The Liberal Government has Cut Disability Funding | Mar 7, 2021
Conservatives call on Liberals to reinstate funding for disability non-profits.
Ottawa, ON – Raquel Dancho, Conservative Shadow Minister for Future Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, issued the following statement calling on the Liberals to reinstate funding for two disability non-profit organizations:
“The Liberal government has decided to cut $4 million in funding from organizations that support Canadians with disabilities. The decision to cut funding for these organizations in the middle of the pandemic is concerning and has large consequences.
“The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) and the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) provide accessible reading materials to the 3 million Canadians with low-vision or blindness, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities like Parkinson’s Disease and Cerebral Palsy. Cuts to these organizations will severely impact their ability to produce and distribute accessible reading materials and result in reduced accessibility for persons with disabilities across Canada.
“This is not the first time the Liberal government attempted to cut funding for the visually impaired. In 2018, Conservatives and disability advocacy organizations successfully pressured the Liberal government to reverse $2.5 million in planned cuts to non-profit organizations that provide services to the visually impaired.
“Throughout the pandemic Canadians with disabilities have been left behind by this Liberal government and now they are cutting support to persons with visual impairments, cognitive disabilities, and physical disabilities when they need it most.
“Conservatives will always defend the interests of Canadians with disabilities. We call upon the Trudeau government to immediately reverse these cruel cuts to non-profit organizations supporting Canadians across the country.”