We Need Action to Implement Supported Decision-Making Legislation in Ontario by 2023
We Need Action to Implement Supported Decision-Making Legislation in Ontario by 2023
Why this petition matters
Visit the 'We Need Action!' campaign website to learn more and hear from individuals and families directly impacted by the lack of action the Ontario Government has taken around Supported Decision-Making.
The Issue:
When the Federal government’s temporary measure expires in 2023, many people with a developmental disability in Ontario will be unable to open a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) or potentially access funds saved on their behalf without first relinquishing all of their legal rights through a guardianship order. This completely defeats the intended purpose of the RDSP.
The Impact:
Guardianship removes people’s power over their own lives and is a fundamental violation of their human rights. A reality that was acknowledged by the United Nations over a decade ago.
In Ontario today, when a parent, sibling or close family member applies for guardianship, the person with a disability must relinquish ALL LEGAL RIGHTS. The person in essence loses their legal personhood as the guardian has legal rights over all aspects of their life.
Protecting the Right's of ALL Canadians:
We have a precedent for support in Ontario with the Ontario Disability Support Program. A person with a disability can officially appoint another person to act on their behalf with respect to ODSP issues.
The notion that an adult with a disability must relinquish their complete legal autonomy to simply access a federal program – opening an RDSP account - that all Canadians are entitled to is difficult to understand or accept. As of 2023, that will be the case in Ontario.
The Solution:
Other provinces have implemented Supportive Decision-Making legislation that protects people's rights. For example, British Colombia has a long-standing legal process that allows a person to maintain their legal rights rather than giving someone else the power to make all of their decisions.
Supported Decision-Making is a legal alternative that allows a person to receive support around a variety of legal issues and to maintain their legal rights.
Take Action:
Sign to call on the Ontario government to implement Supported Decision-Making legislation and protect the rights of Canadians with a disability in Ontario.