Press Release Page

As part of its effort to secure passage of an Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the ODA Committee has been seeking to raise media awareness of the issues facing persons with disabilities and the effect of government action (and inaction). This has occurred largely through attempting to speak directly to the media at various events, and through the issuance of press releases. Listed below are the various press releases that have been issued by the ODA Committee.

• January 30, 2005
  ODA Committee Press Release dd January 30, 2005 - Legislature's Standing Committee To Kick Off Historic Public Hearings On New Bill To Make Province Fully Accessible For Ontarians With Disabilities
  
  
• Dec. 1, 2004
  ODA Committee Press Release dd Dec. 1, 2004 - New Disability Accessibility Law To Reach Historic Second Reading Vote On Eve Of International Day Of Persons With Disabilities
  
  
• Nov. 16, 2004
  ODA Committee Issues News Release Announcing Thursday's Kick-off of Bill 118 Second Reading Debate
  
  
• November 20, 2003
  ODA Committee Press Release dd November 20, 2003: McGuinty Liberal's Throne Speech Signals Action To Strengthen The Ontarians With Disabilities Act
  
  
• September 19, 2003
  ODA Committee London News Release dd Sept. 19, 2003: All Eyes on London as Swing Region in Ontario Election -- Voters with Disabilities Can Swing the Election Friday
  
  
• April 8, 2003
  ODA Committee News Release on Liberal Party Election Pledge on ODA
  
  
• March 1, 2003
  NDP Ontario Election Platform Today Pledges To Enact New,
  Strong Ontarians With Disabilities Act
  
  
• September 30, 2002
  ODA Committee Press Release dd September 30, 2002
  WILL TODAY'S NEW ONTARIO DISABILITIES LAW ACHIEVE A BARRIER-FREE ONTARIO FOR 1.9 MILLION ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES?
  
  
• December 3, 2001
  ODA Committee Press Release dd December 3, 2001
  STANDING COMMITTEE URGED TO MAKE DISABILITY BILL STRONG AND EFFECTIVE
  
  
• November 5, 2001
  ODA Committee Press Release dd November 4, 2001
  WHAT WILL THE ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT INCLUDE?
  
  
• June 21, 2001
  ODA News Release on Sixth Anniversary of Inaction dated May 28, 2001
  
  

• May 24, 2001
  Liberal Party News Release dd May 24, 2001
  Harris Shouldn't Celebrate This Anniversary, Says Liberal Critic

• May 24, 2001
  NDP News Release dd May 24, 2001
  Hampton Challenges Premier: Tee Up with an ODA
  
  
• May 17, 2001
  Liberal Critic Praises Human Rights Commissioner's Call
  For A Disabilities Law
  
  

• March 23, 2001
  INJURED WORKERS CALL ON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
  FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS!
  

• March 22, 2001
  Ontario Human Rights Commission's News Release on its
  New 2001 Disability Policy Guidelines

• March 22, 2001
  Liberal Disability Critic's News Release dd March 22, 2001
  LIBERAL CRITIC LIKES NEW HUMAN RIGHTS DISABILITIY GUIDELINES
  BUT WHERE IS THE MONEY IS FOR ENFORCEMENT

• March 22, 2001
  News Release From Citizenship Minister Cam Jackson
  Stronger guidelines for people with disabilities commended
  

• March 22, 2001
  ODA Committee Press Release dd March 22, 2001
  NEW HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION DISABILITY POLICY
  SIGNALS NEED FOR HARRIS TO ENACT PROMISED
  ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
  

• March 3, 2001
  ODA Committee Press Release dd March 2, 2001
  Mike Harris Today Breaks Yet Another Promise To
  1.5 Million Ontarians With Disabilities
  

• February 22, 2001
  New Human Rights Commission Study Shows Ontario Needs New
  Disability Law - Will Harris Keep His Promise To Enact It?
  
  
• November 15, 2000
  ODA Committee Press Release dd November 15, 2000
  Ontarians With Disabilities To Converge On Queen's Park To Show
  That Harris Cannot Sneak Weak Disability Bill By Media And Public
  
  
• October 10, 2000
  OACL PRESS RELEASE
  dated October 6, 2000
  What's the price tag for citizenship?
  
  
• October 6, 2000
  Press Release dd October 6, 2000
  PREMIER HARRIS MUST REJECT LEAKED
  GOVERNMENT PLANS THAT BREAK PROMISES TO
  1.5 MILLION ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES
  
  
• September 24, 2000
  Press Release by Steve Peters M.P.P Elgin-Middlesex-London
  Liberal Critic for Persons with Disabilities
  dd September 18, 2000
  
  
• August 1, 2000
  Disability Coalition To Unveil New Strategy
  At Queen'S Park News Conference After
  Another Broken Promise From The Harris Government
  
  
• July 25, 2000
  Press Release by Steve Peters M.P.P Elgin-Middlesex-London
  Liberal Critic for Persons with Disabilities
  dd July 19, 2000
  
  
• June 20, 2000
  MS Society Press Release
  MS Society grows impatient with lack of action to address Barriers faced by Disabled
  
  
• May 23, 2000
  Local MPPs Targetted In Major Push
  To Break Disability Law Logjam
  On Fifth Anniversary Of
  Broken Harris Election Promise
  
  
• March 26, 2000
  ODA Committee Press Release
  dd March 27, 2000
  Two Major Events At Queens Park
  On March 27 In Fight For
  New Disability Law

• March 20, 2000
  Public Consultation
  on Overdue New Disability Law
  to be held in London ON
  Friday, MARCH 24, 2000

• March 20, 2000
  Two Major Events At Queens Park
  On March 27 In Fight For
  New Disability Law

• March 6, 2000
  Steve Peters, M.P.P. Launches
  ODA Tour In North Bay

• February 01, 2000
  Minister Ignoring Disabled:   Liberals to Act
  McGuinty and Peters Launch Consultation on Disability Barriers

• December 3, 1999
  Will U.N. International Day For Persons With Disabilities Witness Progress For Ontarians With Disabilities?

