During the consultations we held, we heard very powerful stories from groups representing people with disabilities, not just children. We heard from people with various kinds of illnesses that may be episodic and affect their ability to be in a workplace.
You are correct that there is nothing new in these changes, particularly with respect to children with disabilities. That being said, caring for children with disabilities or caring for other family members for other reasons is a fundamental principle of these proposed changes. Under the Canadian Human Rights Act, there are protections for employees who have family responsibilities, so there's also that avenue if they feel they are not able to agree with their employer on alternative work arrangements that allow them to look after their child, or an elderly parent, or to access family responsibility leave.