ODA Action Tip
August 26, 2001

Let's Make the ODA a Prominent Issue
in Toronto's Beaches East York
September 20th By-Election

 

A provincial by-election has been called for Thursday, September
20, 2001 in the Toronto riding of Beaches East York, to fill the
vacancy created when NDP MPP and strong ODA supporter,
Frances Lankin resigned her seat in the Legislature.

As of this date, only the NDP has selected its candidate, Michael Prue.

The ODA Committee wants to make the Ontarians with Disabilities
Act a prominent issue in this by-election. We want to follow in
the great successes over the past year in three previous by-
elections.

In the Hamilton, Parry Sound and York regions, our
local ODA supporters did a fantastic job of focusing public
attention on the ODA.

As a non-partisan coalition, we do not seek to elect any
particular person. As we did in the 1999 provincial election, and
the 2000 Hamilton by-election, we have three goals here:

 

1. to get commitments from as many candidates as possible to
   support a strong ODA;
   
   
2. to let the public know about the records of the three parties
   on the ODA issue, and
   
   
3. to encourage voters to make the ODA issue a major factor in
   their decision when they vote in this by-election.

We want to ensure that the new MPP for this riding is as strong
an ODA supporter as was Frances Lankin. We also benefit from
getting public attention on the ODA in September as part of our
broader strategy of being ready for the anticipated introduction
of an ODA bill by the Government this fall.

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

If you can help with our efforts, even devoting a small amount of
time, please contact:

Mr. Eddie Rice
Phone (416) 229-9790
Email eddieoda@hotmail.com

Here are ideas on what you can do to help. These ideas focus
largely on people who live in the Toronto area, and especially
those who live in or near this riding. Even if you are not in
this riding, you live outside this riding, you can also help a
great deal by getting our message out to people you know who live
in the riding, and/or by visiting the riding yourself.

You are encouraged to bring to the attention of voters the need
for a strong and effective ODA, and the record of the three
parties on this issue.

The Conservatives promised to enact the ODA in their first term,
but have never kept that promise, even though they are well into
their second term. The Liberals and NDP both have actively
supported a strong and effective ODA, and have repeatedly pressed
the Harris Government to keep its broken promises to us.

Here are steps you can take throughout the campaign. You do not
need to wait until all three parties have nominated their
candidates:

* download, print up and widely distribute our new ODA by-
election fact sheet. This pamphlet can be printed on both sides
of one page. Organize people to hand these out in public places,
or leave them where public information is generally distributed.
If you print it on two sheets, you can also post it on general
bulletin boards. If you get it in an electronic format, you can
email it widely to people in the Beaches East York riding. You
can get this by-election fact sheet from:
http://www.odacommittee.net/by-election_factsheet.html

* find out when all-candidates debates are. Attend them, and
raise the ODA issue with the candidates. Let us know when and
where these debates will occur so we can pass the word on to
others.

* Publicize the ODA issue in your local media. Inform reporters
about this election issue. Write guest columns and letters to the
editor. Phone in to radio call-in shows. Call or visit your local
news media and urge that they give this issue real profile during
the campaign.

* Let other voters know how important this issue is to you, and
encourage them to take it into account when deciding how to vote.
You can do this at public meetings or even by word of mouth.

* Insist that this by-election be fully barrier-free.

* Circulate this action tip on the internet, and print it up to
distribute to others in hard-copy form.

* If you are part of a province-wide community organization, urge
your Toronto area offices to distribute this action tip and to do
what they can to get the word out. Also, encourage them to do
whatever they can to help ensure that all voters with
disabilities will be able to get to the polling booths and to
vote without facing barriers.

Let us know what you are doing regarding this by-election. Send
us any media coverage. Contact Eddie Rice at the above address or
ODA Committee chair David Lepofsky who can be reached via email
at: oda@odacommittee.net

Website maintained by Barbara Anello

Please email your feedback on the website.

Last updated August 26, 2001