EASTER SEALS WELCOMES PRIME MINISTER CARNEY’S COMMITMENT TO CANADA AND NEW CABINET, WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RETURN OF A FULL-TIME MINISTER OF ACCESSIBILITY AND DISABILITY

Easter Seals Canada congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney and his new Cabinet: we look forward to working together to advance short- and long-term policy and legislative changes that support our vision of Canada as the world’s most inclusive nation for all persons with disabilities. At a time of such great challenge, we must work together to find common ground and a common good.

We welcome the appointment of the Honourable Patty Hajdu as the Minister of Jobs and Families, who has primary responsibility for disability and inclusion policy at the Cabinet table. We look forward to working with her to advance our vision for inclusive employment strategy and improving the short- and long-term budgetary allocation for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB).

We also will continue to advocate for the return of a full-time, dedicated Minister exclusive to disability, accessibility and inclusion policy and progress, with a visible seat at the Cabinet table – reflecting the key linkage between full societal inclusion and a strong, productive, and prosperous Canadian economy. As the beneficiary of a devoted Minister of disability, accessibility and inclusion in recent governments, we know the importance our sector plays in the Canadian economy and communities. This seat at the Cabinet table matters to the 8 million Canadians with disabilities from coast to coast to coast.

In addition to employment strategy built for both today’s and tomorrow’s economy, and the continued growth of the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), Easter Seals Canada has been a long-time advocate for improved affordable and accessible housing in rural, remote, urban and suburban Canada; for healthcare that is accessible to all persons with disabilities; and for a federally regulated transportation system that is safe, secure, and accessible to Canadians of all abilities.

Above all else, we know that working together with our partners and colleagues Canada-wide makes us stronger at a time when our country faces severe, unprecedented challenges to our economy and our communities. As our world rapidly changes, we know we must think about climate change and risks to our infrastructure from fires and severe storms, and about artificial intelligence (AI) and public safety threats as we plan for the long-term policy needs of our constituents. Persons with disabilities are disproportionately at risk from natural disasters, threats to public safety, and economic cycle changes: we need to plan in order to prevent unnecessary impacts.

At Easter Seals Canada, we are here for every person with a disability, and we are ready to work with anyone and everyone to make rapid, meaningful progress at a time we need it most.

Working together,

Rob Eatough