New bill would create Advocate for persons with disabilities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 6, 2017

New bill would create Advocate for persons with disabilities

EDMONTON – MLA Sandra Jansen, Calgary – North West, proposes a private member’s bill to establish an Advocate for persons with disabilities in Alberta which will create a more effective link between people with disabilities and the services they need.

“This bill responds directly to the concerns I have heard from members of the disabilities community,” says MLA Jansen. “Creating an Advocate will make the lives of Albertans better, and it will provide additional support to persons with disabilities and their families in the province.”

If passed, this bill will support the ongoing work of the Ministry of Community and Social Services. The final report of the PDD Safety Standard Consultations in 2016 identified and recommended that advocacy is critical within the PDD community to ensure that individuals with disabilities are supported to lead more fulfilling lives.

“For many years, people with disabilities and their allies have identified the need for additional support to navigate through very complex and layered community and government supports,” says Marie Renaud, MLA for St. Albert. “I am very happy to support my colleague as she introduces this much needed and progressive bill.

The bill proposes a new Advocate position that would report to and advise the Minister of Community and Social Services. The Advocate would have a mandate to:

• identify and study issues of concern to persons with disabilities;
• review programs and policies affecting persons with disabilities;
• participate in processes in which decisions are made about persons with disabilities;
• promote the rights, interests and well-being of person with disabilities through public education;
• provide information and advice to the Government with respect to any matter relating to the rights, interests and well-being of person with disabilities;  and
• assist individuals who are having difficulty accessing services for persons with disabilities and related programs, including directing them to an appropriate resource, person or organization that may be able to assist them.

MLA Jansen is eager to hear feedback from all Albertans on this proposed bill, please visit albertandpcaucus.ca/pwd-advocate to provide feedback.

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Media Inquires

Maureen Mariampillai

Communications Officer, Alberta’s New Democrat Caucus

780-644-5162