Elections Ontario. Elections Ontario has a web site at www.electionsontario.on.ca or you can phone them at (416) 321-3000 or at their toll-free number at 1-800-668-2727 (Ontario only).

Try to organize people with disabilities to make sure they are on the voters' list as well. Also make sure that the local party offices know that you expect this to be an accessible election and will be watching to make sure that material is available in alternative formats, that sign interpreters and note takers are available, and that meetings are held in accessible settings.

KEEP US POSTED ON CHANGES OF ADDRESS

Please let us know at the above address if you have changed your address, and whether you have an E-mail address that we can use to contact you.

Let's make 1999 a happy and barrier-free new year for Ontarians with disabilities!

SAMPLE LETTER TO PREMIER HARRIS

Hon. Premier Mike Harris
Room 281, Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A1

Dear Premier Harris

I was very hurt and angry by the worthless 3-page Bill 83 your Government introduced into the Legislature on November 23, 1998. It was not worthy of the name "Ontarians with Disabilities Act." Your bill did not require a single barrier facing people with disabilities to be removed by anyone ever. It had no enforcement, and nothing to enforce.

In the last election, you promised an Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and to work with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee to develop it. You have broken both promises. Your Government claims that Bill 83 was better than anything that has been drafted for people with disabilities anywhere in Canada. That is just not true.

Now that you let Bill 83 die in the Legislature just over three weeks after it was introduced, it is time for you to draft a real, meaningful bill that fulfils the Legislature's unanimous resolution on October 29, 1998 demanding that this new law be strong and effective. It is time for you to end your boycott against meeting with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee. After all, this is the very group that you promised to work together with to develop this new law.

With an election coming up, the votes of people with disabilities, numbering one and a half million, are going to count. This issue is very important to me. It will play an important role on how I choose to vote, and how I recommend others around me to vote. I want to hear from you on this as soon as possible. I ask that you not simply refer this letter to the Citizenship Minister. We all know that it is you, and not she, who is making the decisions.

Sincerely,

SAMPLE LETTER TO OTHER CONSERVATIVE MPPS

To:

Dear _

I was very hurt and angry by the worthless 3 page Bill 83 your Government introduced into the Legislature on November 23, 1998. It was not worthy of the name "Ontarians with Disabilities Act." Your bill did not require a single barrier facing people with disabilities to be removed by anyone ever. It had no enforcement, and nothing to enforce.

In the last election, Premier Harris promised an Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and to work with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee to develop it. Your Government has broken both promises. Your Government claims that Bill 83 was better than anything that has been drafted for people with disabilities anywhere in Canada. That is just not true.

Now that your Government let Bill 83 die in the Legislature just over three weeks after it was introduced, it is time for your Government to draft a real, meaningful bill that fulfils the Legislature's unanimous resolution on October 29, 1998 demanding that this new law be strong and effective. It is time for Premier Harris to end his boycott against meeting with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee. After all, this is the very group that he promised to work together with to develop this new law.

With an election coming up, the votes of people with disabilities, numbering one and a half million, are going to count. This issue is very important to me. It will play an important role on how I choose to vote, and how I recommend others around me to vote. I want to hear from you on this as soon as possible. I ask that you not simply refer this letter to the Citizenship Minister. I want to know your views, and plan to share your answer with others when I receive it.

Sincerely,

Links

Email Premier Harris directly

Addresses of Conservative MPPs

Regional Contacts of the ODA Committee

previous Action Act re: Bill 83

 

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Last updated Friday, January 22, 1999