January 10, 2006

Council Challenges Candidates to End Poverty for People with Disabilities

CHARLOTTETOWN: Disability increases the likelihood that a person will not have a job and also results in lower family income. People with disabilities as a group continue to be trapped in the cycle of poverty. Research shows that poverty leads to disability and disability exacerbates poverty.

"PEI Council of the Disabled is calling on candidates in the January 23rd federal election to commit to policies that will end poverty for people with disabilities," said PEI Council of the Disabled Executive Director, Barry Schmidl, today.

"Persons with disabilities face levels of poverty almost twice that of persons without disabilities," said Schmidl. "Perhaps that’s not surprising, since 56.5% of persons with disabilities are currently unemployed or are out of the labor market - but it is something that must be addressed more comprehensively than it is at present."

The Council has declared that, to end poverty for people with disabilities, the federal government could:

• Expand the Disability Tax Credit to ensure greater tax fairness for people with disabilities.
• Expand the Disability Child Benefit to support youth in recognition of the critical transition youth face moving toward adult responsibilities: moving from home to independent living and from school to post-secondary education and training.
• Establish an inclusive labour market strategy through federal-provincial Labor Market Agreements on training and employment, the Opportunities Fund, Multilateral Funding Agreements and tax measures.
• Support a broad review of income support programs and implementation of recent recommendations for reforms.

The Council of the Disabled is conducting a survey of candidates on disability issues - including poverty. Responses are being published on the Council’s web site at www.peicod.pe.ca as they come in.

The PEI Council of the Disabled was formed in 1974 by a group of concerned people with disabilities to speak out on issues such as housing, employment, education, transportation, human rights, and access to support services. The PEI Council of the Disabled promotes the full participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of Island life.

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For more information contact: Barry Schmidl, Executive Director, 892-9149
or visit the Council's website at www.peicod.pe.ca