b r ie f

to

the

s p e c i a l c o m m it t e e

of t h e house of commons and senate

ON THE RESOLUTION ON PATRIATION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF CANADA

From

THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED

Canadian Association for the Mentally Retarded

Association Canadienne pour les Déficients Mentaux Kinsmen NIMR Building. York University Campus 4700 Keele Street, Downsview, (Toronto) Ontario. Canada M3J 1P3 Telephone: (416) 661-9611

m on

November 10, 19 0 0

BRIEF TC SPr-CIAL COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COVMOx*S AND ON THE RESOLUTION ON PATRIATION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SENATE

CANADA

Fron TEE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED In t r o d u c t io n

The Canadian A s s o c ia tio n f o r th e M e n ta lly Retarded (CAMR) wishes to exp ress i t s

s tr o n g a p p ro va l o f th e in c lu s io n o f a

C h arter o f R igh ts and Freedoms in the C o n s titu tio n . A t i t s Annual G eneral M eetin g in June, 1980, CAMR passed a r e s o lu tio n t o th a t e f f e c t .

We c o n s id e r t h is t o be a measure which promises

s i g n i f i c a n t p r o t e c t io n o f th e r ig h t s o f our f e llo w c it iz e n s who l i v e w ith a h an dicap. We are p a r t i c u l a r l y p le a s e d t o r e a d , in s e v e r a l o f th e a r tic le s

o f th e C h a r te r d e a lin g w ith l e g a l r i g h t s , p r o v is io n s

which r e q u ir e fundam ental p r i n c i p l e s o f j u s t i c e t o be a p p lie d in ca ses where any i n d i v i d u a l may be d e p r iv e d o f p e rs o n a l l i b e r t y . A p p r o p r ia t e ly , each such p r o v is io n b e g in s w ith th e word "E veryon e" o r "A n yo n e".

These a re g u a ra n te e s w hich a c o n s t it u t io n a l c h a r te r

of

r i g h t s q u it e p r o p e r ly e x te n d s t o a l l c i t i z e n s .

The in t e n t io n

of

CAMR's r e s o lu t io n on th e en tren ch m en t o f human r ig h t s in the

C o n s t it u t io n o f Canada was n o t t o s e c u re s p e c i a l r ig h t s

f o r th ose

C anadians we r e p r e s e n t , b u t t o o b t a in a gu a ra n tee th a t a l l C anadians a re e n t i t l e d

t o c e r t a i n b a s ic c o n d it io n s which are an

in te g r a l p a rt o f a c i v i li z e d

and d e m o c r a tic s o c i e t y .

t h i s w ould mean t h a t th o s e who l i v e be l e g a l l y

e n tit le d

In our v ie w ,

w ith a m en tal handicap would

t o e n jo y th e same b a s ic c o n d it io n s o f l i f e

w h ich e v e ry o n e e l s e v a lu e s .

2.

The Need fo r Further P o s it iv e Assurances I t remains our co n te n tio n th a t these "b a s ic c o n d itio -s o f l i f e " ought to be d e fin e d in some d e t a i l in the c o n s t itu tio n '' Charter o f R igh ts and Freedoms.

We s tr o n g ly endorse the l i s t

o f fundamental freedoms in S e c tio n 2. dem ocratic r ig h t s

The d e c la ra tio n s o f

(S e c tio n s 3 t o 5) , m o b ility r ig h ts

and language r ig h t s

(S ectio n 6)

(S e c tio n s 16 to 23) are lik e w is e valu ab le

a d d itio n s to the o v e r a l l l i s t o f th e "b a s ic c o n d itio n s ". In k eep in g w ith th e CAMR r e s o lu t io n o f June, 19 80 , we would ask th a t th e l i s t be ex ten d ed fu r t h e r t o in c lu d e c e r t a in p o s it iv e r ig h t s t o share f u l l y in th e o p p o r t u n it ie s f o r the p r o te c tio n and enhancement o f th e q u a l i t y o f l i f e

which our s o c ie ty ' p ro v id e s .

