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Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities 2006
Message from the Minister
Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities is the annual report on the Government’s progress on disability issues. It covers more than 50 programs and initiatives that some 30 federal departments and agencies deliver in order to facilitate the participation of people with disabilities in major dimensions of Canadian society.
The participation of people with disabilities can no longer continue to be a matter of rhetoric. In the context of increasing global competition, a predominantly knowledge-based economy, emerging labour shortages, and an aging population, it is becoming evident that the participation of all people with different abilities is increasingly essential for the individual and collective well-being of our society.
This annual report is a testament to the Government of Canada’s commitment to making Canada a truly accessible society for all; a Canada where people with and without disabilities can live to their fullest potential.
As you read through this report, you will notice that our understanding of disability is no longer dictated by a single discipline or conceptual perspective. We all have a responsibility to remove the barriers that prevent the full participation of people with disabilities in Canadian society, and to create a more accessible Canada.
This is the reason why, as a Government and as a society, we invest in ensuring that the needs of people with disabilities are being met through a variety of programs and initiatives in areas affecting many facets of people’s lives. As a Government, we will continue to work with our partners at the provincial and territorial levels, as well as in the private and non-for-profit sectors, and with all citizens, to remove barriers and ensure accessibility for Canadians with disabilities.
By working together to build a more inclusive society, we make it possible for all Canadians to contribute, and, in so doing, help to ensure that Canadian society reaches its highest potential.
The Honourable Diane Finley, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
