Inclusion
The full inclusion of persons with disabilities is a central theme in previous reports and initiatives of both governments and nongovernmental organizations. The Federal Task Force on Disability Issues was the most recent major initiative that employed this theme as a key organizing concept.
Participation and inclusion also are embodied in the following principles set out more recently by Federal/Provincial/ Territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services. These principles were derived from the federal/provincial/territorial review, Mainstream 1992 — Pathway to Integration.
- Rights and responsibilities: Persons with disabilities have the same rights and the same responsibilities as other Canadians. They are entitled, as others are, to the equal protection and the equal benefit of the law and require measures for achieving equality.
- Empowerment: Persons with disabilities require the means to maximize their independence and enhance their well-being.
- Participation: Persons with disabilities require full access to the social, economic and physical infrastructure which supports our society so that they can participate fully and equally in their communities.
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