We a re sp ea k in g now o f th e f o l l o w i n g b a s ic r i g h t s : 1.

th e r i g h t t o l i f e

and h e a lt h care/

2.

th e r i g h t t o adequ ate fo o d , c lo t h in g and housing/

3.

th e r i g h t t o p r o t e c t io n and a s s is ta n c e t o the fa m ily /

4.

th e r i g h t t o a p p r o p r ia t e e d u c a tio n ,

5.

th e r i g h t t o an o p p o r tu n ity t o work and j u s t and fa v o u r a b le c o n d it io n s o f w ork,

6.

th e r i g h t t o p a r t i c i p a t e in tr a d e u n ion s, and

7.

th e r i g h t t o s o c i a l s e c u r i t y .

T hese r i g h t s

a re a l l c o n ta in e d in th e I n t e r n a t io n a l Covenants c~

Hurnan R ig h t s , t o w hich Canada i s r a tific a tio n

a s ta te

p a r t y by v ir t u e o f

e

o f th e C ovenan ts by th e F e d e r a l Government an-

th e p r o v in c e s .

S in ce ou r c o u n try i s

a lr e a d y com m ittee i n - - r n a ^ -

■H

to guarantee these p o s it iv e r ig h t s , i t seers h igh ly appropriate to us th a t they should be included in our domestic law by entrenching them in the C o n s titu tio n .

The Canadian A s s o c ia te

fo r the M en tally Retarded urges your Committee and vour c o llea g u es in the House o f Commons and Senate o f Canada to ircl--'3 d e c la ra tio n s o f th ese r ig h t s in the c o n s titu tio n a l Charter o^ R ights and Freedoms. In c lu s io n o f "Handicapping C o n d itio n " in N on -discrim in ation R igh ts______________________________________________________ There has been a tendency f o r human r ig h ts le g is la t io n to i s o l a t e c e r ta in groups whose human r ig h t s have been in s p e c ia l je o p a rd y , and to s t ip u la t e th a t any d is c r im in a tio n a g a in s t such persons on th e grounds o f t h e i r s ta tu s as members o f any o f th ese groups i s u n la w fu l.

A lth ou gh our own p re fe re n c e is fo r

u n iv e r s a l statem en ts o f r ig h t s

f o r a l l c i t i z e n s , we acknowledge

th a t s p e c i f i c p r o h ib it io n o f d is c r im in a t io n a g a in s t named groups has been in c lu d e d in a l l th e f e d e r a l and p r o v in c ia l human r ig h ts codes in Canada and th e d e c la r a t io n s and In t e r n a t io n a l Covenants drawn up by the U n ite d N a tio n s O r g a n iz a tio n .

S e c tio n 15 o f the

p roposed C h a rter o f R ig h ts and Freedoms fo llo w s the g en era l p a tte r n o f th es e p r e c e d e n ts .

What we w ish t o convey to your

Committee i s our b e l i e f t h a t , i f

it

is

found t o be necessary to

name s p e c i f i c grounds upon which d is c r im in a tio n i s to be p ro h ib ite n , then " h an d icap p in g c o n d it io n " , w h ether p h y s ic a l o r me n t a l, should be l i s t e d

among th ose p r o h ib it e d grounds.

Hundreds o f thousands

o f Canadians are a f f e c t e d by some s i g n i f i c a n t d egree o f handicap. Time and a g a in , th e e x is t e n c e

(o r th e p e r c e iv e d p resen ce)

4.

o f such c o n d itio n has r e s u lte d in these persons being denied the s e r v ic e s and l i b e r t i e s which the law provides fo r other c itiz e n s . The need fo r l e g i s l a t i v e p r o te c tio n o f the human righ ts o f persons who are handicapped has begun to be recognized by Canadian l e g i s l a t o r s .

The P ro v in c e o f Quebec has amended it s

C h arter o f human r ig h t s and freedoms to in clu de a p ro h ib itio n o f d is c r im in a tio n based on "th e f a c t t h a t (a person] is a handi­ capped person o r th a t he uses any means to p a l l i a t e h is handicap". "Handicap" i s in t e r p r e t e d t o in c lu d e both mental and ph ysical handicaps.

