Law Times

Law Times • sepTember 13, 2010 FOCUS PAGE 11 OHRC's eyes on accessibility in fall election New report calls for reforms to reduce barriers for candidates BY ROBERT TODD Law Times on this fall's municipal elections in hopes of fi nding ways to get more candidates with disabili- ties running for offi ce. Chief commissioner Bar- T bara Hall, a former Toronto mayor and councillor, singled out the issue in her annual re- port for 2009-10. Th e report notes the commission's strong support for accessibility re- forms in the Election Statute Law Amendment Act, specifi - cally the move for easier access to polling stations and elec- tion materials. But Hall says the govern- ment must now go further by bridging gaps for candidates with disabilities. Her report lists the need to facilitate accessible locations for campaign offi ces, meetings, debates, and other events. Th e bill also failed to tackle the commission's call for solutions to the added expenses for candidates with disabilities, such as those related to sign- language interpreting. Hall said the commission will "continue to monitor" these is- sues during the Oct. 25 munici- pal vote and next year's provin- cial campaign. "Th ere's a general movement to accessibility in all parts of life," Hall tells Law Times. "A re- ality for people with disabilities who wish to run as candidates, however, is that there are a lot of things that need to be looked at and solutions found." Hall says voting and being part of the political process are central aspects of all citizens' lives in a democracy. But with the in- troduction of spending limits on campaigns, many people who would like to run may fi nd it diffi cult due to the cost of their unique needs, such as special transportation or attendant care. "At the very minimum, the need to incur those costs shouldn't be included under the he Ontario Human Rights Commission will be keeping a close eye make up about 15 per cent of the Canadian population, Barnes believes a similar proportion should hold political offi ce. He suggests now is as a good Extra costs faced by candidates with disabilities should be exempt from spending limits, says Barbara Hall. spending limits," says Hall. "But I think as a society we need to look more broadly at whether the individual candidate should have to bear those costs." Glenn Barnes, past chair- man of the Coalition for Per- sons with Disabilities, agrees that more people facing those issues need to be empowered to run for public offi ce. He says recent work to raise aware- ness of disability issues has been productive and notes it's a natural progression for those eff orts to expand into new ar- eas of public life. "Legislation that enables candidates with disabilities to then have an easier go at mak- ing the run for public offi ce is a really good thing," he says. "Once people start to see the fruits of the labour, in terms of what the legislation does, I think you'll get some really good people with good views that are very important." Some prominent Canadian politicians with disabilities in- clude former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan, who is quadriple- gic; former Ontario NDP MPP Gary Malkowski, who is deaf; and current federal Minister of State for Democratic Reform Steven Fletcher, who is also quadriplegic. With statistics sug- gesting people with disabilities a time as ever to begin eff orts to make running for political offi ce more accessible given the implementation of the Ac- cessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. In addition, he notes that only those who have experienced a disability can truly grasp the challenges involved. "A lot of people can read books and become experts on that legislation, but until you actually live it, there are things that you will never know in terms of how things work, how they should work, and in that matter sometimes how they don't work. It's very similar to why we need more women in the legislature." Hall agrees that it's vital for people with disabilities to be at the cabinet or council table. To illustrate that point, she recalls a conversation with Fletcher. "He talked about how many people in government he met who nev- er really had a conversation with somebody with a major disabil- ity," she says, noting the impor- tance of not only understand- ing "the enormous amount that such people have to contribute to society and also their in- put and their creativity and their ingenuity to solve issues of inclusion but also to apply that to other issues as well." Of course, the big question surrounding Hall's proposal is whether the money will fl ow to candidates. Barnes is optimis- tic it will happen but isn't hold- ing his breath because, he says, there remains a small group of people who don't believe the public should be paying to sup- port people with disabilities, just as some without children don't think they should have to help fund public education. "I think you'll get a certain faction of that, but it will be a small faction, and once it be- comes legislation, people will see and realize and understand, and everybody will be on board with it," he says. LT Accurate • Reliable • Up-to-date Your source of essential legal contact information from Canada Law Book's renowned directories group. Find the names and numbers you need in the Atlantic provinces – and in Alberta, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. Includes e-mail addresses! Connect to Canada's legal network! Get your Atlantic and Alberta Legal Telephone Directories for 2010-2011 Order your copies today at: canadalawbook.ca • For a 30-day, no-risk evaluation call: 1.800.565.6967 Canada Law Book, a Division of Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. MERGING TRADITION WITH TECHNOLOGY combo Direct – Lawtimes 1/4.indd 1 September web specials 9/1/10 11:22:51 AM Charter of Rights Newsletter The Charter of Rights in Litigation: Direction from The Supreme Court of Canada Constitutional Remedies in Canada The Law of Human Rights in Canada: Practice and Procedure canadalawbook.ca CA082 For a 30-day, no-risk evaluation call: 1.800.565.6967 Canada Law Book, a Thomson Reuters business. Prices subject to change without notice, to applicable taxes and shipping & handling. www.lawtimesnews.com The Honourable Justice Russel W . Zinn Kent Roach Mahmud Jamal and Matthew T Editors: Gregor y P . DelBigio and Eric V . Gottardi aylor

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