ODA Committee Update
dated Dec. 1, 2004
posted March 2, 2005

ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMMITTEE UPDATE ODA Committee Circulates News Release On Eve Of Second Reading Vote On Bill 118 December 1, 2004 SUMMARY The ODA Committee has sent out a new news release, announcing tomorrow's important Second Reading vote in the Legislature on Bill 118, the proposed Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. See text of that news release below. We encourage you to: * Send this news release to your local media. * Urge your local media to cover this story. * Give them your perspective on this event along the road to a barrier-free Ontario. * Let us know if your media covers this issue tomorrow. Contact us at: oda@odacommittee.net * Come to the Legislature to watch this short but important vote tomorrow, or tune in on your local cable company's Ontario Legislature channel just after 1:30 p.m. and before 2:30 p.m. * Call a local radio station's call-in program to alert listeners to this bill, and to your views on it.     ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMMITTEE NEWS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW DISABILITY ACCESSIBILITY LAW TO REACH HISTORIC SECOND READING VOTE ON EVE OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES December 1, 2004 Toronto: This Thursday, December 2, 2004, between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., Bill 118, the proposed Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, will be called for Second Reading vote at Queen's Park. This bill aims to make Ontario a barrier-free province for its over 1.5 million residents with physical, mental or sensory disabilities. At "Second Reading" vote, the Legislature decides if it approves the proposed new law "in principle". "This disability accessibility bill will reach this important stage sandwiched between two significantly symbolic dates," said David Lepofsky, chair of the province-wide, non-partisan Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee, that has led the charge for new disability accessibility legislation. "It comes on the Legislature's last sitting day before Friday December 3, 2004, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It also occurs just after Monday November 29, 2004, the 10th anniversary of the founding of the grass-roots province-wide Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee which has led the decade-long campaign for this legislation, bringing its message to three successive Ontario governments." The ODA Committee has called on all three political parties to support Bill 118. People with disabilities will be watching to see whether any MPPs vote against this bill. If Bill 118 passes on Second Reading, the stage will be set for public hearings on this bill over the Legislature's winter recess. The ODA Committee has called for open, accessible, province-wide public hearings on this bill. It is hoped that this bill can make its way through the entire legislative process by the end of the 2005 spring. Contact: David Lepofsky oda@odacommittee.net For a chronology of major events during the decade-long campaign for this bill, visit: www.odacommittee.net/major_docs.html For Premier McGuinty's election commitments regarding this legislation, visit: www.odacommittee.net/news126.html

 

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