The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, today issued the following statement:
"Every May, we come together and help raise awareness and support for Canadians affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).
According to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, an estimated 1 in 385 Canadians live with MS, an episodic disability with unique barriers to economic and social participation.
The Accessible Canada Act establishes a framework to create a barrier-free Canada through the proactive identification, removal and prevention of accessibility barriers for persons with disabilities, including episodic disabilities such as MS.
Supporting Canadians with disabilities and helping to create environments where everyone can be independent and participate equally in their communities and workplaces by removing barriers and creating opportunities for a more active and prosperous society is good for our collective well-being and for our economy.
There are currently a number of programs and benefits already in place to assist persons with disabilities. In addition to these, the Government of Canada has worked hard to ensure that the interests and needs of persons with disabilities, including persons with MS, are taken into consideration in our decisions and measures adopted in response to COVID-19.
The Government of Canada is committed to helping persons with disabilities maintain their health, safety and dignity through this crisis and beyond, because an inclusive society is about drawing from absolutely everyone's potential.
Rest assured that we will keep working in the spirit of "nothing without us", and in line with the principles and objectives of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Accessible Canada Act.
