Thank you.
We need new initiatives to improve access, including the regulation of new information technologies to ensure access, and the creation of a centre of excellence that would provide best practices information to employers, businesses, etc., on universal design options.
Our council had hoped that the Government of Canada's ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in March 2010 would trigger creation of a new national strategy to improve the lives of Canadians with disabilities. Sadly, that has not been the case. While new initiatives have come about, such as the registered disability savings plan and the expansion of the opportunities fund, these on their own are not sufficient to ensure a full participation of Canadians with disabilities in Canadian society.
Thank you for your interest in this matter.