QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
Canada Disability Benefit
May 28, 2025
Honourable senators, we’re in the middle of National AccessAbility Week and, as you know, there is still much to be done. My colleague Senator Coyle has already articulated my major concerns regarding the Canada Disability Benefit, which should be available in the coming months and continues to raise many concerns. I won’t repeat the same question about the situation in Alberta, but I look forward to hearing the answers to Senator Coyle’s questions.
However, I would like an answer to the following question. Every Liberal government cabinet since 2015 has had a minister explicitly responsible for the inclusion of persons with disabilities. This is no longer the case today, which is causing a great deal of concern. I was going to say, “within our community,” but it worries me personally. Are we right to be concerned? Does this reflect a lack of commitment on the part of the government towards people with disabilities? I would remind you that our goal is to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040. Does this not jeopardize that goal?
Thank you for the question and for your advocacy in that regard. The simple answer is “no,” but that’s easy for me to say. I understand the concerns, and it’s important to emphasize how significant they are for many Canadians with disabilities. I fully understand their concerns. The government decided to make cabinet a little smaller in order to better respond to major national and international issues. I’m quite sure that the absence of a dedicated minister doesn’t mean that the government has abandoned or turned its back on its commitment to such important objectives for the well-being of our society.
