The Ontarians With Disabilities Act Committee: Sample Letter to Premier Harris; The ODA Committee is a voluntary coalition of individuals and community organizations who have united to secure the passage in Ontario of a new law which would achieve a barrier-free society for persons 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 am a voter in Ontario. I am very hurt and upset by the 3 page Bill your Government introduced into the Legislature on November 23, 1998. It is not worthy of the name "Ontarians with Disabilities Act." It is worthless.
Your bill does nothing for people with disabilities. It does not require a single barrier facing people with disabilities to be removed by anyone. It includes no penalties, and no way to enforce it. It even forbids the courts from enforcing it. I think that people with disabilities in Ontario deserve much better.
Premier, you said you would keep all of your promises. 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. You have refused to meet with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee. That is shameful. You have not given us an Ontarians with Disabilities Act. You have given us a blank piece of paper, that is not worth of the name "Ontarians with Disabilities Act."
Your first Citizenship Minister Marilyn Mushinski was responsible for this Act for your first two years in office. She said that the Ontarians with Disabilities Act must be meaningful and must have teeth. This bill is meaningless and toothless.
Premier, I call on you to immediately withdraw this bill, and to introduce a new one right away that is worthy of the name "Ontarians with Disabilities Act." I also call on you to now meet with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee and to work with them on this. I call on you to obey the unanimous resolution of the Ontario Legislature, passed on October 29, 1998, which requires this law to be strong, effective and mandatory.
As a voter who cares about people with disabilities in this province, and with an election coming up, this is very important to me, and 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, and 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 on this.
Sincerely,

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