In Unison: A Canadian Approach to Disability Issues Full Citizenship Objectives: To make as inclusive as possible all domains of Canadian society. To mobilize all sectors to enhance the full and equal partnership of persons with disabilities. Policy Direction Policies that promote access to generic programs and services for all Canadians, including persons with disabilities. Citizenship refers to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of Canadian society. It is the overarching theme that shapes the vision and the building blocks. Full inclusion means that the needs of persons with disabilities are met through generic programs, while additional essential supports are provided to those individuals whose needs cannot be met through generic programs and services. Future reforms will need to ensure that the policies and programs in each building block are consistent with this concept. The achievement of full citizenship is not limited to any one building block. The needs of persons with disabilities are complex and multifaceted, and transcend all three areas. As a result, measures to reduce barriers and to ensure access to programs and services enjoyed by other Canadians need to be adopted in each of the building blocks. At the same time, measures need to be viewed from gender and Aboriginal perspectives in recognition that women and Aboriginal persons with disabilities face greater barriers to full participation. Citizenship also refers to rights and responsibilities. It implies participation in and contribution to the systems and the 'core' services in which all Canadians can participate and to which most Canadians have access. These include schools, training programs, postsecondary education institutes, health care, workplaces, recreation facilities, cultural programs, transportation, parks and other forms of public space. In Unison seeks to expand the boundaries of the core services to make them as inclusive as possible. The needs of persons with disabilities would be incorporated in the initial design of all programs and activities in every domain of society. For example, student loan programs would acknowledge that some students may require more time to complete their curriculum. Training programs would be open to all potential participants. Employers would accommodate jobs and workplaces to ensure the inclusion of employees with disabilities. Workplaces, recreation centres, and libraries would make provision for participation by all citizens. Within this context, the needs of women and Aboriginal persons with disabilities would require particular attention as they must overcome greater barriers and disadvantages. Persons with disabilities will achieve full citizenship as systemic discrimination and barriers are eliminated. Federal, provincial and territorial governments are determined to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities and to support their participation in all aspects of Canadian life. While governments acknowledge their role in providing leadership, the achievement of full citizenship requires more than the involvement of governments alone. Persons with disabilities should be able to make their own choices, take risks, and set their own goals and society should facilitate their participation and contribution. Efforts from all sectors of society are required to contribute to the overall goal of full citizenship. Government departments and agencies, private enterprises and voluntary organizations can all take steps to make various forms of accommodation within their respective spheres of activity. Community development, including all sectors, must take place to provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate fully in Canadian society. A healthy infrastructure of disability organizations also can help to interpret and implement the concept of full inclusion. The first step in this process is to change attitudes and to provide information as to how to make core programs and services more inclusive. For example, information on accommodation could be disseminated widely to schools, training institutes, employers and various programs. Accommodation does not need to be costly. Since accommodation encompasses more than modifications to physical infrastructure, procedural changes to accommodate persons with disabilities could also be undertaken at almost no cost. Accommodation plans incorporated at the design stages of any process is usually a much more cost effective approach than retrofit or redesign. Information on accommodation complements potential measures discussed under the Employment building block. Voluntary action to ensure inclusion would help breathe life into the protections afforded by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Human Rights legislation. Section 15(1) of the Charter states 15(1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. The intent is to reduce the need to invoke the Charter as an instrument of litigation. Ideally, it should be seen more as a beacon whose spirit guides all government actions. Jurisdictions also might contemplate a legislative review to support efforts to encourage action and the commitment to inclusion.