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‘We are not a priority:’ Disability advocates say lack of minister sends a message

May 14, 2025 | 12:11 PM

Disability advocates say the lack of a minister tasked with representing their interests sidelines millions of Canadians during what Prime Minister Mark Carney promises will be a time of growth and rebuilding.

Carney announced his smaller, “purpose-built” cabinet meant to deliver change on Tuesday, but the 38-member team doesn’t include anyone explicitly responsible for disability inclusion.

David Lepofsky, chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, says disabled Canadians need a voice at the cabinet table fighting for their inclusion on the issues Carney has prioritized.

He says those include building new infrastructure and tackling a housing shortage — but he says both things must be done with accessibility in mind.