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e-4993 (Social affairs and equality)

E-petition
Initiated by Chantal Huinink from Kitchener, Ontario

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • Individuals with disabilities frequently encounter challenges securing employment and increased expenses;
  • A disproportionate number of people with disabilities live in poverty in Canada;
  • Current federal and provincial disability programs lack adequate support;
  • The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) was promised as a benefit meant to reduce poverty for persons with disabilities in the same manner as the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and the Canada child benefit (CCB);
  • The proposed CDB outlined in budget 2024 is not what the disability community called for, falling short of the government's promises and the disability community's needs;
  • The proposed maximum amount of $200/month is insufficient to alleviate poverty levels;
  • The Canada Disability Benefit Act (CDBA) requires "an application process without barriers" according to Section 11 (1) (f); and
  • The proposed CDB restricts eligibility to individuals receiving the Disability Tax Credit (DTC), known for its many barriers.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1. Fully fund the CDB to elevate all Canadians with disabilities out of poverty, mirroring the urgency seen with measures such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB);
2. Ensure automatic enrollment of Canadians with disabilities already receiving provincial and territorial supports into the CDB through automatic tax filing;
3. Strike down the use of the Disability tax credit (DTC) to determine eligibility to make it barrier-free;
4. Ensure the CDB is tied to an individual’s income and not household income;
5. Provide back payment to eligible CDB recipients covering the time from when the CDBA received royal assent; and
6. Protect CDB recipients from private insurance and provincial government clawbacks.
Open for signature
May 22, 2024, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
June 21, 2024, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Mike Morrice (Kitchener Centre)
September 16, 2024 (Petition No. 441-02603)
Photo - Mike Morrice
Kitchener Centre
Green Party Caucus
Ontario