Barrier Free Manitoba

Minister Carla Qualtrough, Canada’s first Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities has been mandated by the Prime Minister to lead an engagement process to consult with Canadians about what a Canadian with Disabilites Act could look like. This consultation process is planned to run from August 2016 through to February 2017.

The schedule for in-person consultations was announced in a media release on August 23rd. The consultation session in Winnipeg, the only one to be held in Manitoba, will be held on Monday, October 3, 2016.

Please mark that date in your calendars.

The Minister will also be hosting a one-day National Youth Forum in Ottawa on November 1, 2016. The Forum will provide an opportunity for Canadian youth with disabilities to discuss what accessibility means to them, share ideas for the new legislation, connect with peers and celebrate youth leadership in building a more accessible Canada.

Applicants must:

- be between 15 and 30 years old in November, 2016;
- be residents of Canada;
- have a disability or have life, academic or work experience related to disability and accessibility; and
- demonstrate their leadership or involvement in an area related to disability and accessibility in their community, region or nationally.

The deadline to apply to attend the Forum is September 15, 2016. More information on the Forum and the application are posted here.