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Disability Advocates Rally to Demand Change: Canada Disability Benefit Falls Short

Did you miss the "Nothing Without Us" Rally for change to the Canada Disability Benefit? Check out our partial livestream, live on Instagram or Youtube. Below is our Press Release too.

With a grainy yellow background covering the whole image, the title is given in large font: Nothing Without Us Below the title in a teal/light blue hexagon shape with the top and bottom sides stretched to fit text, black smaller subtitle text which reads: An Action about the Canada Disability Benefit. Below the subtitle, three images in a row left to right: - A black fly leaving a trail coming out of an empty jar marked with a dollar sign, in black. - A pink pig-shaped piggy bank, broken in half. - A teal/light blue clipboard with white paper. On the paper, to the left filled in checkboxes and to the right teal lines representing text overlaid this image in red is a rectangle stamp with the words DENIED imprinted. Below the images, text in black reading: “Join us at Matt Cohen Park (across from Chrystia Freeland’s Office) for a Community Gathering in Toronto to talk about the low proposed rates, access requirements, and other barriers of the coming Canada Disability Benefit. Let’s come together and make them listen!” Below this text and to the left, a white rounded rectangle with a drop shadow behind it. Inside the rectangle, the text: WHEN: 4 July 2024 • Banner Making — 11 AM • Rally — Noon • End — 1 PM WHERE: Matt Cohen Park 393 Bloor St W, Toronto (Bloor/Spadina) To the right and beside the rectangle, additional text in black: ASL Interpretation will be available. Next to the text, the universal icon for American Sign Language. Below this text and icon, further text in black: Nearest TTC Station: Spadina Station (Elevator/Escalator on Line 2 Only) At the bottom of the image, the logos for: ODSP Action Coalition, Disability without Poverty, Disability Justice Network of Ontario, and Income Security Advocacy Centre.

Toronto, ON – July 4, 2024


Disability justice organizations, including the Disability Justice Network of Ontario, Disability Without Poverty, Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC), and ODSP Action Coalition, are joining forces—along with the wider cross-disability community—to raise their voices in protest over  critical details recently revealed regarding the Canada Disability Benefit. The rally will take place at Matt Cohen Park in Toronto on July 4, 2024, starting at noon.


Background:

The details revealed in the recent federal budget regarding the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), which aims to provide financial support to working age Canadians with disabilities, have faced criticism for their inadequacy and restrictive eligibility criteria. Advocates argue that the benefit falls woefully short of addressing the urgent needs of disabled individuals, leaving them in legislated poverty.


Key Messages:

  1. Inadequate Support: The proposed amount of the CDB —up to $2400/year maximum — fails to provide sufficient financial assistance to disabled Canadians, perpetuating poverty and social/economic exclusion.

  2. Needlessly Restrictive: Requiring the Disability Tax Credit to access the CDB is unnecessarily stringent and will prevent many from accessing vital support.

  3. Message to Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland: Rally participants will send a clear message to the federal government: there is still time  to improve the CDB.


Note: The rally organizers encourage all concerned citizens, disability advocates, and allies to join the event and stand up for a more inclusive and supportive Canada Disability Benefit.

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Contact:

For media inquiries or interviews, please contact:




About the Organizers:

  • Disability Justice Network of Ontario: A community organization committed to building a just and accessible Ontario where disabled people have the power, capacity, and skills needed to hold people, communities, and institutions to account.

  • Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC): ISAC is a specialty community legal clinic working to advance the rights and interests of low-income Ontarians with respect to income security and employment.

  • ODSP Action Coalition: A volunteer, grassroots advocacy group led by people with disabilities on ODSP, with many valued allies, that advocates for improvements to the program.

  • Disability Without Poverty is a grassroots disability-led movement formed to ensure disabled people are involved in the design of the Canadian Disability Benefit. Their mission is to get the CDB into the hands of people with disabilities as soon as possible. Read the Shape the CDB: Disability With Possibility, Ontario Report

Press Release: Ontario’s System of Isolation and Violence towards Disabled Youth in Schools must end.

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, 4 June 2024

Background: Photo of Landyn Ferris (young white child, brown hair, yellow flower in his hair, wearing a blue t-shirt with the biggest smile on his face) overlaid with dark transparency. DJNO logo is at the top of the image to the right. Under the logo "ON THE DEATH OF" in yellow text, in larger font below it (still yellow) "LANDYN FERRIS" and in smaller text below that "AT TRENTON HIGH SCHOOL IN ONTARIO"


Hamilton, Ontario—Today, in grief and rage, we mourn the completely preventable death of a child to Ontario’s system of punitive isolation and violent punishment towards Disabled Children in the education system. Landyn Ferris, a 16 year old with Dravet Syndrome, was neglected and abandoned by Trenton High School officials and was found unresponsive after a likely seizure ended his life.


We strongly support the family’s civil lawsuit on this matter and the current inquest by the Office of the Chief Coroner. “The reality is that for Disabled Children like Landyn, the education system is structurally unsafe and built to promote this kind of violence.” said Brad Evoy, Executive Director of Disability Justice Network of Ontario, “Our research and discussions with community members has shown that, sadly, Landyn is one child of many to experience the horrors of isolation, seclusion, and punishment designed to harm Disabled Youth in Ontario”.


Landyn’s family describes him as a kind, gentle, and unique child. Yet, his death is part of the broader pattern of the deaths of Disabled Children within the Provincial Education system. Just this past September, the Inquest into the death of 18-year-old Samuel Brown concluded with 21 recommendations to prevent more deaths of Disabled Children in the Education system. For Landyn, Samuel, and countless Disabled Youth in Ontario—enough is enough.


“We hope that we can begin a conversation across Ontario about the ways in which the Provincial public and Catholic education systems isolate and bring harm to Disabled students only looking to learn and grow”, noted Ahona Mehdi, Disability Justice Network of Ontario’s Education Coordinator, “And we will be there to fight for a better future for all Disabled Youth. We know that investigations can’t end with just Trenton High School, but with the practices of every School Board in Ontario.”


Disability Justice Network of Ontario will be releasing a wider report on these practices in Ontario schools in Fall 2024. The true campaign for safer schools for Disabled Youth across Ontario has begun. Youth, parents, educators, and community members are coming together for safety for all Disabled, racialized, and marginalized children within Ontario’s schools and for a better tomorrow for every youth like Landyn. 


For more on DJNO’s work on education, please visit: djno.ca/education-project. 

To support Landyn’s family, please see the GoFundMe set up in his name: https://www.gofundme.com/f/z5gh6-landyn 

  

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Media Contact: Brad Evoy - Executive Director, Disability Justice Network of Ontario

Join the DJNO Youth Action Council!

Background is navy blue with light blue abstract shapes. At the top is a yellow text box with text written that read "Disability Justice Network of Ontario". Below is yellow text that reads "Join Our Youth Action Council". Below that is white text that reads "DJNO Youth Council applications are now open. We are seeking disabled youth ages 15-29 who are interested in gaining educational experience and training on disability justice." On the bottom right is a yellow text box with text that reads "Email: info@djno.ca". Below that is text that reads "www.djno.ca." On the bottom right corner is a yellow circle with DJNO's logo in the middle.

DJNO Youth Council applications are now open!


We are seeking disabled youth aged between fifteen (15) to twenty-nine (29) years old who are interested in gaining educational experience and training in Disability Justice.


What do we need to apply?

Send us an expression of interest by email and we'll send you details once you enter the next phase of our process.


Send your expressions of interest to info@djno.ca!

© 2023 by Disability Justice Network of Ontario.

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