Disability Rights

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty with MS Ambassador Yassemin Cohanim of the Ottawa Chapter.

On March 11, 2010, Canada, with the support of all provinces and territories, ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is delighted that the two levels of government supported the ratification and looks forward, on behalf of people with MS and other disabilities, in helping build a more inclusive and accessible Canada — Yves Savoie, President and Chief Executive Officer, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

For more information about the convention go to: www.un.org/disabilities

For people living with MS and other disabilities, many obstacles can inhibit quality of life and community participation. The MS Society works to prevent discrimination, to maintain independence, and to remove barriers to accessibility.

The MS Society recognizes that disability rights are very broad and works with other organizations and different levels of government to move Canada closer to being an inclusive society.

Disability rights include the right to equality, non-discrimination and reasonable accommodation to the point of “disproportional or undue burden or hardship.” Other rights include personal mobility, freedom of expression, political participation and participation in cultural life.

The MS Society supports the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and urges the government of Canada to ratify it as soon as possible. For more information about the convention go to: www.un.org/disabilities