Leadership That Redefines Disability

More than 6.2 million Canadians identify as having a disability. The spectrum of disability is vast and includes mobility, sensory, cognitive, and mental health disabilities. It is the only so-called minority group that any person may join at any time, and that almost everyone will join for a part of their lives. Disability is a demographic that continues to grow as Canada’s population ages.

Despite disability’s prevalence in the lives of Canadians and the best efforts of a diverse disability and charitable sector across the country, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to participating in a society that respects and values their individuality and their contributions.

The Canadian disability sector is deeply fragmented externally by medical diagnosis and internally by federations of provincial memberships and governance models. Canada’s disability sector lags decades behind those of the United States and United Kingdom. By insisting on a national focus and emphasizing the diversity of disability, CDF will try and help Canada catch up. We want to work with both existing organizations and the millions of disabled people who have been failed by them. Both are welcome in our movement.

CDF starts and supports national pan-disability conversations through channels such as public service announcements, op-eds, social media and keynote speeches.