3 December 2009
- In This Issue…
- Most Canadians With Intellectual Disabilities Are Still Poor, Unemployed and Excluded
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Report Card - CACL is a federation of more than 400 Local Associatons for Community Living, plus 13 Provincial/Territorial ACLs, and over 40,000 people working to advance the full inclusion and human rights of people with intellectual disabilities.
Most Canadians With Intellectual Disabilities Are Still Poor, Unemployed and Excluded
Parliament Hill, Ottawa, ON - December 3, 2009 - Today in Canada, the overwhelming majority of Canadians with intellectual disabilities share a common experience. It is an experience of poverty, unemployment and exclusion. It is an experience that contradicts the knowledge and evidence on how to support persons with disabilities; it is an experience that is created by the systems and structures that aren’t making the grade. Today, on Parliament Hill, on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) releases its stark report card on the status of Canadians with intellectual disabilities.
The 2009 National Report Card on Inclusion of Canadians with Intellectual disabilities highlights and examines how Canada measures up on three of a ten-point, ten-year Agenda, which was designed to guide Canadians and governments into building a more inclusive Canada. The three objectives explored in the report card are: Closing Institutions (Deinstitutionalization), Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Employment Equality for Canadians with Intellectual Disabilities.
“This Report Card makes clear that working-age Canadians with intellectual disabilities continue to be among the poorest of the poor in Canada.” said Michael Bach, Executive Vice-President of CACL. “It also makes clear, that it doesn’t have to be this way. We have numerous examples of adults with intellectual disabilities living good lives with economic security – when they have the supports, valuing relationships in their lives, the employment opportunities, and the income assistance which make belonging in Canadian communities and workplaces possible. We need governments, the private sector and community leaders to step up, and make the difference. We’re here to help and lead the way, but we can’t do it alone.”
The future of an inclusive Canada begins with recognition that people with developmental disabilities are still not treated equally. Change is needed to eradicate this shortfall, and the future of a healthy Canadian society begins with acknowledgement that those living with a disability experience exclusion, isolation and poverty.
For more information, please contact:
Anna MacQuarrie
Director, Policy & Programs
416.661.9611 ext. 204
Cell 416.602-3015
amacquarrie@cacl.ca
www.cacl.ca
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