Council to help identify, remove barriers
The Manitoba government has proposed legislation to create an advisory council to achieve greater accessibility for Manitobans with disabilities, said Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard.
“I’ve introduced legislation today that will lead to the creation of an advisory council that will move us one step closer to a fully accessible Manitoba where everyone can live, work and play,” said Howard. “This council will identify barriers that people face and find ways to prevent and remove those barriers.”
The council will be made up of members of the disability community and other affected stakeholders who will make recommendations on:
•legislation or regulations that would set up a process to identify, prevent and remove barriers faced by people with disabilities
•policies, practices and requirements that may be implemented by government to improve accessibility
•development of long-term accessibility objectives.
Under the proposed legislation, the advisory council will consult with people with disabilities and organizations that may be affected by any of its recommendations. This includes employers and businesses as well as representatives from Manitoba municipalities.
One of the council’s first tasks will be further development of the legislation to set out accessibility standards, said the government.
“The commitment to make Manitoba accessible must be shared by all, including governments, businesses and public services,” said Howard. “There are many good examples of accessibility in our province but there is more we can do. Building an accessible Manitoba is a long-term goal and we want to involve everyone in setting out our future plans for achieving full accessibility in Manitoba.”
Once established, the council will be required to make initial recommendations to the minister within 12 months.
