Sunday, 10 December 2023 23:44 Last Updated on Sunday, 10 December 2023 23:47
News - CANADIAN NEWS
Our latest newsletter, Quest 139, focused on the proposed Canada Disability Benefit for low-income disabled working age Canadians. We emphasized that the legislation was a statement of general intent, with the specifics to be determined in the regulations which have not yet been written.
The government is now starting to write the regulations and has asked for input from the disability community.
The National ME/FM Action Network has made a submission. You can make a submission too. Go to
The deadline is December 21, 2023.
***
Here is our submission
Submission to the Consultation on the Canada Disability Benefit Act regulations
By the National ME/FM Action Network ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
On behalf of persons with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and/or Fibromyalgia (FM)
Date: December 9, 2023
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Canada Disability Benefit Act regulations.
There were an estimated 125,000 working age people with family income below $20k who had a diagnosis of ME (chronic fatigue syndrome), FM or both, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015/16.
The National ME/FM Action Network was founded in 1993. Over the years, we have become very familiar with working-age disability poverty. ME and FM often strike people when they are young or of working age and they often interfere with the person’s ability to pursue substantially gainful employment, leaving many in poverty. We are pleased that working-age disability poverty is getting attention. It is a very serious issue.
We have looked at the legislation. We have written about the CDB in our latest newsletter, Quest 139. Our president was a speaker on a webinar organized by Osgoode Professional Development.
We have identified three high-level issues:
What is meant by disability? Too often, disability criteria leave out people with ME, FM or both. This program is extemely important for our people. Please ensure that they are not left out of it.
How much money is involved? Funding should be allocated in the 2024-25 federal budget so that this poverty is addressed quickly. Therefore, estimates need to be developed as soon as possible.
How does this program fit in with other financial support programs? A very real concern is that other programs will claw back the income or will charge more for their services.
It is necessary for these issues to be resolved to guide the development of the regulations.