The Ontario government introduced its latest version of an ODA on November 5, 2001, and there are indications that the government wants to rush the bill through the legislature quickly, with few public hearings on very short notice, possibly as soon as next week.
As it currently stands, the bill identifies a vision of a province free of physical and attitudinal barriers to people with disabilities, but it contains virtually no enforceable measures to bring Ontario closer to that vision.
The ODA Committee, a grassroots organization that has spearheaded the drive for strong legislation to remove barriers to people with disabilities, has developed a set of amendments it believes are essential if the proposed legislation is to have any significant effect.
For example, the Committee says the legislation must include a "duty" to identify, remove and prevent barriers and to do so within a reasonable time frame, with established penalties for failure to comply. It also says the bill must be broadened to include the private sector, although it could do so by phasing in private-sector compliance over a longer period of time than would be required by the public sector.
For complete details about the ODA, please see http://www.odacommittee.net/. I encourage everyone to read the documents carefully, develop an informed opinion, and forward your views to your MPP.
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