Green Party policy on disabilities

I’ve had a couple of people ask what Green Party policy was on disabilities.  One concern was that some of the policies towards greening the economy were fairly hostile to people who had a difficult time already dealing with life’s challenges.  This is something I’ve pledged to address on Shadow Cabinet.

In the meantime, I’m proud also to say that the Green Party has a very robust and human-scale policy towards people with disabilities centred on two policy points which I find incredibly important.

The first is the adoption of the Caledon Institute’s recommendation of a Basic Income for Canadians with Disabilities, which would be a more economical and more equitable way of providing for the needs of Canadians who have difficulty finding or maintaining regular employment as a result of their disabilities.  This programme would guarantee a basic income sufficient to provide for the needs of each Canadian living with serious disabilities, while enabling them to take on employment to enhance their income.  For those Canadians with disabilities who are able to maintain  full employment, part or all of the basic income will be taxed back.  The immediate implementation of this policy was endorsed by the Green Party membership at the last AGM.

The second policy point which I’m very proud of centres on the support for caregivers of people with special needs, including family caregivers.  This policy epitomizes the human-scaled, community-centred approach to policy that characterizes Green Party thinking.  Right now, families often face the bitter choice of institutionalizing loved ones under unfamiliar and often impersonal conditions or taking on immense personal expenses to care for their loved ones themselves.  They need better options.

In addition to these two fundamentals, the Green Party proposes a very robust programme in support of Canadians living with disabilities including:

• a national equipment fund to provide the mechanical aids that Canadians require,
• investment in new social housing adapted to the needs of people with disabilities,
• health transfer payments for rehabilitation,
• immediately ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.