Madam Speaker, John F. Kennedy once said, “Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.” That is the spirit with which I approached this important debate tonight. That is the spirit with which I will approach the call to action that will follow to help create an environment where every single person has a chance to thrive and contribute to their full potential.
Next Wednesday, when we gather in the House to vote on this motion, 338 members of Parliament will stand in their place and, one by one, publicly indicate whether they believe in this statement: “in the opinion of the House, where the federal government spends money on education, domestically or internationally, clear consideration must be given to the maximum inclusion of people with disabilities, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
It is important to point out that this is just a motion. It is not a piece of legislation. While it is an important step in the right direction, the vote next week should not be viewed as an outcome, let alone any form of comprehensive outcome. A unanimous vote for this motion would do absolutely nothing on its own. The interim outcome of this debate and of the subsequent vote will be the consensus that is formed.
I believe the motion will pass, because it is designed to pass. It is very intentionally designed to find some common ground in a world where common ground is very hard to find. Once this motion passes, it would create an accountability mechanism working to ensure that inclusivity is a part of every conversation a Canadian federal government has around education, because the people having those conversations will have publicly committed to that.
When the federal government negotiates agreements with indigenous leaders around education, we will be agreeing that clear consideration must be given to the maximum inclusion of people with disabilities. When the federal government spends money on education through the Canada social transfer or other federal programs, we will be agreeing that clear consideration must be given to the maximum inclusion of people with disabilities. When the federal government spends money on education internationally, as it does through hundreds of millions of dollars in investments to organizations like Education Cannot Wait and the Global Partnership for Education, we will be agreeing that clear consideration must be given to the maximum inclusion of people with disabilities. Next week, each member of the House will stand to clearly indicate their individual position on and, I hope, commitment to this statement.
Earlier, I talked about outcomes. Ultimately, these outcomes will be realized person by person, as individuals with disabilities and, in particular, intellectual and developmental disabilities, are included in education systems along with their brothers and sisters, neighbours and friends, regardless of where they live in Canada and around the world. These potential outcomes are not limited just to education, because if we get inclusive education right, every single young person, regardless of their abilities or whatever label we attach to them, will come out with a more diverse perspective. They will have a different understanding, and they will bring that understanding to the places where they live and the places where they work, so our living places and our workplaces will become more inclusive as well.
These potential outcomes are not limited to vast improvements in the lives of people with disabilities, because as we work to build and support systems domestically and internationally that reach the most vulnerable people in the world, we will reach everyone else along the way. When we wire our hearts to include girls with disabilities, including intellectual and development disabilities, in education systems in the most challenging contexts in the world, we will reach every girl in the world. When we wire our hearts to include boys with disabilities, including intellectual and development disabilities, in education systems in refugee camps and war zones, we will better reach all kids in refugee camps and war zones and, of course, every less challenging environment in the world. Most importantly, when we include people with disabilities in all aspects of our societies, when we work to mitigate the challenges they face and unlock the skills and abilities they have, just like we do with everyone else, our societies will benefit from an immense potential previously unrecognized.
In a world where we seem to disagree on almost everything, this is one area where we should have some agreement. My sincere hope is that, next week, every member of the House will stand in common agreement with the words of this motion, and then understanding that the mission the motion seeks to advance will not advance itself, we will continue to work together to make it happen. Things do not happen. Things are made to happen. Let us make this happen.