Some p ro v in c e s have exten ded s im ila r p ro te c tio n s

a g a in s t d is c r im in a tio n based on p h y s ic a l d i s a b i l i t y .

The fe d e ra l

Human R igh ts Code now p r o t e c t s th e employment r ig h ts o f persons w ith a p h y s ic a l h an d icap .

The 1979 Annual R eport o f the Canadian

Human R ig h ts Commission in c lu d e s a recommendation to Parliam ent th a t th e Code be amended t o in c lu d e persons w ith a mental handicap and t o exten d th e c o v e ra g e o f th e a n t i- d is c r im in a t io n p ro visio n s beyond th e a rea o f em ploym ent.

S e v e r a l p ro v in c e s are cu rren tly

w o rk in g on amendments t o t h e i r human r ig h t s l e g i s l a t i o n to in tro d u c e s im ila r p r o v is io n s .

I t i s our understanding th at Jiese

amendments w i l l be in tro d u c e d in th e L e g is la t u r e s o f O ntario and New Brunswick d u rin g th e p e r io d when your Committee w i l l condu its

h e a r in g s .

A t l e a s t 42 o f th e 50 s t a t e s in the United

now l i s t p h y s ic a l and/or m ental d i s a b i l i t y in t h e ir an ti n a tio n s t a t u t e s . The grow in g e x t e n t t o which handicapping conditio b e in g r e c o g n iz e d as u n la w fu l grounds o f d is c r im in a tio n

5.

the degree to which oeonl^ w__ people are becoming aware o f the eerioua in ju s tic e s which have been experienced by people who liv e with a handicap.

That th is re c o g n itio n o f a r e a l need fo r statutory

p ro te c tio n s has come a t a r e l a t i v e l y la t e r stage in the develop­ ment o f human r ig h ts law is not an in d ic a tio n that auch protec­ tio n s are o f le s s importance than those accorded to other d is ­ advantaged groups a decade or more ago.

Quite the contrary

the in ju s t ic e s p e rp e tra te d a g a in s t people who are handicapped have continued because o f the p o s itio n o f powerlessness to which such persons have been r e le g a t e d .

And i t is th is same powerless­

ness which has p reven ted p eop le who are handicapped from making t h e ir ju s t cause w id e ly known and understood in our s o c ie ty . I t has been s a id th a t the q u a lit y o f a s o c ie ty can be assessed in terms o f th e manner in which i t d eals w ith i t s weakest members.

U n t il r e c e n t ly , the p r e v a ilin g m e n ta lity has been th at

the b e s t th in g s o c ie t y can do f o r i t s handicapped members is to " p r o t e c t " them, o ft e n in ways th a t have r e s u lte d in t h e ir being s e g re g a te d from the main stream s o f community and n a tion a l l i f e , d e p r iv in g them o f o p p o r tu n itie s and m agn ifyin g the p ercep tion o f " d if fe r e n t n e s s " which most p e o p le have o f them. n in g to r e a l i z e th a t i t

Now we are begin

i s n o t p e o p le who need to be pro_e~.

so much as t h e i r b a s ic human r i g h t s .

‘

I f human r ig h ts are

p r o t e c t e d , then p e rs o n s , whether handicapped or n o t, have a b e t t e r chance to e x p e rie n c e the d ig n it y and autonomy «n^ch th e e s s e n t ia l accompaniments o f c it iz e n s h ip in a democrat as a result n a t io n . When p eo p le who had s u ffe r e d d e p riv a tio n s

6.

