Human Resources, Labour and Employment
March 18, 2011

Minister Attends Historic First Meeting on Disabilities and Human Rights

The Honourable Darin King, Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities, was pleased to attend the first meeting of Ministers Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights this week. The meeting took place on March 14 and 15 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The two-day session focused primarily on the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities while ministers were also provided information from leading advocates from within the disability rights movement. The meeting follows the one year anniversary of Canada’s ratification of the UN Convention on March 11, 2010. The convention is seen as a landmark for achieving equality for persons with disabilities.

“I was extremely pleased to take part in meetings with my colleagues from across the country as we explored how to bring life to the UN Convention and how we move vision to reality with the goal of a more inclusive community,” said Minister King. “Our government recognizes the importance of creating a fully inclusive society. I believe our attendance provided us with additional insight that will be utilized in developing an inclusion strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador and I sincerely appreciated the opportunity to discuss best practices with jurisdictions that have made progress already in this regard.”

“The Provincial Advisory Council is pleased that discussions at the ministers’ meeting have taken place on the UN Convention and its direction for the future,” said Joanne MacDonald, Chair of the Provincial Advisory Council for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. “The meeting was historic for multiple reasons, particularly because of the engagement of people with disabilities. This reflects the spirit of the convention and the motto nothing about us without us. Our province and certainly many others now recognize the importance of drawing on expertise from within the community of persons with disabilities when making decisions that affect us so intimately. I sincerely look forward to the final development of our provincial strategy on the heels of a very successful round of consultations in 2010.”

Last fall, the Provincial Government undertook an extensive set of consultations to gather information on how to remove barriers within communities and to support the development of a provincial inclusion strategy. A summary document from the consultations is being prepared and will be released in the coming months.

“One of the most important aspects of our recent public consultations, as well as the meetings in Winnipeg, was the engagement of local and national advocates and experts to inform ministers’ deliberations and discussions,” said Minister King. “Our government recognizes the value of engaging persons with disabilities in the development of solutions to barriers in society. I am pleased that our province has been a leader in this regard, with the formation of the Provincial Advisory Council for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, which I consult with for advice and guidance regularly. Our government will continue to uphold this commitment as we move forward.”

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Photo 1: The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment and Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities, with Provincial and Territorial ministers responsible for Disability and Human Rights portfolios at their meeting on March 15, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Pictured from left to right: Honourable Mary Anne Jablonski, Minister of Alberta Seniors and Community Supports; Honourable Don Morgan Q.C., Saskatchewan Minister of Justice and Attorney General; Honourable Eva Aariak, Premier of Nunavut; Honourable Andrew Swan, Manitoba Minister of Justice and Attorney General; Honourable Jennifer Howard, Manitoba Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities; Honourable Darin King, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister Responsible for Status of Persons with Disabilities; Honourable Denise Peterson-Rafuse, Nova Scotia Minister of Community Services; and, Honourable Janice Sheery, Prince Edward Island Minister of Community Service, Seniors and Labour.

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2011 03 18                                                             3:15 p.m.