Human Resources Committee on Dec. 10th, 2024

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Thanks for that question, Ms. Zarrillo.

Let me just say, as the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, that it is really important that we meet and talk to Canadians with disabilities and stakeholders, every single day. However, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, when we celebrate the contributions of incredible members of the community who have been leading the way, to call that reception just meeting people.... I find that quite rude, to be honest. The honourable member was invited, and she didn't show up, so it's quite shameful that she didn't show up to a reception celebrating the wonderful disability community and the stakeholders who participated in that.

With that being said, on the work, yes, there are real challenges that persons with disabilities face on a daily basis. My goal is to make sure we're moving those barriers. Just to clarify for the honourable member, within the act itself, the foundation of the act is about changing the way we look at disability in this country. It's about the systemic change that needs to happen, not just within governments but throughout the private sector, throughout governments around—

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I'm so sorry, Chair. It's just because I don't have very much time that I'm really having challenges today with the minister's answers. The minister doesn't seem to understand that we have witnesses who are saying that culture change is not within the road map, but that they need to have a culture change. I just hope that the minister will take that away instead of arguing against it.

My next question is about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I've been asking for three years that there be an all-party delegation that would go to represent Canada and Canadians at the UN as they discuss the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Is this something that the minister is willing to do?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

I'm always happy to participate at the UN, at any international forum, talking about the rights of Canadians with disabilities. It's really important that the voices of persons with disabilities are at the table. It is my priority to ensure that persons with disabilities have seats at the table as delegated members, whether it is at the UN or at the G7—where we had a great delegation of stakeholders that represented Canada exceptionally well—because throughout the world there's a lot to learn from Canada when it comes to disability inclusion.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Does the minister believe it's important that all parties have a shared vision and experience many of those conversations with these people? Why would the minister not want an all-party delegation to go to the United Nations regarding these important topics?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

I'm always happy to engage anyone who wants to ensure persons with disabilities are at the table. It's fundamentally about ensuring we have persons with disabilities at the table talking about lived experiences. “Nothing without us” is about ensuring those voices are at the table. It's looking at the intersectionalities of those individuals at the table to ensure their voices are represented.

I am proud of the civil society organizations that have led the work in moving the dial forward on disability inclusion, not just in Canada but also throughout the world.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I wonder if the minister would explain, since she continues to talk about “nothing without us”, why the Canada disability benefit is only $200 and hasn't yet been released.

Lastly, why did the minister not fight for the $250 workers' rebate for persons with disabilities?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

I fight for persons with disabilities every single day in my role as the minister responsible for persons with disabilities. I can tell you that the community itself, in the true spirit of “nothing without us”, has been part of every consultation we have done to support persons with disabilities.

Let me also tell the honourable member that the CDB—the first-ever statutory benefit—means $2,400 is going to help some of the most vulnerable in this country, among over 600,000 persons with disabilities. That is significant.

That's not the only thing we're doing. We're ensuring people can find meaningful work. It's a fact that we put forward a tax break to ensure all Canadians can have a holiday tax cut, which, unfortunately, the Conservative Party voted against.

We're going to make sure we support Canadians.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Ms. Zarrillo.

We will now move to Mrs. Falk for five minutes.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Thank you, Chair.

When this committee studied Bill C-81—the Accessible Canada Act—in 2018, we heard repeated and urgent testimony from disability advocates and organizations that the act lacked clear timelines and deadlines. While it was perhaps well intentioned, it was widely recognized that it did not have the teeth and enforcement mechanisms to ensure the removal or prevention of barriers. Five years after the passage of this bill, it is clear these concerns were well founded.

Mr. David Lepofsky told the committee this:

The act does not, at present, require any disability barrier to ever be removed or to be prevented in any organization that the federal government can regulate. Not one single accessibility standard that is enforceable in law has been enacted in the five years since this law was passed. As a result, progress towards accessibility has been glacial and agonizingly slow.

Given that we are a quarter of the way to 2040, why have you failed to enact a single legally enforceable accessibility standard?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Thank you for that question.

That's fundamentally not true.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Are you suggesting that the witness was misleading?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

I will make sure you have the exact information on that.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Are you suggesting that Dr. David Lepofsky was misleading the committee?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

I will give you the exact—

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

He is somebody who has a disability, and this is what he does.

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

I will—

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Are you suggesting that he misled the committee?

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

I have a point of order.

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

That is not what I said.

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

With respect, Chair, I think it's only fair that the minister has a chance to answer the questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I would remind members—

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

It is my time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

I'm lenient. It's the member's time. I'll just ask both participants to respect the fact that it has to be interpreted.

Mrs. Falk, you have the floor.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Why have you failed to enact a single legally enforceable accessibility standard?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Do you want an answer?