o f d is c r im in a tio n because o f . . . ' sex, and other status were b e g in n in g to a s s e r t t h e ir r ig h t s to 9 ts to e q u a lity b efo re the

law , th e b e s t th a t was o f f e r e d to handicapped people was an a t t it u d e o f p a te r n a lis m which d ela yed the process o f recognizing th a t t h e i r cause i s

a ls o an is s u e o f human r ig h t s ,

how

that

r e c o g n it io n has exten d ed a c ro s s Canada, and the time has come when i t

can be acknow ledged in a renewed and p a tr ia te d

Cons t i t u t i o n . We u rge th e members o f your Committee t o examine Section 15 o f th e p ro p osed C h a rte r o f R ig h ts and Freedoms v ery c a r e fu lly , and t o send back t o y ou r r e s p e c t iv e Houses a recommendation t h a t "h a n d ic a p p in g c o n d it io n " be added t o the l i s t o f those c o n d it io n s w hich c a l l f o r p r o t e c t io n o f th e law in ord er to e lim in a t e d is c r im in a t io n . Summary - CAMR s t r o n g ly

fa v o u r s th e entrenchm ent o f a C harter o f

R ig h ts and Freedom s in th e C o n s t it u t io n o f Canada. - CAMR b e l i e v e s

th e p r e s e n t d r a f t C h a rte r can be improved

s u b s t a n t i a l l y by th e in c lu s io n o f a d d it io n a l s o c ia l/ c u l t u r a l and econ om ic r i g h t s

in k e e p in g w ith Canada s

o b l i g a t i o n s under th e I n t e r n a t io n a l Covenants on Human R ig h t s . - CAMR jo i n s w ith o t h e r Canadian o r g a n iz a tio n s whic r e p r e s e n t th e i n t e r e s t s

o f handicapped persons

t h a t S e c tio n 15 o f th e d r a f t C h a rte r be amende y • _ m .*-/-» the l i s t of ad d in g th e words "h a n d ic a p p in g c o n d it io i

«rounds upon which d is c rim in a tio n b efore b t p r o h ib it e d .

PI II

CAN xDI \N ASSOC! ATION FOR THE >H v r v, , :> n IE u A>-í H I ATION CANADIENSE INU K LESDEFH

Nfv* B*un>vi>ct

1>X;%

' Rktarded

-FH'.IENTS MENT u \

Jo in t Clerks Special Jo in t Committee on the Constitution o f Canada Postal Box 1044 South Block Parliam ent Build in gs Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A7 Gentlemen: On b eh alf o f C.A.M.R. and persons who are m entally retarded in New Brunswick, I wish to respond to the proposed resolution respecting the C o n stitu tio n o f Canada. We in C.A.M.R. have become in c re a s in g ly convinced of and impressed by the p o te n tia l o f persons who are m entally retard ed . As opportunities have developed fo r them they a ls o have developed; they have become accepted and co n trib u tin g members o f t h e ir communities; th e ir accom­ plishments have repeatedly su rp rise d even those who thought they had a high opinion of them. There have been, however, examples o f d is c rim in a tio n . Some ordinary s e rv ic e s were not accorded them. Some p ro fe s s io n a ls , confident in t h e ir a b i l i t y to recognize someone as "r e ta r d e d ", responded to adults as i f they were c h ild re n . We th e re fo re began a study of such experience in New Brunswick and subm itted a b r ie f to the M in is te r of Labour, Hon. Mabel DeWare, February 22, 1979. Mrs. DeWare responded that she has requested a review o f p r o v in c ia l le g is la t io n and indicated that as an in te rim measure persons considered m en tally retarded would be included under "p h y s ic a l d i s a b i l i t y " in the Human Rights Code of New Brunswick. A copy o f our b r i e f , and of Mrs. DeWare's le tte r can be a v a ila b le .

•••

lnl«nR0

The discussion of the Canadian Constitution end the Proposed (W i,,,, appeared to us to be a potent lui landmaik In Canada's development i°" In the rights of persons. On more thorough reading, It ap,H,'us t o "Ï, less than Is c u rre n tly o ffe r e d , and considerably less then Canada h-v ' ' endorsed In the past In Human KI «jh t ■ . legislation, and especially |n United Nations D e cla ra tio n of the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons We he I I eve that Canada'-. Cons t i t ut i on should enshi I iu - no less rig hts than are accorded elsew lu i