• November 17, 1999
  Will Ontario Legislature Force An End To Government Delay On Disability Bill?

• November 15, 1999
  Ontario Legislature To Debate Opposition Resolution Demanding That New Disability Law Be Enacted Within Two Years

• October 29, 1999
  Ontarians With Disabilities
  Mark One Year Anniversary of Inaction
  On Landmark Resolution

• October 20, 1999
  Ontarians With Disabilities Closely Watching Throne Speech
  To See If New Disability Act To Be Government Priority

• June 14, 1999
  Disability Coalition Calls For Investigation
  Into Barriers Facing Voters With Disabilities

• June 7, 1999
  Ontarians With Disabilities to Hold
  Queen's Park News Conference
  to Kick Off Newest Round in the
  Campaign for a Barrier-Free Ontario

• May 31, 1999
  Ontarians with Disabilities
  Demand Strong Access Legislation from Candidates
  during Ontario Election which falls during
  National Access Awareness Week

• May 24, 1999
  Ontarians with Disabilities mark Monday, May 24, 1999 as Fourth Anniversary of Broken 1995 Harris Election Promise to Pass Disability Law

• May 7, 1999
  Harris Election Call Breaks His 1995 Election Promise To 1.5 Million Ontarians With Disabilities

• April 26, 1999
  Is Harris Government Attempting To Re-Write Its 1995 Election Promise To Ontarians With Disabilities?

• April 22, 1999
  Ontarians With Disabilities Watching Throne Speech To See If Harris Will Break His 1995 Election Promise

• April 13, 1999
  People With Disabilities To Kick Off Ontario Election Strategy At Queen's Park News Conference

• March 28, 1999
  Liberal and NDP Leaders Unveil Key Election Promises to 1.5 Million Ontarians with Disabilities

• January 6, 1999,
  Harris Government's Disability Bill Dies - 1.5 Million Ontarians With Disabilities More Frustrated Than Ever

• December 16, 1998,
  Disability Coalition Invokes Freedom of Information Act as Last Resort to Force Harris Government to Reveal Documents on Disability Bill

• December 14, 1998,

Ontario Association of the Deaf (OAD) Press Release
Premier Harris has SCROOGED Bill 83 - Ontarians with Disabilities Act
• December 3, 1998,

HOW WILL PREMIER HARRIS HONOUR INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY DAY - DEC 3, 1998?
Open Letter to Premier Harris
• November 24, 1998,

Major Disability Coalition Calls New Harris Disability Act An Empty, Cruel Sham
• November 19, 1998,

New Disabilities Law To Be Introduced at Queen'S Park Any Day - Will the Three Year Wait Be Worth It for People With Disabilities?
• July 13, 1998,

Harris Government Bows To Pressure From Ontarians With Disabilities And Releases Discussion Paper On New Law
• May 22, 1998,

Local MPP's Targeted In Major Push To Break Disability Law Logjam
• May 5, 1998,

Harris Government Finally Commits To Action On Unfulfilled Election Promise To Ontarians With Disabilities - But Will The Budget Speech Result In Real Action?
• April 23, 1998,

Throne Speech Reveals Harris Abandoning Important Election Promise To Ontarians With Disabilities
• April 22, 1998,

When Will Ontario Be Opened Up For People With Disabilities?
• December 10, 1997,

Harris Government To Honour International Human Rights Declaration-But Harris' Own Human Rights Record Found Wanting
• October 9, 1997,

Landmark Supreme Court Of Canada Decision Heralds Breakthrough For Rights Of People With Disabilities-Renewed Call For Harris Government To Take Immediate Action
• May 23, 1997,

New Public Opinion Poll Marks Disability Access Week - Poll Shows Strong Public Support For Proposed New Disability Rights Law
• May 15, 1997,

Ontarians With Disabilities Mark Harris Anniversary Of Inaction By Revealing Poll Supporting A New Disability Law, Harris Still Refuses To Face The Disability Community
• May 5, 1997,

New Internet Web Site Launched To Document Broken Harris Promises To Ontarians With Disabilities.
• February 3, 1997,

HARRIS MEGA-PLANS CREATE NEW MEGA- BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
• November 18, 1996,

Disabled Ontarians Need Jobs, Not Another Tory Internet Gimmick.
• October 20, 1996,

Federal Disabilitty Task Force Urges New Federal Rights For Disabled While Harris Ignores 18 Month Old Promise To Do The Same.
• September 28, 1996,

Harris Government Inaction To Be Confronted Today At Major Toronto Disablity Organization Meeting.
• May 16, 1996,

Disabled Ontarians Try Novel Parliamentary Tactic To Force Harris To Keep Election Promise.