Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This goes back to a conversation we very quickly had about “nothing without us”.
In much of the testimony, we did hear about the opportunity for co-creation. Although the preamble includes some language about “Nothing Without Us”, this is an opportunity for us here around this table to amend the bill to require the government to meaningfully involve and include persons with disabilities in the development and design of the Canada disability benefit regulations.
This provision should specify that meaningful participation must be fully accessible, ongoing, allow for two-way dialogue directly with decision-makers and be inclusive of diverse communities of persons with disabilities.
I will just say that this was also shared in the Maytree brief, the Disability Without Poverty testimony and brief, the brief from ARCH, Inclusion Canada's testimony and brief, and Lorna Aberdein's brief.
I will read the amendment, Mr. Chair.
This is what we're looking for as subclauses 11(3) and 11(4):
(3) The Governor in Council must ensure that persons with disabilities from diverse communities and a range of backgrounds are afforded a meaningful opportunity to collaborate on an equitable basis in policy development leading to the making of regulations under this Act.
(4) The development and making of regulations must enable full effect to be given to the principles set out in the preamble regarding engagement with the disability community.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.