Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee
May 1, 1997
Hon. Premier Mike Harris
Room 281, Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A1
Mr. Dalton McGuinty
Leader, Liberal Party
Room 325, Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A4
Mr. Howard Hampton
Leader, New Democratic Party
Room 381, Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A5
Dear Mike Harris, McGuinty & Hampton:
Re: Thursday, May 15, 1997 - "Face the Disability Community"
I am writing to you on behalf of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee, a voluntary coalition of individuals and community organizations which have united to advocate for the enactment in Ontario of a new law to achieve a barrier-free society for people with disabilities. On May 24, 1995, Premier Harris wrote to our Committee, promising that a Harris government would enact an Ontarians with Disabilities Act within its first term and would work together with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee to develop this legislation.
A year later, on May 16, 1996, the Ontario legislature unanimously passed a resolution calling on the government to keep this election promise.
It has now been two years since this election promise was made, and a year since the resolution was passed affirming it. The ODA Committee wishes to invite you to meet with representatives of the disability community on Thursday, May 15, 1997 from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. in the Media Studio in the Legislative Building at Queen's Park, to answer our questions on what has been accomplished to date by the legislature and the government in fulfilment of these commitments.
Entitled "Face the Disability Community," we wish to provide each of the three political parties with an opportunity at the same time to speak with us, learn of our concerns, and explain what actions shall be taken in this important area.
We would very much appreciate it if each of you was able to attend this event. By separate letter, we shall also be inviting the Speaker, Chris Stockwell, to attend at 1:00 p.m. to address specific issues surrounding barriers to access confronting people with disabilities within the Legislative Building itself.
We very much hope you will be able to free up time to meet with us as proposed. If not, we would appreciate your sending a member of the legislature from your party who is authorized to speak on behalf of your party in this regard. We know the Minister of Citizenship, Culture & Recreation, Marilyn Mushinski, has this portfolio from the perspective of the government and so, if the Premier is unavailable, we would very much appreciate it if Ms Mushinski were able to attend.
We would appreciate your RSVP indicating whether or not you can attend and if not, which member of the legislature will be attending in your place, by Thursday, May 8, 1997, to Deborah Thynn at Telephone (416) 964-9595 ext. 251 or TTY (416) 964-0023 ext. 251 or Fax (416) 928-2506 or email: dthynn@chs.ca.
Thank you for considering this invitation, and we look forward to seeing you on May 15, 1997.
Yours sincerely,
M. David Lepofsky
Co-Chair
cc: Hon. Chris Stockwell, Speaker
Hon. Marilyn Mushinski, Minister of Citizenship, Culture &
Recreation
Mrs. Marion Boyd, NDP MPP London Centre
Ms. Frances Lankin, NDP MPP Beaches-Woodbine
Mr. Dominic Agostino, LIB MPP Hamilton East
Mr. Michael Colle, LIB MPP Oakwood