The federal government is continually creating innovative programs to assist Canadians with disabilities.

The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, introduced a program in November to help persons affected by disabilities develop skills to secure meaningful long-term employment. He knows that people with disabilities have every intention of helping themselves, and I am proud to be part of an administration that is helping to make that happen.

The Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities is a new $223 million federal/provincial program to help people with disabilities overcome barriers to become active in the labour force. The agreements have been extended to March 2009 to deliver provincial programs and services that include job coaching and mentoring, pre-employment training and skills upgrading, post-secondary education, and a variety of workplace assistance.

Do disabled people have the same potential as those the able-bodied? I have been most fortunate to work with Steven Fletcher, a Member of Parliament elected in 2004 in Winnipeg. Steven’s life changed suddenly when he hit a moose with his car and was left without any feeling from the neck down. Living now as a quadriplegic, Steven is the first permanently disabled Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons.

Following the mishap, he earned a university Masters degree and received several national and international awards for political innovation in the health field. Steven Fletcher’s success has not been diminished by his physical disabilities. He stands as a sterling example of how all Canadians can attain their goals through hard work and courage.

As Steven points out: “I have learned in no uncertain terms the importance of family, community, and a social and political system that helps, not hinders, individuals,” he says. “We are much stronger when we take the focus off of what people can’t do, and realize that we all have great potential.”

Budget 2007 also invests $140 million over two years to establish the Registered Disability Savings plan to allow funds to be invested tax-free until withdrawal. Starting next year, parents and others will be able to save for the long-term financial security of a child with a disability. The plan is similar to a Registered Education Savings Plan. Canada Revenue Agency is in the process of creating this exciting new program, so check the CRA’s web site often for forms, policies and guidelines as they develop.

We have also created the Enabling Accessibility fund and invested $45 million over three years to contribute to accessibility through construction and renovation for persons with disabilities. This important and productive group of Canadians is firmly on the government’s radar and we are dedicated to enhancing their quality of life.

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