Nova Scotia Disability Rights are Human Rights
On April 14th, 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision on the Province’s application for permission to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision. The top Court dismissed the Province’s request to appeal. In doing so, the Supreme Court awarded costs against the Province, payable to the DRC.
“I just don’t think anybody should have to take their government to court to get their government to do the right thing,” Premier Tim Houston told a news conference on Thursday.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021: The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal (NSCA) released its ruling today which overturned a human rights board of inquiry decision and made a finding of systemic discrimination against the Province based on its treatment of persons with disabilities in need of supports and services to live in community.
“We’ve heard the message loud and clear.”
CTV: Beth MacLean, a Nova Scotia woman with intellectual disabilities who won a landmark human rights case forcing the province to provide her with a home in the community, has died. photo: Robert Short/CBC
In 2013, the current government committed to closing institutions and providing community-based living supports for all persons with disabilities within 10 years—by the end of 2023. It was all set out in the Roadmap—a plan to community inclusion drafted jointly by the Province and disability rights advocates, and endorsed by then Premier Stephen McNeil and his government.
Promises were made by Nova Scotia governments since 2013 that they would close institutions and provide community-based living supports for persons with disabilities and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder by 2023 but the reality is the progress has been too slow!
As part of the United Nations Human Rights Committee preparation of a “list of issues” for its 2023 Review of Canada, the Disability Rights Coalition along with 23 other Canadian NGOs has filed the following submission seeking to address the rights violation of people with disabilities who are unnecessarily institutionalized and Canada’s failure to provide the necessary supports and services for social inclusion.
Dear friends and colleagues, We are writing to ask your assistance in recruiting organizational support for this open letter asking Members of Parliament to “stop and rethink the radical and highly divisive changes proposed for Canada’s medical assistance in dying regime in Bill C7.”
The Tetra Society of North America – Halifax is working with Venus Envy – Halifax on a project focusing on creating adaptive and innovative equipment for persons with disabilities for sexual practices. If you would like to participate in this project, please fill out the attached google form. We recognize that online forms can be challenging to complete for those with various disabilities…
