For Immediate Release

May 10, 2022

Disability Poverty Advocates Applaud NDP Motion for the Canada Disability Benefit

(Toronto) – Disability Without Poverty is pleased to see the NDP motion calling on Government to table the Canada Disability Benefit Bill today. Over 1.4 million disabled people live in poverty across the country, and the Canada Disability Benefit presents the opportunity to help them live their lives with dignity. Now that the motion has been tabled, we expect unanimous support from all parties. We expect that the bill will be tabled quickly and fast-tracked through each of the stages it needs to pass through as legislation. Until this Bill becomes law, we will continue to ask #WheresTheBill ?

Michelle Hewitt, Co-chair of Disability Without Poverty says “Disabled people have lived in poverty for too long, and the extreme conditions have been exacerbated by the pandemic. With no increases in provincial disability assistance payments and inflation at 6.7%, disabled people need this Bill to pass now, and we are grateful that this motion is expected to be brought forward today.”

Rabia Khedr, National Director of Disability Without Poverty says “Poverty does not take a break and there are only 27 sitting days remaining before summer recess. I implore our Parliament to prioritize disabled lives. People living with a disability in poverty want to live with dignity, but some are dying. Please implement the Canada Disability Benefit quickly. We are here to help with its design and implementation as people with disabilities to expedite the process.”