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Preamble The following document entitled In Unison: A Canadian Approach to Disability Issues, sets out a blueprint for promoting the integration of persons with disabilities in Canada. As Ministers of Social Services, we have developed this document together in response to the request by First Ministers in June 1996, and reaffirmed in December 1997, to make disability issues a collective priority in the pursuit of social policy renewal (see Appendix F). The Quebec government has not participated in this initiative.* In addressing the challenges for persons with disabilities, we recognized the evolving nature of Canadian society and within it the place of persons with disabilities. As the needs and attitudes of Canadians change, public policies and programs need to reflect these changes. Most persons with disabilities do not consider themselves permanently unemployable. They see themselves as independent individuals with the ability to control all facets of their lives. The attitudes of Canadians also are evolving to be more consistent with the views and realities of persons with disabilities. As a result, Canadians with disabilities are no longer viewed as 'exceptions' whose needs must be met through segregated programs. While the current system of social policies and programs offers much to persons with disabilities, there is clearly a need for policies and programs to embody these evolving attitudes and meet the changing needs of persons with disabilities. The reality today is that persons with disabilities still face barriers and discrimination which prevent them from participating or contributing as equal partners in society. Accordingly, we need to renew our efforts to adapt our policies and programs to reflect the fact that persons with disabilities should be full participants in society. We need to continue our work to remove barriers and systemic discrimination. We agree that there is much scope to improve the current patchwork of federal, provincial and territorial benefits and services. Work needs to be done at both levels of government to reduce the fragmentation of our supports and services. More effective and coordinated programs would better serve Canadians with disabilities and the country as a whole. These changing attitudes and realities led the Prime Minister and Premiers at the June 1996 First Ministers' Meeting to identify persons with disabilities as a collective priority and to task governments to "make a proposal for the integration of income support." In examining the options that were developed for our consideration, we concluded that focussing on income support alone would result in missed opportunities to address the various and diverse needs of Canadians with disabilities. Other related issues, including citizenship, disability supports and employment had to be considered in concert with the issue of income support. In reaching this conclusion, our work built on the legacy of studies over the past decade that explored the system of disability supports and services. Many laws, policies and programs represent an important inheritance and should comprise the cornerstones for future work. Nonetheless, some laws, polices and programs can be modified to better reflect changing needs. It is especially important to remove the barriers and disincentives that prevent persons with disabilities from fully participating in society. From this perspective, we agreed that a long-term vision should be developed to address these areas and their interrelationships. Taking action in any one area affects the others, and accordingly, a coordinated approach is required to ensure effective policies and programs for Canadians with disabilities. A coordinated approach requires Ministers of Social Services to involve other Ministers such as those responsible for the issues of health, labour, employment, education, training, learning, finance, aboriginal affairs, women, justice, housing, transportation, Workers' Compensation, and citizenship. Together, we will work to set new disability priorities and explore potential actions, in particular joint federal/provincial/territorial actions, consistent with the document. In moving from vision to action, the starting point for governments is to recognize that much can be done to improve the existing system and the interaction of its various components. While much of this new disability agenda can be achieved through improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of programs and the coordination between programs, jurisdictions recognize that new investments may be required. New opportunities for investment or reinvestment would be explored as fiscal resources permit. Moving from vision to action will require the engagement of the disability community and the support of all Canadians. This agenda also will include the development of accountability frameworks that will permit Canadians to assess the effectiveness of disability policies and programs. It is essential that governments and Canadians work in partnership in order to achieve the vision of full participation of persons with disabilities as we move into the 21st century.
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