ODA Update
May 28, 2001

Liberals Propose New Resolution
on ODA in Ontario Legislature

As National Access Awareness Week kicks off, Liberal Disability Critic Ernie Parsons made a statement in the Ontario Legislature today about the six year delay in getting the Ontarians with Disabilities Act enacted (see below). He announced that he is introducing a resolution which he will ask to have debated and passed this week. The resolution states that: "in recognition of National Access Awareness Week from May 28 to June 2, 2001, Premier Mike Harris, should agree to meet with representatives of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee to show the Premier's leadership and accountability on the important issue of removing and preventing barriers to access now facing 1.5 million Ontarians with disabilities." The resolution's pre-amble lists all the many, many times that the OdA Committee has asked Premier Harris to meet. None of our requests have been accepted. (see the text of this resolution below). We encourage you to circulate this proposed resolution widely to friends, family and to your local media. Premier Harris has often spoken about his strong leadership and his ability to make tough decisions, as well as his commitment to always keep his word. Six years ago, he promised that he would work with the ODA Committee to develop the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. We would welcome Premier Harris's leadership now, to make sure that the ODA that his Government brings forward is strong, effective and mandatory. That leadership would begin by his now agreeing to meet with representatives of the ODA Committee. ***** Ontario Hansard Monday, May 28, 2001 Ontarians with disabilities legislation Mr Ernie Parsons (Prince Edward-Hastings): Speaker, I spent this past Saturday morning in a wheelchair touring my community to get a sense of the obstacles that face those citizens in wheelchairs. It was a profound event for me when I realized what seems like a minor barrier is in fact major to those in chairs. This is National Access Awareness Week. The Premier promised in writing in 1995 to pass an Ontarians with disabilities act during his first term in office. To this date not only as that act not been put in place, but the Premier has refused to meet with any citizens from that committee. He as 27 times refused their requests. Five times he indicated he was too busy, four times he referred them to someone else, and 18 times he ignored their requests to meet with them. This is not acceptable. The Ontarians with Disabilities have a voice. I will this week be tabling a resolution that requires the Premier to meet with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee. They are full citizens and they're entitled to nothing less that a meeting with him. We know only what we experience or what we are told and we learn from others. To ignore this request to citizens is an absolutely unbelievable and an unforgivable situation. I call upon all members of this House to support my resolution that will require the Premier to meet in dialogue and learn and serve the Ontarians with disabilities in this province. ***** RESOLUTION In the opinion of this House: Since: On May 24, 1995, Conservative Leader Mike Harris pledged that a Harris Government would enact the Ontarians with Disabilities Act in its first term in office, and stated: "I would be pleased to work together with your Committee in the development of such legislation." On December 1, 1995, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris requesting a meeting with him to discuss the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Premier Harris did not respond to this letter. On December 15, 1995, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris requesting a meeting with him. On January 22, 1996, Premier Harris did not agree to meet with the ODA Committee at that time due to "a full schedule." On May 21, 1996, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris requesting that he meet with the ODA Committee. On June 21, 1996, Premier Harris wrote to the ODA Committee refusing to meet with the ODA Committee at that time due to his "full schedule." On September 3, 1996, Premier Harris wrote to the ODA Committee refusing its request to meet with them at that time due to his "full schedule." On May 1, 1997, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris, Dalton McGuinty, Leader of the Liberal Party, and Howard Hampton, Leader of the New Democratic Party, inviting them to meet with representatives of the disability community at Queen's Park, to answer the ODA Committee's questions on what had been accomplished in fulfilling the Government's commitments to pass an Ontarians with Disabilities Act within its first term of office. On May 13, 1997, Premier Harris declined the invitation to attend this event on the grounds that his schedule did not allow him to attend. On May 22, 1997, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris expressing its concern about the refusal of the Premier or any member of the Government to meet with the people with disabilities who attended the Ontario Legislature on May 15, 1997 and again requested that Premier Harris meet with the ODA Committee. On June 25, 1997, Premier Harris wrote to the ODA Committee and ignored its request to meet with him. On October 15, 1997, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris requesting that he meet with the ODA Committee. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On November 19,1997, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris requesting that he meet with them in order to demonstrate how he intended to carry out his election promise to enact an Ontarians with Disabilities Act within the government's first term. On December 4, 1997, Premier Harris wrote to the ODA Committee declining to meet with them and referring them to the Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. On March 24, 1998, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris requesting that he meet with them. On April 29, 1998, Premier Harris wrote to the ODA Committee declining to meet with them and referring their request to the Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. On April 15, 1998, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris, Mr. McGuinty, the leader of the Liberal Party, and Mr. Hampton, the leader of the New Democratic Party, inviting them to a formal presentation of an ODA Committee brief on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on April 22, 1998 in the Media Studio at Queen's Park. On April 20, 1998, Premier Harris informed the ODA Committee that he would be unable to attend the presentation and that he had referred the invitation to the Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. No member of the Legislature from the Conservative Party on behalf of the Premier attended the formal presentation. On July 8, 1998, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris asking why the Government had still not launched the public consultation leading to the Ontarians with Disabilities Act that he and the Minister of Citizenship had promised in the Legislature over one and a half years earlier and requesting the opportunity to meet with Premier Harris at his earliest convenience to discuss this matter. