Message from the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health – International Day of Persons with Disabilities December 3, 2021

Today, we are celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

Today, we are celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). It is an opportunity for all of us to recognize that one in five Canadians aged 15 years and over have one or more disabilities. Persons with disabilities continue to make important and innovative contributions in their communities and workplaces every single day. Today, we also recognize that barriers are even more significant for women, Indigenous peoples, LGBTQ2 and racialized Canadians with disabilities and that their environment and a wide range of societal barriers can impact their lived experience.

This year's theme for IDPD is "Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world." The theme is important because it puts the emphasis on leadership and participation. Despite recent progress, Canadians with disabilities continue to face discrimination and systemic exclusion.

Over the past two years, COVID-19 has highlighted and exacerbated these entrenched inequities. In addition to job insecurity and increased costs for personal support workers, medication and medical supplies, the restrictions placed on visitors and support persons aimed at reducing the risk of infection have increased social isolation. However, notwithstanding the increased challenges and barriers faced by persons with disabilities in the context of the global pandemic, we have also seen the incredible resilience and fortitude of the community to face these challenges.

Our Government remains committed to doing everything it can to support persons with disabilities. Finishing the fight against COVID-19 and supporting the mental health and well-being of all Canadians during the pandemic is our priority. In April 2020, we launched Wellness Together Canada, an online portal that offers free and confidential mental health and substance use support to individuals of all ages and with diverse needs across Canada.

Canadians can access these supports from home, or wherever they are, eliminating the need for in-person visits. Wellness Together Canada continually strives to meet the accessibility requirements of every one, including text magnification software, and communication assistants to help non-hearing users or those with other accessibility issues that may prevent them from using a standard telephone to make or receive calls.

Our Government also invested in research through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's COVID-19 and mental health initiative, which is providing evidence to support decisions related to mental health services for all Canadians. For people living with disabilities, studies have found that peer support, well-structured programs, and giving people knowledge on how to manage their condition contributes to improved mental health.

We know that the pandemic continues to create stress and some sadness for Canadians, particularly those who do not have ready access to their regular support networks and we know that there is more work to do.

We would like to remind people that it's okay to reach out for support. Please use Wellness Together Canada.

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health