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Human Resources committee Yes, just a very brief word. The emphasis on the private sector initiatives is very, very important and very encouraging, but I think we need to remember that our successes have been based so far on a conducive public policy environment. That means, in your case, the federal gov
February 28th, 2013Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Human Resources committee Sure. Thank you and good morning. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the first international mandatory law instrument of our century; therefore, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities is very pleased that the departmental representati
February 28th, 2013Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee First, let me congratulate you on giving me your Braille card, it's highly appreciated. The question of defining disability is a very complex one. I think what is important to understand is that, with the aging of the population, impairments are increased, but that is linked ver
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee What are the consequences? Where do I start? Perhaps their food budget is affected negatively. Their health is affected negatively. Shelter is affected negatively. I hate to be sensational, but living two more years in poverty for people who are already poor is basically a prolon
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee Our approach, as the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, is that we want to raise these issues, to work with the government and parliamentarians to address problems as they arise.
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee I can say without any reservation that the initiative, the RDSP, has been positive. It helps Canadians with disabilities and their families to plan for the future. Obviously—and this is a long-standing approach by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and others—if we are go
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee The opportunities fund is a positive program. The new $10 million that the government has allocated is a positive initiative and we applaud that. The panel that the ministers are putting together is a good way of exploring good practices. It's a good way of bringing together peo
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee Continuing on for two more years at existing social assistance rates—except Alberta's, as I said, so I mean those in other provincial systems—means two years of poverty, which people avoid or get out of by receiving OAS and GIS at the age of 65. Raising the OAS age of eligibility
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee The proactive enrolment into OAS?
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee Of course.
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee Yes, of course. I do want to clarify, though.
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee Thank you for the opportunity. One of the points we made, and I want to reiterate, is that people with disabilities—especially women with disabilities and aboriginal people with disabilities—because of lower labour market attachment rely on social assistance. I applaud the phil
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee Certainly that will be part of it. One specific idea I think you could recommend, which would help people with disabilities—I know we have called for it in the past—is to make the federal public service a model employer for people with disabilities. That would have a beneficial i
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee In other instances, people cannot relocate for employment because their support services are not portable, or accessible transportation systems do not exist. EI reform must include in its assessment an understanding of disability, the barriers to employment for persons with disab
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias
Finance committee Thank you, and good morning. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities, the representative voice of Canadians with disabilities, is pleased to have the opportunity to present to the finance committee and thanks the committee for this invitation. Budget 2012 has created some ne
June 1st, 2012Committee meeting
Vangelis Nikias