Four and a half years later and as I sit here doing my best to put words together, I am extremely humbled, pleased, and downright ecstatic to share with you that we have finally done it!
On May 29, Bill C81 became an Act when the Canadian House of Commons passed it. Now we await Royal Ascent and we are all hoping that it will be done soonest before the writ is dropped in the House to signal the end of proceedings in the House and then we get ready for a Federal Elections on October 14.
It has been a long and arduous journey! For me it started at the end of 2014 when I founded Barrier Free Canada and decided to stir the pot in order to lobby for an accessible Canada Act and a barrier free Canada.
To everyone’s great surprise including me, it took very little time before both organizations and individuals from coast to coast began to climb aboard the train. Then when three of the four Federal Parties endorsed our campaign along with the cities of Toronto and Halifax, we knew that we had struck pure gold!
2015 was a Federal Elections year and the time was right for such a campaign to be launched.
Shortly after taking office in October 2015, Prime Minister Trudeau promised to deliver an accessible Canada Act and he handed over the responsibility to Carla Qualtrough to bring home the bacon as they would say. This hard working Minister did not disappoint us!
Now history has been made! A landmark day for all Canadians! For those with a disability, and for those with friends, family, and for those who work with a person with a disability!
For me personally, I am extremely grateful and humbled that I was given an opportunity to work with some very special persons. All I ever wanted was to push the envelope a wee bit harder and further in order to ensure that our kids would have a better future than me and for our seniors to be able to enjoy their golden years a bit better.
Prime Minister Trudeau has delivered as he promised and I thank him, his government, Minister Carla Qualtrough, and Senator Jim Munson for their tireless dedication to action!
We have made it better than possible! We have done it and now it is time to celebrate! May 29 will not only be a day in Canadian history; it is also my dad’s birthday! A double blessing for me!
Just my two cents for today!