Highlights of Second Day of Public Hearings on Bill C-22, the Proposed Canada Disability Benefit Act, and a Look Ahead at the Third Day When the AODA Alliance Gets a Turn at Bat

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance
United for a Barrier-Free Society for All People with Disabilities

Web: https://www.aodaalliance.org
Email: aodafeedback@gmail.com
Twitter: @aodaalliance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aodaalliance/

November 10, 2022

SUMMARY

Let’s look back at the second day of public hearings at the House of Commons on Bill C-22, the weak proposed Canada Disability Benefit Act, and ahead at the third day of hearings, when the AODA Alliance will be one of the presenters.

Tune In Online Monday, November 14, 2022 3:30 to 4:30 pm EST to Watch AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky Present to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities on Why It’s Vital to Strengthen the Weak Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act

On Monday, November 14, 2022 from 3:30 to 4:30 PM EST, AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky will speak to HUMA, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. We will press the politicians of all parties to agree to amend the weak Bill C-22, the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Act, to give it some teeth.

You can watch it online live, or watch it later, once the House of Commons archives it. To find the link to it, just go to the HUMA web page.

During that hour, two other organizations or individuals will also be presenting on the bill. We don’t yet know who they are or what position they will advance. Each presenter gets five minutes to make an opening statement. After that, the Members of Parliament take turns asking the presenters questions.

Please encourage others to watch this, including your local media.

Highlights of the Second Day of HUMA Public Hearings on Bill C-22, November 2, 2022

You can catch up on highlights of the first day of HUMA hearings on Bill C-22, held on October 31, 2022, by checking out the November 1, 2022 AODA Alliance Update. On the second day of public hearings, held on November 2, 2022, the Standing Committee heard from a first panel including Indwell Community Homes and the Reena Foundation, and then a second panel that included Easter Seals Ontario, the Quebec Intellectual Disability Society, And the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund.

During these hearings, when it is time for questioning witnesses, the opposition MPs are more likely to ask what amendments are needed to the bill. For at least some of the Liberal MPs, their questions appear to steer away from that topic.

Here are some highlights of the second day of hearings, held on Wednesday, November 2, 2022:

* There was support across the board for creating the Canada Disability Benefit. This included calls for income support that matches the cost of living. The Committee was told that the Canada Disability Benefit will be effective if the amount paid accords with the cost of living.

* Income support in Ontario under ODSP is so low that there are serious problems trying to get accessible housing.

* The Reena Foundation called for the legislation to be passed quickly with regulations to be passed within 6 months. Reena said that the regulations should include safeguards against provincial government “clawing back” money paid to people with disabilities under the Canada Disability Benefit.

* Reena shares some of the concerns about Bill C-22 raised by the AODA Alliance, without letting action on them slowing down passage of the bill.

* The Reena Foundation has heard from many about concerns of some people with disabilities resorting to doctor assisted suicide due to their financial plight.

* Indwell Community Homes was asked what amendments to the bill they think are needed. InDwell identified a need for amendments to set timelines for implementing the bill and to set a floor minimum amount for the Canada Disability Benefit.

* When asked about possible amendments to the bill, the Reena Foundation said that if passing those amendments don’t delay the bill, there is a need for amendments to set timelines for the bill’s implementation. There is also a need for amendments to set a minimum amount for the Canada Disability Benefit, amendments to ensure that people with disabilities participate in the regulation-making process & amendments to ensure that there are no claw backs of the Canada Disability Benefit.

* InDwell was asked what benefits there are to putting details in the bill rather than leaving it all to the regulations. InDwell said this is not their expertise. However, they said that where specifics are set out in the bill, it makes them more permanent. They don’t want to slow the process.

* Reena Foundation was asked the same question. Reena responded that it does not make a difference whether there are more specifics in the bill, or simply in regulations enacted under the bill, because either way, the next government can change it whenever it wants.

AODA Alliance Comment: That is incorrect. If, for example, the next Government is a minority Government, they are not assured enough votes in the House of Commons to change the bill itself. However, if a feature, like the minimum amount of the Canada Disability Benefit, is only in regulations, then the next Government’s Cabinet can change that by amending the regulations in a secret vote, with no public debate and without seeking approval of the House of Commons and Senate.

* The Reena Foundation spoke about the need to have people with disabilities sitting around the table when regulations are set.

AODA Alliance Comment: Nothing in the bill entitles any people with disabilities to be in the Cabinet room when the Cabinet makes regulations. It certainly doesn’t entitle people with disabilities to be “at the table” where Cabinet makes those regulations. We seriously doubt that the Government is planning to let anyone into the Cabinet room where these decisions are made.

* The Reena Foundation said they don’t have the expertise to say whether an amendment to the bill is needed to ensure that people with disabilities are at the table when the regulations are being made. The Reena Foundation and InDwell spoke about the fact that there are extra costs associated with living with a number of disabilities.

AODA Alliance Comment: Nothing in Bill C-22 requires that the Canada Disability Benefit covers the additional costs of living arising from having those disabilities.

* The Easter Seals Society Ontario said that there is a Need to expand the Canada Disability Benefit to address the needs of all ages. Families of children with disabilities are upset that they are excluded from the Canada Disability Benefit Act. Easter Seals discussed the huge added costs that families of children with disabilities with whom they work must face. Some families have to seek charity from charitable orgs to help meet their child’s added financial needs.

* Easter Seals said that those families fear about the future for their children.

* One MP put to the three witnesses on the second panel a passage from the November 1, 2022 AODA Alliance Update regarding Bill C-22. They were asked what amendments to the bill they would seek. One witness supported an amendment a 12-month deadline, and an amendment that ensures that the money goes to the people who need it.

* Easter Seals supported a need to think bigger than just supporting working age people with disabilities. They want an amendment that would include all people with disabilities.

* Easter Seals said families are worried about the process to apply for the Canada Disability Benefit and to appeal if you are refused. When talking about needed amendments, Easter Seals said these processes have to be user-friendly.

AODA Alliance Comment: Bill C-22 does not set any requirements for the process to apply for the Canada Disability Benefit or to appeal if a person is refused. The bill does not require these processes to be fast, fair, accessible and user-friendly

* One MP spoke about barriers that people with disabilities could face if the application process is hard to navigate, or if an applicant must pay their doctor to get a form filled out in order to apply for the Canada Disability Benefit.

* Some witnesses raised the possibility of the Government creating an interim benefit to be paid while the Federal Government is working out details for the Canada Disability Benefit.

AODA Alliance Comment: There has been no suggestion that the Government is considering this option.

How to Learn More About Concerns with Bill C-22

Want to learn more? Check out the following:

* The AODA Alliance’s guest column in the November 7, 2022 edition of the Toronto Star, and the powerful Toronto Star editorial that day that cites the AODA Alliance’s concerns over Bill C-22.

* The AODA Alliance brief to the House of Commons on Bill C-22.

* The open letter to the House of Commons that calls for reforms to Bill C-22, which the AODA Alliance will present to the HUMA Standing Committee.

* Bill C-22 itself, which is painfully short.

* How the first day of HUMA’s public hearings on Bill C-22 on October 31, 2022 shows why this bill needs to be strengthened, and

* The AODA Alliance website’s Bill C-22 page, which shows all our efforts to strengthen this proposed new law.