Eppo Maertens

Legal Capacity. Influence the adoption by the federal government of consistent guidelines and policies that explicitly recognize and support the use of supported decision making as a primary alternative to guardianship. Grounded in the recognition of legal capacity - and the right to access support to exercise that right - contained in article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Inclusion Canada advocates for law reform and a national framework to enshrine and safeguard the right of people with intellectual disabilities to make decisions for themselves (legal capacity, supported decision making...). Income Security. Influence improvements to the Canada Disability Benefit and the Child Disability Benefit, focusing on raising benefit amounts, simplifying access, and expanding eligibility. Advancing policy reform on the Disability Tax Credit and the Registered Disability Savings Plan to remove access and program barriers. This will included engagement on the Canada Disability Benefit Act, and associated regulations, and advocacy to ensure adequate funding to these benefits. Inclusive Education. Develop and launch a national strategy to support and enhance inclusive education. Influence reform on the barriers to accessing quality inclusive education at all levels. Inclusive and Affordable Housing. Advocate for the transformation of congregate, segregated housing into inclusive living. Stop federal investment in congregate housing and advocate for these funds to instead be used for inclusive community options. Change the Registered Disability Savings Plan to better support housing needs. Advise policymakers on development of inclusive community housing. Engagement with existing and forthcoming legislation on housing policy, including the Build Canada Homes Act and the National Housing Strategy Act. Employment. Transform and/or close sheltered work programs and transition to programs that enable real work for real pay (such as that advanced through Ready, Willing, Able). Secure funding to sustain and grow the Ready, Willing, Able initiative. Advancing Human Rights. Provide technical support and consultation to the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act, and associated regulations. Advocate for Canada's fulfillment of its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and monitor that implementation. Access to Justice. We advocate for the federal government to take all necessary measures, including through regulation, policy or law reform, to ensure equal access to justice for persons with an intellectual disability. These include advocating for the federal government to 1. Develop and implement a comprehensive, multi-year strategy rooted in Article 13 of the CRPD, ensuring equal access to justice for persons with an intellectual disability. 2. Recognize and address the systemic discrimination faced by persons with an intellectual disability in the justice system, dismantling the barriers rooted in ableism. 3. Recognize and address the intersectional discrimination faced by Indigenous persons with an intellectual disability in the justice system, taking steps to dismantle the compounded barriers rooted in ableism and systemic racism. 4. Ensure the provision of tailored and accessible legal information, representation, and support services to all persons with an intellectual disability, embracing the diversity of their communication methods and acknowledging the spectrum of their disabilities. 5. Guarantee that persons with an intellectual disability are treated with dignity and respect in the criminal justice system. 6. Involve persons with an intellectual disability in the development of policies and practices related to access to justice. 7. Challenge stereotypes and prejudices about persons with an intellectual disability, promoting understanding and inclusion. Access to Healthcare. Influence the repeal of assisted suicide based on disability and prevent t

Work with the various government programs that support accessibility, inclusion, and a world without barriers, particularly in the built environment around an accessibility Certification Program which will assess and rate the built environment of Canada against a common standard (example Canadian Standards Association). Work with the Government of Canada to seek funding and support for RHF national initiatives designed to educate and engage Canadians about the importance of promoting accessibility, in coordination with National AccessAbility Week. Work with the Government of Canada to provide leadership in salmon and sturgeon conservation and related initiatives and research. Work with the Government of Canada to promote the Rick Hansen School Program to promote the adoption of this already existing program in every school in Canada. Work with Government of Canada to endorse and support the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Program Program as the national standard to assess and certify the built environment. Communication with the Government of Canada, to keep them informed of the use and outcomes of their investment in spinal cord injury research, as well as the outcomes of any projects around which we collaborate in order to maintain funding and to seek future funding.