Speech by the President of the Treasury Board of Canada to the Disabled
Peoples' International Summit 2004
September 10, 2004
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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Thank you, and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Bon soir, mesdames et
messieurs. And to our foreign guests,
let me say bienvenue, bienvenido, and welcome to Canada. I'm pleased to be with you this evening.
DPI has an outstanding reputation for outstanding vision and practical leadership in promoting the needs of disabled
persons around the world. In addition, Winnipeg has been called the "heartbeat" of the disability movement in Canada.
As a hometown boy, I'm particularly proud of that recognition.
I've long been an advocate for people with disabilities. I've worked in the field, and I understand the importance
of having "a voice of your own" heard loud and clear.
For me, it's an issue that transcends politics and partisan agendas.
Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu summed it up very well: "The fundamental law of human beings is
inter-dependence. A person is a person through other persons."
Canada is a world leader in supporting basic human rights and supporting the underprivileged. We've been recognized
for our achievements by many people and organizations.
For example, at the Liberal Leadership Convention last November, U2 lead singer and social activist Bono said, "The
world needs more Canada."
We were so pleased by this endorsement that we included it in the Speech from the Throne, which officially opens
every new session of Parliament, and sets out the broad goals and directions of the government.
Tonight, I want to look briefly at three areas where I believe the world could use more Canada: values, action and
vision. Not because we have all the answers, but to give you some ideas that may prove useful when you return
home.
Values
Let's begin with Canadian values.
Equality of opportunity is the pillar of a successful society.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms explicitly guarantees equal protection and equal benefit of the law,
without discrimination based on physical disability.
As Prime Minister Paul Martin noted in his reply to the February Speech from the Throne, good government is about
enabling citizens to take charge of their lives, by removing barriers and fostering opportunity.
He also identified the key Canadian values that are crucial to achieving this objective: fairness, generosity,
respect and caring.
We want a Canada in which citizens with disabilities have the opportunity to contribute to, and benefit from,
Canada's prosperity - as learners, workers, volunteers, and family members.
Our values are clear in Canada's inclusion of disabled persons' concerns at many levels.
For example, the federal public service has become more diverse. Representation of persons with disabilities now
meets or exceeds their availability in the general workforce.
And in June, a riding right here in the Winnipeg area elected Steven Fletcher, Canada's first quadriplegic Member of
Parliament. That's a great example of recognizing the contribution that can be made, at a national level, by people
with disabilities.
However, we still have challenges to meet.
The number of persons with disabilities in the federally regulated private sector is lower than their workforce
availability, and, in all sectors there are still too many barriers to employment.
The government is taking decisive action to meet this challenge. In the February Speech from the Throne, we pledged
to work with other levels of government in Canada to fill the gaps in education and skills development, and in
workplace support and accommodation, for people with disabilities.
Earlier today, you heard my Cabinet colleague, Ken Dryden, Minister of Social Development Canada, describe plans to
work with his provincial and territorial counterparts.
Together, they will chart a coordinated course for the future.
We are committed to lead by example in supporting the hiring, accommodation and retention of Canadians with
disabilities in the Government of Canada - the nation's largest employer - and in federally regulated industries.
Having a federal public service that better reflects the diversity of Canada's population isn't just the right thing
to do, it's the smart thing to do.
Like any modern, professional organization, our public service must recruit and retain the best-qualified, most
skilled workers available. That means drawing on the talents of the entire population and building a workforce that
truly reflects Canada's diversity.
Canada cannot afford to squander the talents of people like you.
Their potential is significant in terms of both human and economic capital. Some 15 percent of Canadians have some
sort of disability, including 50 percent of seniors. For both the public and private sectors, this is a valuable
source of ideas, energy and skill.
Canadian values, especially equality of opportunity for people with disabilities, are firmly entrenched in
government policies and guidelines. But what about putting this commitment into practice?
That brings me to my second issue: how the world could use more Canada in terms of action.
Action
You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do. As management strategy guru Peter Drucker has noted,
"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results."
I think Ken Dryden's description of his priorities and objectives demonstrates our strong commitment to making a
real difference.
