ODA COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 1999
ACTION TIP

There has been so much enthusiasm about our our great victory in getting the Ontario Legislature to unanimously pass its resolution on November 23, 1999 that requires that a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act be enacted no later than 2 years from then, namely November 23, 2001. This enthusiasm has been mixed with real, heart-felt frustration at the speeches of the Citizenship Minister Helen Johns and other Conservative MPPs during the debate. They did not emphasize the need for a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act in their speeches, nor did they reveal real awareness of the hardships that people with disabilities face in Ontario today.

How can you help right now in building on this victory? Why not write a letter to the editor of as many newspapers as possible, expressing how you feel about this important victory. Tell them about barriers you face and why you need a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Indicate what you thought of the attitudes reflected in the various speeches during the debate? We again offer to E mail you the ntext of that debate if you want it sent directly to you. Just write to oda@odacommittee.net Share how you feel about the fact that Premier Harris did not show up for the November 23 debate and vote for this resolution.

If your local newspaper, radio station or TV station did not cover this event, why not write, fax, E mail or phone them to indicate how you feel about this lack of coverage, and to encourage them to cover this issue more in the future. Its certainly not too late for them to do an item now about the importance of this resolution to you in your local community. Encourage others to take these actions too.

Keep us posted via the E mail address listed above on any steps you take, and about any letters to the editor that get published. More ideas for action will be coming in the near future. Of course, please send us your additional ideas for other kinds of actions which might be considered by supporters of a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Links

Email Premier Harris directly

List of MPPs by Riding

Regional Contacts of the ODA Committee

December 1999 Action Kit

November 1999 Action Kit

previous Action Act re: ONTARIO ELECTION ACTION KIT dated August 12, 1999

previous Action Act re: ONTARIO ELECTION ACTION KIT dated April 15, 1999

previous Action Act re: GETTING READY FOR NEW BILL ACTION KIT dated March 1, 1999

previous Action Act re: NEW YEAR'S ACTION KIT

previous Action Act re: BILL 83 ACTION KIT