CCD: 30 Years of Advocating for the Rights of Canadians with Disabilities

During the past 30 years, Canada has achieved many milestones on the path toward full citizenship for persons with disabilities. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) has been involved centrally in Canada’s campaigns to advance disability rights. Without the disability rights movement, Canada would not be a world leader in the creation of active citizenship for persons with disabilities.

INNOVATING A NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MODEL: CROSS DISABILITY
CCD’s founders made cross disability a guiding principle. CCD welcomes volunteers with any disability to take part in its campaigns for equality, which focus on broad social policy affecting the disability community.

DIRECTING OUR OWN LIVES: SELF-DETERMINATION
Prior to the formation of community organizations directed by persons with disabilities, Canadian policy-makers viewed medical and rehabilitation professionals as spokespersons on disability issues. With CCD’s emergence, volunteers with disabilities challenged the legitimacy of doctors and therapists to intervene with government on the citizenship issues of persons with disabilities. In 1980, with CCD volunteers leading the charge, disability activists hijacked the Rehabilitation International (RI) Conference, held in Winnipeg. The outspoken CCD volunteers, who critiqued the professional presentations in daily bulletins, captivated the media. CCD Chairperson Allan Simpson focused attention on removing barriers and challenged the medical model. An episode of CBC Summerscope profiled CCD’s activities.

Canadian politicians, impressed by new disability models advanced by CCD, began to realize that disability rights representatives should be at the policy tables. Shortly thereafter, Canada appointed Henry Enns, a CCD volunteer, to the delegation drafting the UN World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons.

ADVOCATING FOR ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION
CCD held policy conventions to develop plans for making Canada an inclusive society. The earliest forums addressed employment and transportation. CCD used these forums to lever the Canadian Transport Commission to hold a public hearing on transportation barriers. Consumers travelled to Ottawa, some under horrific conditions of inaccessibility, to explain how transportation is the hub of independent living.

CCD is a leader on transportation accessibility: Irene McGinn, a CCD vicechair, was on the Roadcruiser project team, which brought accessible intercity buses to Canada. CCD was consulted during establishment of the first national accessible transportation policy. CCD has co-chaired the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Accessible Transportation. Currently, CCD is seeking a regulatory system for transportation access comparable to what Americans with disabilities enjoy.

RAISING DISABILITY AWARENESS
The UN declared 1981 the International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP), a transformative event for Canada. CCD volunteers served on organizing committees, implementing projects for inclusive communities. Canada established the Special Parliamentary Committee on the Disabled and the Handicapped, which heard from Canadians with disabilities about discrimination. CCD seconded Jim Derksen, its National Coordinator, to the Committee’s research staff. The involvement of a veteran CCD staff person in writing the Obstacles Report ensured its recommendations supported equality, full participation and citizenship.

FIGHTING FOR HUMAN AND EQUALITY RIGHTS
Canada’s human rights laws and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protect people with disabilities, because CCD volunteers dedicated themselves to ensuring that these laws would include disability. CCD wrote briefs, telegrams and letters to politicians demanding coverage. They monitored Constitutional Committee meetings, participated in demonstrations and followed politicians into washrooms to make the case for the inclusion of disability issues.

CCD has intervened in key equality rights cases heard by the Supreme Court to inform the Justices about how their decisions will affect citizens with disabilities. CCD’s interventions have improved how Canada does business. The Eldridge case decision extends substantive accommodation in delivery of public services to people with disabilities, even when public services are downloaded to the private sector.

Internationally, CCD is contributing to the text of the emerging UN convention to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. CCD seeks a convention that is based on consumer principles and supports Canadian values, such as the duty to accommodate. Steve Estey, CCD International Committee Chair, is a member of the Canadian delegation negotiating the treaty at the UN.

DEVELOPING THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CITIZENSHIP
CCD representatives were consulted in the development of In Unison, a pan-Canadian commitment to improve disability supports, employment opportunities and income support for persons with disabilities.

Disability-Related Supports — CCD leads the consumer call for a national investment in disability-related supports, which are any good or service used by a person with a disability for independent living. “Lack of disability-related supports means isolation and prohibits economic and social participation,” states CCD Chair Marie White.

Income — The Federal Government appointed Laurie Beachell, CCD’s National Coordinator, to the Technical Advisory Committee on Tax, which worked to improve tax fairness and access to income for persons with disabilities.

Employment — CCD has been calling for bold public policy addressing the employment issues of persons with disabilities. CCD has worked to improve Canada’s Employment Equity legislation, seeking an Act that would do more than require companies to report on their employment practices.

WORKING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
While milestones have been achieved, critical work remains because new issues emerge. Take, for example, information and communication technology (ICT). While ICT has levelled some barriers, it has also created new ones. For example, despite the fact that accessible technology exists, Canadian airports feature automated ticketing machines inaccessible to travellers with visual disabilities.

CCD is dedicated to removing barriers from the ICT area. To this end, CCD participates in the Dis-IT Research Alliance, which is bringing together members of academia, industry and the disability community to investigate how to eliminate barriers in ICT.

CCD is also participating in other research alliances that will equip it to meet other continuing and emerging challenges, such as income support and palliative care.

What others have to say about CCD

“It is not very often that a woman from a log cabin in the woods of Ontario, who thought she had no more influence than in her own family, could end up doing policy work at the UN. CCD gave us the confidence and skills to be able to do that.”
- Francine Arsenault, a former CCD Chairperson

“On the international stage, one of the most significant contributions CCD has made is the ongoing support to Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI). CCD has been a leader in the most important events shaping the evolution of disability rights both in Canada and abroad.”
- Steve Estey, Chairperson, CCD International Committee

“CCD continues to be a crucial association of Canadians with disabilities. Through tough times and through better times, over the past 30 years, CCD has been a resolute voice in advancing a vision of equality, human rights, dignity and full citizenship. We are closer to that vision today, though with so much more to do, of course, due to the efforts of CCD.”
- Michael J. Prince, University of Victoria

“CCD’s vision and tireless advocacy efforts, developed in consultation with Canadians with disabilities, enabled persons with disabilities to have a voice of their own, and to move the agenda forward from the Medical Model to the IL Model.”
- Paul Young, a former CCD Chairperson

“Over the years it has been my honour to serve CCD as its legal counsel on several occasions. From that vantage point, I have been present when CCD’s disability-friendly model of equality was first adopted by other equality-seeking groups, and then adopted by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Andrews case. I have seen CCD challenged aggressively and not back down. I have seen CCD threatened and subjected to financial duress, but carry on regardless. Without the vision, courage and determination CCD has demonstrated over the last 30 years, Canadians with disabilities would have few, if any, of the rights they currently enjoy.”
- David Baker, lawyer

“CCD has been instrumental in convening meeting places where people with disabilities and other experts have been able to have important discussions, sharing insights, brainstorming and strategizing around how to secure the citizenship, human rights and well-being of people with disabilities. Throughout, CCD has ensured that the voices of people with disabilities have been heard and respected. Congratulations on your 30th anniversary —30 years well spent indeed!”
- Cam Crawford,The Roeher Institute

“Through three decades of visionary leadership, solidarity building and human rights advocacy, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities has been an inspiration to people with intellectual disabilities and their families; to all of us who advocate for a Canada of equality and inclusion. Thank you, CCD.”
- Michael Bach, Canadian Association for Community Living