SDC is a new department with a new focus, one that highlights disability issues as a key federal priority.
For example, their Office for Disability Issues is a focal point within the Government of Canada for key partners
working to promote the full participation of Canadians with disabilities in learning, work and community life. Many
other federal departments and organizations share this goal.
I don't have time to give you a lengthy list of Canada's many initiatives targeted at the needs of people with
disabilities. But let me offer a few highlights:
- The Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada was created to play a leadership role in modernizing
the federal public service. As part of its responsibility for employment equity, the agency is committed to
continuously implementing initiatives to better accommodate persons with disabilities.
In addition, the Agency works with departments on our policy to Accommodate Persons with Disabilities in the Federal
Public Service. The policy is now being strengthened to clarify accountability for its implementation, and improve
monitoring of results.
The Agency also provides financial and other types of support to the National Committee of Federal Public Servants
with Disabilities.
- The Persons with Disabilities Online project is a collaborative effort of five federal government departments.
It's aimed at individuals with disabilities, as well as their families, caregivers and service providers.
The goal is to provide a single Internet access point to a wide range of information, programs, services and
transactions offered by federal, provincial and territorial governments.
As part of this project, work is being undertaken to enhance and better integrate the information from partner
sites. For example, the Mapping for the Visually Impaired portal provides maps and geo-spatial data on-line. In
future, we hope to implement a voice interface to allow users and educators to interact with maps.
I'm sure many of you here tonight are familiar with the Canadian International Development Agency. It supports
sustainable development in developing countries, in order to reduce poverty and contribute to a more secure, equitable
and prosperous world.
CIDA works with developing countries, and those in transition, to develop the tools to help them meet their own
needs. Here are just a few examples of the Agency's initiatives for the disabled:
- Since 1983, CIDA has provided funding totalling almost $10 million to DPI.
- InIndia, the Agency supports a partnership between the Indian Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Human Rights
Commission. They work to raise awareness within India on the human rights of people with disabilities.
- In Ethiopia, CIDA is supporting ORBIS to help its local partners reduce levels of blindness and visual impairment.
They are building the capacity of local health workers and developing local services to address eye health needs.
- The Canadian Paraplegic Association is offering its expertise to people in Jamaica and Senegal through seminars and
workshops. They are sending teams of Canadian professionals - whenever possible, people with disabilities, since they
can serve as valuable role models as well as sharing their expertise and advice.
Technology and individualization add to the challenge of disability issues. For most people, technology makes
things easier. For many persons with disabilities, technology makes things possible.
We need new means of access to the Internet for those who may be excluded by mainstream development.
We want to enable any individual in Canada with a disability to perform any task or receive any service or
information that a person without a disability can - in any format using any personal technology, anywhere, at any
time.
That's a pretty tall order, but we're committed to playing a leadership role in leveraging innovation to enhance the
inclusion of all Canadians.
Canada's Chief Information Officer Branch is spearheading much of this work. For example, the Federated
Architecture Program focuses on enhancing the usability of Government of Canada information for individuals with
disabilities.
It's much easier and less expensive to mold wheelchair curb cuts and ramps while the cement is still wet. The same
strategy applies when designing and implementing on-line information sources that are tailored to the unique needs of
individuals with disabilities.
Thanks largely to the efforts of the World Wide Web Consortium, Internet accessibility has become a global issue.
Canada's Common Look and Feel standards are aligned with the Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to
ensure the majority of Canadians will find it easy to use on-line information and services.
As President of Treasury Board, I will ensure that the application of these standards continues to meet - or exceed
- the needs of the disabled community.
Although people communicate in many different ways, all communication occurs through the sense of sight, sound or
touch. With Canada's Web-4-All project, communication occurs regardless of the communication style or reliance on any
particular sense.
The result is computer access that's tailored to the specific needs of disabled people.
Web-4-All was developed by the University of Toronto's Adaptive Technology Resource Centre. This pilot program
involves the installation of 1,000 special computers at community access points across the country. They're designed
so that a wide range of people - from seniors with failing eyesight to people with limited movement - can access the
Internet via public computers.
Web-4-All provides visually impaired people with screens magnified or texts read aloud by an audio capability.
