The Fight for Disability Rights in Canada

As with most other people with disabilities around the world, disabled persons in Canada had to go through a lot of difficulties over the past centuries. They were offered little opportunity for gainful employment and quality education, and to be productive members of society. They also had to contend with a lack of mobility, and discrimination from a misunderstanding public.

In the 1970s, the Canadian government finally enacted some laws protecting the disabled and recognizing their rights. The Canadian Human Rights Act, which was passed in 1977, declared that all Canadians, regardless of sex, race, nationality, and disability, had equal rights under the law. While this served to recognize the rights of the disabled, it did not contain specific laws and guidelines addressing the unique concerns of persons with disabilities.

Several key developments took place after this, highlighting the need for better disability laws. These included the creation of the Coalition of Provincial Organizations of the Handicapped, which served as the voice for the country's disabled; and the declaration of 1981 as the Year of the Disabled. In recognition of that year, the Canadian government commissioned a Special Committee on the Disabled and Handicapped to conduct a study on the needs of persons with disabilities. The Committee produced the Obstacles Report, which highlighted the challenges facing the disabled, and presented 130 recommended policies to address these challenges.