A/HRC/43/41/Add.5 Canada’s Response to the Advance Unedited Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on her April 2-12, 2019 visit to Canada Page 3, Paragraph 2 Recommended language 1. The Special Rapporteur visited Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Fredericton and Halifax. In Ottawa, she met with senior officials representing different federal Government’s departments, agencies, crown corporations and special operating agencies, including Global Affairs; Justice; Employment and Social Development; Treasury Board; Health; Women and Gender Equality; Indigenous Services; Statistics Canada; Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission; Transport Canada, and the Canadian Transportation Agency. She also met the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, the Chairperson of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science, and Technology and the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Page 3, Paragraph 3 Recommended language 2. In Toronto, the Special Rapporteur met with the Lieutenant Governor and other officials of the Government of Ontario, including the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility and representatives of the Ministry of Education; Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services; Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; and the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. The Special Rapporteur also visited the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Page 5, Paragraph 18 Recommended language 3. At the federal level, persons with disabilities are considered under various laws, including the Criminal Code and Canada Evidence Act, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Canada Elections Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Canada Health Act, the Canada Pension Plan Act, the Income Tax Act, the Canada Disability Savings Act, the Student Loans and Student Financial Assistance Acts, the Canada Transportation Act, the Personnel Training for the Assistance of Persons with Disabilities Regulations, and the Broadcasting Act. The federal legislation that amended the Criminal Code to permit medical assistance in dying which came into force in June 2016 is also of relevance. Page 5, Paragraph 19 Recommended language 4. On July 11, 2019 the Accessible Canada Act came into force. The Act aims to enhance the full and equal participation of all persons in society, especially those with disabilities, by helping to create a barrier-free Canada through the identification, removal and prevention of barriers. The Act gives the Federal Government the authority to create new accessibility standards and regulations for itself and for sectors under the federal jurisdiction, such as banking, telecommunications, and federally regulated transportation services1. interprovincial 1 2 Source: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/A-0.6/page-1.html.