Those with limited manual dexterity can use tools for settings and displays that are easier to manipulate than the
standard keyboard or mouse.
The technology allows selection of a number of individual preferences, which are saved on personal access
smartcards, not unlike a typical bank or credit card. These smart cards automatically configure a customized user
interface tailored to meet the needs of the user.
To get one of these cards, people need only go to one of the 1,000 Web-4-All community access points. There, they
are assessed for individual technical needs and preferences, which are then entered into the smart card. The card is
then issued on the spot. To date, over 20,000 people have them.
The smart cards have been donated by Bell Canada and the Royal Bank of Canada, and special readers for the cards
have been donated by Hitachi. Any Web-4-All system can be accessed with the simple swipe of the card, with
installation of the participant's preferences.
The clients and users of Web-4-All have achieved a higher level of technology skills than they had prior to
participating in the project. Some even reported gaining enough confidence and skill to change their employment
aspirations from one sector of the economy to another.
In an effort to improve technical and interpersonal skills, youth with disabilities and literacy difficulties were
employed to help with the installation of Web-4-All systems and user training. The results were quite successful and
the initiative is spreading.
Vision
Let's turn now to vision, the final area where I believe the world could use more Canada.
As Ken Dryden so eloquently noted, the key questions for the future are:
- Where can we be?
- What are our priorities?
- And how can we get there?
Canadians want their country to play a distinctive and independent role in making the world more secure, more
peaceful, more co-operative, and more open.
We want a Canada that speaks on the world stage - heard by our closest neighbours and our distant friends - with
equal conviction and independence.
We are a knowledge-rich country. We must apply more of our research and science to help address the most pressing
problems of developing countries.
So just before I conclude, let me give you a couple of examples for future focus.
- Industry Canada is working with the Adaptive Technology Resource Centre at the University of Toronto to
commercialize the Web-4-All technology. This includes making the technology "open source", which means anyone anywhere
in the world could, potentially, have free access to the program.
- We are also supporting the University of Toronto in their efforts to establish Web-4-All's design technology
adopted as an international standard.
If we're successful, it could mean that people with disabilities will someday be able to carry the commands
necessary to make a computer-based service accessible to their needs. It could provide significantly better access for
distance education, a kiosk, an automatic teller, an on-line shopping program or any other computer-based service.
- The federal government has adopted Web accessibility standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium, to
ensure all federal Web sites are accessible to people with disabilities. Our goal is to build in better access at the
design phase and thus avoid costly retrofits down the road.
Such improvements in Canadian technology could benefit people with disabilities around the world as other
governments adopt similar standards and initiatives to ensure the technology they are deploying includes the same
potential for enhanced accessibility.
My suggestion this evening that the world needs more Canada is both a profession of pride and an acknowledgement of
responsibility.
On the global stage, we want to bring distinctive Canadian values to international affairs, including issues that
affect those with disabilities.
I'll be working with Ken Dryden, and with other Cabinet colleagues and MPs, to ensure that we keep your priorities
on the government's agenda.
Canada is rich in many disciplines and technologies. We have an obligation to share this wealth of capabilities
with those in need.
Peace and freedom, human rights, diversity, respect and democracy form the foundation of Canada's success. They are
also, potentially, our most valuable exports.
This evening, I've given you a few highlights of what that might mean in terms of values, action and vision. I'm
sure each of you here tonight could provide your own thoughts on this scenario.
During this Summit, that you've gained new ideas, new friends, and a new commitment to serving the disabled
community in your own country.
I expect you've also been reminded that, wherever you live, we all share a collective responsibility for supporting
people with disabilities. Local priorities may vary, but the importance of the cause is worldwide.
So let me leave you with a quote from Justin Dart, Jr., widely recognized as the father of the Americans with
Disabilities Act and a strong leader of the disability rights movement. He once said, "You cannot be responsible for
your own family without being responsible for the society and the environment in which they live."
Tonight, I'm asking for your help as we continue to improve our society and our environment, particularly for people
with disabilities.
And on behalf of the Canadian part of our global family, I wish you every success for the future.
Thank you.
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