ODA COMMITTEE
ACTION TIP
September 5, 2000

 

No matter where you live in Ontario, you are encouraged to do what
you can to help ensure that the Harris Goverment's chain of broken
promises to enact the Ontarians with Disabilities Act plays an
important role in the upcoming provincial by-election, taking place
this Thursday, September 7, 2000 in the Hamilton area riding of
Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot.

Here are the positions of the three parties:

• Conservatives: Citizenship Minister Helen Johns campaigned for
  the PC candidate, defending the Government's not having passed the
  ODA over five years after the Premier made his 1995 election
  promise to enact this law in his first term. Even though the
  Government did not enact this law, she said that the Government has
  not broken its promise to enact this law.
  
  
• Liberals: The Liberal campaign supports the enactment of the ODA,
  and has criticized the Government for not passing this law.
  
  
• NDP: The NDP campaign supports the enactment of the ODA, and has
  criticized the Government for not passing this law.
  
  Here are some ideas of what you can do, if you live in the riding:
  
  
• Make sure you are on the voter's list.
  
  
• Find out where you go to vote. Make sure it is accessible. If
  not, immediately notify any candidate, the returning officer, and
  the local media.
  
  
• Make arrangements now to make sure you can get to the polling
  station on election day. If you need help getting there, contact
  the offices of any of the candidates and ask for their help.
  
  
• Talk to friends and family members who live in this riding.
  Encourage them to be sure to vote, and to take the need for a
  strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act into account
  in deciding on who to vote for. Let them know how important this
  issue is to you, and what the five years of delay by the Harris
  Government in keeping its promise to enact the ODA has meant to
  you.
  
  
• Let us know about any barriers you encounter when trying to
  exercise your democratic right to vote.

Even if you do not live in this riding, you can help by contacting
any friends or family who do live in the riding, and encourage them
to vote and to consider the positions of the parties on the ODA.

Please circulate this message to others, and encourage them to pass
it on too.