BCACL is a federation working with partners to build community and to enhance the lives of children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities and their families by supporting abilities, promoting action and advancing rights, responsibilities and social justice.
The Government of Canada has launched online consultations on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The on-line consultations can be found at: www.hrsdc.gc.ca/consultations.
The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) is taking this opportunity to launch a Call to Action on making the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) a reality.
For more information on the UN Convention and to find out how you can get involved, read CACL's Call to Action.
The June 18 issue of the New Westminster News Leader includes a letter from Rory Summers, BCACL President, stating our firm opposition to the restoration of the Woodlands Institution Centre Block as part of a residential, retail complex. Read the City of New Westminster Staff Report here. BCACL stands with former residents who call for the Centre Block to be demolished.
BCACL finds the report troubling for its insensitivity and innacuracy. To write your own online response to the articles, visit the New Westminster News Leader website.
See below for full media coverage:
It's a time to heed former residents' voices. New Westminster News Leader. June 25, 2009.For more information on Woodlands, visit the Woodlands section of the BCACL website.
A new BCACL Self Advocacy Caucus has been elected, with new members from Delta, Cranbrook, Langley and Maple Ridge. View the new Caucus members here.
New members to the BCACL board of directors include returning director Tim Stainton. Read the full list here.
The Vancouver Sun - June 18 edition - has printed a BCACL letter in response to their article titled "Women must now wait to 40 for publicly paid amnio test." Read the BCACL Letter to the Editor here.
The Canadian Down Syndrome Society has also written a letter. Read the letter here.
We are encouraging people to share their own letters with us. You can read the letters that we have received here.
Premier Gordon Campbell announced his new Cabinet on June 10.
For a complete list of the new Cabinet (including biographies), read the Government backgrounder.
The NDP has also announced its shadow cabinet. Visit the NDP website for a full list. Shane Simpson is the Critic for the Ministry of Housing and Social Development and Nicholas Simons is the Deputy Critic for that ministry. There is no longer an NDP critic for Community Living BC (CLBC).
The Voice Newsletter is a newsletter written by self advocates, for self advocates. Download the latest issue of the Voice newsletter now!
Visit this link (http://www.bcacl.org/documents/WebAnnualReport.pdf) to download our 2008/2009 annual report. If you would like a paper copy of our annual report, please contact BCACL: info@bcacl.org
The Canadian Association for Community Living has released a press release on the story of Kaylee Wallace, a baby with a disability who was taken off life support. Download the press release here.
New money for employment services that was announced in last year's federal budget has resulted in a request for proposals (RFP) to be posted on the BC Bid website. The Ministry is seeking qualified service providers to deliver individualized employment supports to people with developmental and other disabilities. Visit the Employment Updates section of this website for more information.
To highlight National Inclusive Education Week (February 15 - 22), and to bring attention to the many positive examples of inclusive classrooms and schools across the country, the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) has created a national certificate of recognition to be bestowed upon recipients who have made positive contributions to inclusive education in their province or territory.
Click here for more information about the awards, including nomination criteria and indicators of successful inclusion.
Three awards were selected in the areas of early childhood education, K-12 education and post-secondary education. Winners will be announced during Inclusive Education Week (February 15-22, 2009) and honoured at our Conference and Annual General Meeting in June, 2009.
National Inclusive Education Week offers all of us an opportunity to highlight the benefits of inclusive education and to increase awareness of its many positive outcomes. Inclusion means fully engaging and supporting students with developmental disabilities to participate in a holistic learning environment with their non-disabled peers.
For current information and updates, click here to view our web page on the Registered Disability Savings Plan.
