Province announces disappointing accessibility legislation: Barrier Free
June 1, 2011
The Province of Manitoba introduced into legislature today Bill 47: The Accessibility Advisory Council Act, the first step towards addressing historic injustices that continue to deny Manitobans with disabilities their right to equitable access.
“I’ve introduced legislation today that will lead to the creation of an advisory council that will move us one step closer to a fully accessible Manitoba where everyone can live, work and play,” says Minister Jennifer Howard, in a release from the Province. “This council will identify barriers that people face and find ways to prevent and remove those barriers.”
The council would be made up of members of the disability community and other affected stakeholders who will make recommendations on:
- legislation or regulations that would set up a process to identify, prevent and remove barriers faced by people with disabilities;
- policies, practices and requirements that may be implemented by government to improve accessibility; and
- development of long-term accessibility objectives.
Under the proposed legislation, the advisory council would consult with people with disabilities and organizations that may be affected by any of its recommendations. This would include employers and businesses as well as representatives from Manitoba municipalities. One of the council’s first tasks would be further development of the legislation that would set out accessibility standards.
The Bill has been much anticipated since the House returned earlier this year, however it falls short of what many disability rights advocates were expected.
Barrier Free Manitoba says the Bill "falls well short of honouring longstanding committments" made by the Province, but credits it with setting out a legislated process that will see work done on the issue of accessibility over the next two years.
"Requiring that the future government tends to the important but unfinished business of making Manitoba truly inclusive is a good thing," says Barrier Free Manitoba spokesperson and steering committee member Dale Kendel. "Having had the government fulfill its decade-old commitments before heading into a general election would have been a much, much better thing. That is why this Bill is so disappointing."
Read the Bill
Read the Government press release
Read the Barrier Free Manitoba response.
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