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Empower U: Learn to Access Your Disability Rights Training on Canadian Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol (OP) training aims to increase awareness of how to address discrimination using more familiar Canadian human rights laws such as Human Rights Codes and the newer international Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This is training for persons with disabilities by persons with disabilities. The training is part of a project funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and implemented by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) in collaboration with Canadian Multicultural Disability Centre Inc. (CMDCI), Citizens With Disabilities – Ontario (CWDO), Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities (MLPD) and National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS). Read more.
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Archives
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
December 16, 2020
Disability Rights Online
You should check out the Disability Rights Online website. This website connects visitors with self-paced online training on human rights, other resources and contact information for expert speakers on human rights. Read more.
November 6, 2020
Human Rights Training for People with Disabilities by People with Disabilities: Nothing about us without us!
The Project aims to raise awareness of Canadians with disabilities, particularly youth with disabilities and people from ethno-cultural communities, about available human rights remedies to discrimination and how to access those remedies. Read more.
December 21, 2018
Open Letter: Recognizing Two Important Human Rights Milestones of 2018
The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) celebrates Canada’s accession to the Optional Protocol. We recognize that accession reinforces the commitment that the Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments have made to ensuring that people with disabilities have full enjoyment of their human rights, as elaborated in the CRPD, which Canada ratified in 2010. CCD called upon Canada to accede to the Optional Protocol because the mechanism strengthens the human rights protections that are available to people with disabilities in the CRPD, and we congratulate you on this important advance. Read more.
May 23, 2017
Review of Canada's Accession to the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
In light of the importance that the CCD attaches to the OP we have taken the time to consult with a number of international law experts on the matter along with our own membership, and what follows is a synthesis of their views and our own, in a process that very much mirror’s the drafting of the treaty all those years ago. Read more.
December 23, 2016
Canada to Ratify CRPD's Optional Protocol
Minister Qualtrough and Minister Dion announced that Canada would ratify the CRPD’s Optional Protocol in 2017. Read more.
June 22, 2015
Advocate for Change: Disability/Deaf Issues and the Federal Election
I want to share some thoughts about political participation, to mention some key provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), as well as relevant recommendations developed by the Community University Research Alliance (CURA), a project led by CCD. Read more.
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Archives
Landmines
January 1, 2005
The Landmine Crisis: Designed to kill and injure, to impede
January 1, 2005
Canada and the Global Landmine Crisis: Update
International Development Policy
January 30, 2013
Official Development Assistance to the World Bank
To ensure that the funds Canada commits to the World Bank have an impact on people with disabilities, CCD encourages Canada to promote at the World Bank, policies that advance access and inclusion. In particular, CCD recommends that Canada’s appointees to the World Bank promote a twin-track approach to disability and development, consultation with people with disabilities affected by World Bank programming and safeguards grounded in human rights, with a particular emphasis on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Read more.
June 4, 2010
Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC) May Be Defunded
I am writing to express our deep concern that the Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC) – after decades of partnership with CIDA - may now be defunded. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) is a member of CCIC and has been for many years. We work with CCIC to ensure that those focused on international development work are aware of the needs of persons with disabilities in the developing world. It is through the good work of CCIC members that persons with disabilities, often the most marginalized in developing societies, get the benefit of both humanitarian aid and development program initiatives. CCD cannot do this work alone. We need organizations like CCIC that help coordinate development agency work. Read more.
August 10, 2006
War and Peace: Disability Issues
January 25, 2003
Peace Is A Disability Issue

Canada signs the Declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations. Members of the Canadian Delegation Steve Estey, Chair of CCD’s International Committee, and Dulcie McCallum observe Canada’s ambassador make this historic commitment.

HRSDC Minister Diane Finley, Defense Minister Peter MacKay, NDP Disability Critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Liberal MP Mike Savage, Liberal MP the Hon. Carolyn Bennett and Bloc MP Yves Lessard joined leaders from the disability community at a CCD celebration of Canada's ratification of the CRPD.