Barrier Free Manitoba

We are pleased to post selected highlights from remarks during Third Reading provided by Minister Jennifer Howard, Leanne Rowat (PC) and Jon Gerrard (Liberal).

Third Reading of Bill 26 was the final legislative step in making this the law in Manitoba. Much was said. Here some of the highlights from the remarks. Please click here if you are interested in the full version of Hansard.

Remarks by Hon. Jennifer Howard (Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities:

I view this legislation as transformative for this province. I view this legislation in the same way perhaps that workplace safety and health legislation was seen when it was first brought in. At some point in time, people stopped asking why are people getting injured at work and started talking about how they could prevent it. I see this legislation in the same way.

We have for many, many years had the rights, as people with disabilities, to inclusion, to equal opportunity in this province and in this country. And those rights have been exercised mostly through complaints at the Human Rights Commission, and we are thankful that that commission exists, and we're thankful for all the people who've had the courage to move forward with complaints and get results. But we also know that if we continue to fight for accessibility, what has been called one ramp at a time, it's going to take much longer than needed to get there. . .

And we know that the promise of this legislation–where it's been tried in places like Ontario, in places like the United States where it was brought in over 20 years ago–the big promise of this legislation isn't only to, hopefully, make buildings more accessible, to, hopefully, open up job opportunities for people with disabilities. The real promise of this is to change attitudes, to help people see that people with disabilities have much, much to offer, and with a little bit of knowledge and a little bit of awareness we can make tremendous change. It doesn't have to be at great cost financially. It is to–sometimes, simply knowing what to do, how to offer service.

And so today, I think, is a historic day. I know that whenever it happens that I no longer have the privilege of sitting here, that I will look back at this legislation as something that was worth my time here. . .It [the legislation] is going to benefit generations and generations and generations of Manitobans, and I am so thankful that we will stand united today in this Chamber and give approval to third reading of this bill, because I think today we are changing the world and those opportunities don't come along that often in this line of work.

Remarks by Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Riding Mountain): 

And, today being International Day of Persons With Disabilities, I would like to indicate that members on this side of the House, the Progressive Conservative caucus, will continue to show their support for individuals with disabilities on this day and every day going forward. Mr. Speaker, we believe this is a very, very important initiative. We know that this legislation is needed. It could be stronger. . . 

Now, this legislation will be positive. It'll provide education. It'll provide information on the four principles that are going to be the framework for this legislation: access, equality, universal design and systemic responsibility. And I believe that there could have been one step further, in that we could have attached timelines to this. I know that this is something that the disability community had said they wanted to see was some type of commitment that would show accountability to the four areas of–or the four principles of this bill, and that would definitely have provided some assurances to the community that the government was going to be acting–and acting in a timely manner. . . 

So, Mr. Speaker, Bill 26 is a step in the right direction. We feel that there are a number of things that could be done to support or enhance this bill, some accountability to timelines and ensuring that society does respond to the needs of persons with disabilities. We've looked at punitive action being taken, and I think that–the minister's assured me that, you know, education will be–you know, of what needs to be done will be done with businesses and families out there who are going to adhere to this legislation.

But I do believe that this legislation is going in the right direction, and I want to congratulate the minister for taking this on and listening to the community. I've learned a lot through this process, and I want to thank her and I want to thank the members in the gallery for their patience and wisdom in ensuring that this legislation can be the best that it can be and will improve over–through amendments as we go forward.

Remarks By Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights):

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on the international day for people with disabilities, a important–an important day for all of us and a significant day to be having third reading of this bill. It is an important bill.

I want to say from the start that Manitoba Liberals have been very strong supporters for quite some time for a barrier-free Manitoba, and we've been calling on measures to move forward in this direction for quite a number of years.

There is a lot of good in this legislation, which it's important to recognize. It's well-meaning; it's good to have the overall goal of a fully accessible province; it's good to have set down a process that we will be going through to reach that goal. . .

[T]he law could have been clearer, could have been more specific. Once again, it will fall to all of us in this Chamber to make sure that no government gets around this and that the steps are taken, and it will be very important to have vigilance not only among legislators but vigilance, I would hope, with an annual report on progress from people in the disability community as an independent look at how we, as a government, as we as provincial politicians are doing.

And the last point that David Lepofsky made: Could you amend this bill to require that whenever the government spends money on procurement or capital or other infrastructure projects that that money can never be used to create barriers or perpetuate barriers or exacerbate barriers. Now this would appear to be particularly important, at the moment, given the major investment which is being put forward–$5.5 billion in infrastructure–and this would have been a very useful addition. . .

I felt that it was important, too, to put these words on the record to remind all of us that although this bill takes us a certain distance, that if we're going to go the real distance that we have to go, that it will require a lot of vigilance because there's a lot of, I think you could call them weasel words, in this legislation, that if we are not vigilant that government could not act in an adequate way.

So, with those words, Mr. Speaker, I will sit down. I, certainly, strongly support this legislation, and as I said, I will personally commit to doing what I can in advancing that vigilance, and I hope others, both inside and outside the Legislature, will also help in that effort.