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On November 24, 1998, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris asking him to immediately withdraw Bill 83 because it did not comply with even one of the 11 principles unanimously approved by resolution on October 29, 1998 and to meet with the ODA Committee to discuss a replacement bill. On November 25, 1998, Premier Harris responded to the ODA Committee, ignoring its request to meet with him and refusing to withdraw the bill. On December 3, 1998, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris again asking him to withdraw Bill 83 and called on the Premier to announce in the Legislature his willingness to meet with representatives of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee within the next week to discuss their specific concerns about the Bill 83 and proposed solutions. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On January 4, 1999, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris, asking that he lift his three and one half year long boycott against meeting with representatives of the ODA Committee and agree to meet with them before reintroducing Bill 83. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On March 16, 1999, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris reiterating its call for the Premier to meet with representatives of the ODA Committee. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On March 28, 1999, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris, asking whether he was prepared to live up to his 1995 election commitment to work with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee to pass the Ontarians with Disabilities Act in his first term and requesting that he immediately lift his boycott against meeting with the ODA Committee, the very Committee that he promised in writing to work with. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On April 26, 1999, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris, expressing its deep concern that the April 22, 1999 Throne Speech made no commitment whatsoever to develop and pass the promised Ontarians with Disabilities Act in the Government's first term in office and again called on the Premier to meet with the ODA Committee. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On June 6, 1999, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris calling on him to fulfill his 1995 promise to enact the Ontarians with Disabilities Act and to agree to meet with representatives of the ODA Committee as soon as possible. On July 14, 1999, Premier Harris wrote to the ODA Committee but did not respond to their request to meet with the Premier. On October 14, 1999, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris reiterating its request to meet with him. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On October 28, 1999, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris expressing its concern that the October 21, 1999 Throne Speech signaled that the Government would not be treating the passage of a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act as a priority and reiterated its request to meet with the Premier as soon as possible. On December 7, 1999, the "Director of Tours and Public Events" in the Premier's office wrote to the ODA Committee refusing its request for a meeting between the Premier and the ODA Committee and referring the ODA Committee to the Minister of Citizenship. On March 22, 2000, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris asking that he meet with members of the Committee in order to demonstrate leadership in this area, by setting aside one (1) hour in his schedule to meet with them. On March 31, 2000, the Director, Tour and Public Events in the Premier's office, responded to the ODA Committee on behalf of Premier Harris refusing the ODA Committee's request to meet with the Premier. On October 2, 2000, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris to request a meeting with him to discuss the need for prompt action to enact a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On October 5, 2000, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris expressing its shock upon learning about the contents of a secret Cabinet document revealing the Government's plans regarding the Ontarians with Disabilities Act and requesting an immediate meeting with the Premier to discuss this urgent matter. On October 25, 2000, Landon French, Director of Tour and Public Events for the Premier, wrote to the ODA Committee stating that Premier Harris "was unable to make a commitment at this time" to meet with the ODA Committee. On November 10, 2000, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris, Mr. Dalton McGuinty and Mr. Howard Hampton, to invite all of them to meet with members of the ODA Committee at Queen's Park on November 15, 2000 to share with them their views on the prompt enactment of a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Premier Harris did not positively respond to this request. On November 15, 2000, Liberal Disability Critic Ernie Parsons asked Premier Harris in Question Period in the Legislature to come down the hall with him for a few minutes to meet with persons with disabilities who had gathered in a Committee Room, but the Premier did not agree to do so. On December 8, 2000, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris asking him why he was unwilling to meet with any of the 200 people with disabilities who came to Queen's Park on November 15, 2000. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On January 11, 2001, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris again requesting a meeting with him. Premier Harris did not respond to this request. On February 21, 2001, the ODA Committee wrote to Premier Harris again requesting a meeting with him, all the more urgently in light of the fact that there were only 275 days remaining before the Legislature's November 23, 2001 deadline for the enactment of a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act. On March 15, 2001, Landon French, Tour and Public Events, wrote to the ODA Committee, informing them that Premier Harris would not meet with them. This House has unanimously passed three resolutions which, taken together, call for a strong and effective Ontarians with Disabilities Act to be enacted, and fixing November 23, 2001 as the deadline for it to be passed into law. Therefore be it resolved that in recognition of National Access Awareness Week from May 28 to June 2, 2001, Premier Mike Harris, should agree to meet with representatives of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee to show the Premier's leadership and accountability on the important issue of removing and preventing barriers to access now facing 1.5 million Ontarians with disabilities.

 

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Last updated June 21, 2001