Letter to Premier Harris
from Steve Peters, M.P.P. Elgin-Middlesex-London
Liberal Disability Critic
on ODA

Steve Peters, M.P.P.
Elgin, Middlesex, London
Constituency Office
542 Talbot Street
St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 1C4

Room 331 Main Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A4

Hon. Michael D. Harris
Premier of Ontario
Room 281, Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto Ontario
M7A 1A1

Tuesday, September 21, 1999

Dear Premier Harris;

Today I received the news that the Throne Speech will take place at 3:00 pm Thursday October 21, 1999.

I am writing to urge you to address your promise of May 24, 1995 to the people of Ontario, and announce in the Throne Speech that the government will be introducing a strong and effective Onterians with Disabilities Act in this session of the legislature. This is a major promise from your last term in office that has yet to be addressed, and I urge you to finish the outstanding business of the last legislature as quickly as possible.

All three parties are on record as supporting an Ontarians with Disabilities Act. On May 16th, the House voted unanimously to support a resolution by Marion Boyd, calling on the government to implement the promised Act. On October 29, 1998, the House voted unanimously to support a resolution by Dwight Duncan calling on the government to pass an Ontarians with Disabilities Act that is consistent with the principals put forward by the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee.

The members of my party are willing to support strong legislation on this issue that is consistent with the will of the House; we only wait for your minister to introduce such a bill.

Of course, before the bill is introduced, it is imperative that the government undertakes an extensive consultation process with the stakeholders in the disabled community. I would ask that the consultation process be along the lines of those put forward by David Lepofsky In his letter to the three party leaders dated September 10, 1999.

In your address to the people of Ontario on June 3, 1999, you spoke of reaching out to those who have been alienated from this government. There is no group that has been more alienated than the disabled. Let us work together to produce an Ontarians with Disabilities Act that can be a symbol of this new and open government at Queen's Park.

I look forward to working together with you on this Issue, and I hope that you will do all you can to produce legislation that will ensure the full involvement of disabled Ontarians in the life of this province.

Sincerely,

Steve Peters, MPP
Elgin-Middlesex-London

CC: Dalton McGuinty, MPP
Helen Johns, MPP
David Lepofsky

 
 

 

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