Ase Community Senate Committee | Presentation Bill C-22

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Bill C-22 is an act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act.

On Thursday, March 30, 2023, the Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians has been invited by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology to appear as part of its study of Bill C-22. 

It is crucial that any bill, policy, regulation, or program designed to support persons with disabilities actively includes those of us with intersectional experiences and addresses the unique challenges faced by individuals who face multiple forms of marginalization from the get go. One way to achieve this is to amend Bill C-22 to name and prioritize Black Canadians with disabilities.

Thank you for the opportunity to present before this committee. I am Jheanelle Anderson, Vice Chair of the Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities. I am joined by Nkem Ogbonna, Manager of Research and Policy, and Bernard Akuoko, Director of Partnerships. We are here today to speak to Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act as Black-disabled Canadians and representatives from the Ase Community.

The ASE Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities is a national organization grounded in the principles of disability justice and led by Black people with disabilities. Our mission is to work collectively with institutions, researchers, service providers, and individuals to drive a cultural shift that disrupts disparities at the intersection of Blackness, disability, and gender. 

Bill C-22 is a critical step towards reducing poverty and increasing financial security for persons with disabilities in Canada by providing a framework for addressing some of the disparities that exist. However, without explicitly naming the barriers faced by the most marginalized Canadians with disabilities, we miss an important opportunity to create long-lasting solutions for reducing poverty.

As outlined in the Ase Community’s 2019 report “The Intersection of Blackness and Disability: A Call to Action”, among the most vulnerable, marginalized, and invalidated communities across the nation are Black Canadians with Disabilities. We know disability and poverty are inextricably linked and also that poverty is heavily racialized. Due to structural and systemic anti-Black racism, and ableism, Black people with disabilities have fewer job and career development opportunities than non-Black people and as of 2019, 23.9% of Black Canadians were living in poverty. 

Experiencing poverty means you're more likely to work in precarious jobs without benefits which further elevate life stressors, exasperate health conditions, and increase barriers when accessing life-saving resources and benefits.

To address these unique barriers, it is crucial that any bill, policy, regulation, or program designed to support persons with disabilities actively includes those of us with intersectional experiences from the get-go. Amending Bill C-22 is an opportunity to exemplify responsive and equitable leadership and truly realize the spirit of Bill C-22 and “Nothing without us”.

We first propose a more clearly defined eligibility criteria, written anti-discrimination measures, and allocated funding to cover costs associated with accessing benefits to ensure that individuals with disabilities who face additional barriers, such as poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to resources are prioritized. We know that many in our community might have a disability but might not have an official diagnosis or access to a primary care doctor to complete eligibility forms. 

Next, we are calling for the development of a comprehensive knowledge mobilization strategy led by Black, Indigenous, and racialized people with disabilities that includes education, training, and outreach strategies that build trust, increase awareness and disability literacy, and support individuals in accessing this benefit. This work includes partnering with and specifically allocating funding to Black-led, disability-led organizations.

Additionally, this Bill should include accountability measures and community-based evaluations that embed an equitable lens and intersectional approach to collecting and analyzing disaggregated race-based data. There must be a commitment to ensuring that the data is purposefully collected and not used to over-surveil communities that have been historically excluded. We know that with the principle of universalism, everyone will benefit from this equitable and inclusive approach. 

Lastly, moving forward, we also must ensure that Black Canadians with disabilities are included in decision-making. This means moving beyond hosting community consultations, to a written commitment to an engagement model that engages us as co-designers and subject experts in the development, implementation, AND evaluation of bills, programs, and policies.

In conclusion, we urge this committee to support Bill C-22 with amendments raised today, by David Lepofsky, and MS Society that prioritize the livelihood of Black Canadians with disabilities. In our efforts to reduce poverty and increase financial security, we must ensure that Black Canadians with disabilities who are most at risk of poverty, are not left behind as a regulatory afterthought.

We have an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of Black Canadians with disabilities. Let us seize this opportunity and work together to build a more equitable and inclusive Canada for all. Thank you all and a special thank you Senator Wanda Bernard connecting us to this space.

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Opening Statement

Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities

Presented to: Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

Study: Bill C-22, An Act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act

Date: March 30, 2023

Time: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM (EST)

Presented by:

Jheanelle Anderson, RSW, MSW

Vice-Chair and Founding Member

Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities

Witnesses:

Nkemakolam Ogbonna

Manager, Research and Policy

Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities

Bernard Akuoko

Director, Partnerships

Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities

Third Reading of the Bill
https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-22/third-reading

Previous Testimonies

• Links to past meetings at SOCI: https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/SOCI/meetingschedule/#?TabSelected=PAST&filterSession=44-1&CommitteeID=1047&PageSize=10
• Carla Qualtrough and Krista Wilcox: https://senparlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2?fk=601767&globalStreamId=3
• David Lepofsky: https://youtu.be/4Kq-DVtTu1s 
• MS Society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16TmSRykxcE

Diverse discussions re:  Bill C-22

• Second reading of Bill C-22, Canada Disability Benefit Bill: https://theprogressives.ca/in-the-senate/speeches/second-reading-of-bill-c-22-canada-disability-benefit-bill/
• ARCH Disability Law: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/what-amendments-should-the-senate-of-canada-make-to-bill-c-22-the-canada-disability-benefit-act-a-discussion-paper/
• AODA Alliance: https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/during-fourth-day-of-senate-second-reading-debate-on-bill-c-22-the-canada-disability-benefit-act-senators-each-recognize-need-to-strengthen-the-bill/
• Daily Bread: https://www.dailybread.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Daily-Bread-Food-Bank-Bill-C-22-HUMA-Brief-Submission-2.pdf
• Casey House: https://caseyhouse.ca/commentary/canada-disability-benefit-act/
• Kids Brain Health: https://kidsbrainhealth.ca/index.php/2022/12/19/kids-brain-health-network-supports-canada-disability-benefit-act-contributes-to-bill-c-22-policy-brief/
• Income Security: https://incomesecurity.org/change-the-future-for-people-with-disabilities-now-take-action-on-the-canada-disability-benefit/