Appoint Disability Commissioner
Petitioners ask the Governor in Council to appoint a seven‑year Disability Commissioner with parliamentary approval to investigate Accessible Canada Act complaints and report. The government responds the Accessible Canada Act already provides an Accessibility Commissioner.
Why we would sign this petition
- Creates an independent official to investigate Accessible Canada Act complaints and press institutions for remedies, giving complainants a clearer enforcement route.
- Mandated annual reports and public consultations would increase transparency and let Parliament and the public monitor departmental performance.
- A seven‑year, parliamentary‑approved appointment is designed to provide continuity and institutional independence from short political cycles.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- The Accessible Canada Act already provides an Accessibility Commissioner, so creating a 'Disability Commissioner' risks duplicating oversight.
- Requiring consultation and parliamentary approval could politicize or delay appointments, leaving the office vacant when oversight is needed.
- A separate commissioner might overlap with mandates of existing bodies, causing jurisdictional confusion and inefficient duplication.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled The disabled community represents 1 in 4 Canadians; Canada ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on March 11, 2010; The CRPD is an international human rights treaty aimed at protecting the rights and dignity of the disabled community without discrimination and on an equal basis with others; and The disabled community has not had appropriate upholding of rights as set forth by the charter of rights and freedoms. We, the undersigned, People of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Demand the Governor in Council appoint a Disability Commissioner of Canada; 2. This Disability Commissioner shall be appointed by the Governor in Council by commission under the Great Seal, after consultation with the leader of every recognized party in the Senate and the House of Commons and after approval of the appointment by resolution of the Senate and the House of Commons. The incumbent shall hold office for a seven-year term; 3. This Disabiltiy Commissioner shall investigate complaints from people who believe they have been denied rights under the Accessible Canada Act and make recommendations to government institutions;4. This Diaasbility Commissioner shall table an annual report to Parliament, as well as periodic report cards on the performance of individual departments; and 1. Demand the Governor in Council appoint a Disability Commissioner of Canada; 2. This Disability Commissioner shall be appointed by the Governor in Council by commission under the Great Seal, after consultation with the leader of every recognized party in the Senate and the House of Commons and after approval of the appointment by resolution of the Senate and the House of Commons. The incumbent shall hold office for a seven-year term; 3. This Disabiltiy Commissioner shall investigate complaints from people who believe they have been denied rights under the Accessible Canada Act and make recommendations to government institutions; 5. This Disabilitty Commissioner shall regularly hold public consultations related to the subjects of their reports to Parliament, as well as for their periodic report cards on the performance of individual departments.
Government response
Response by the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy Signed by Tim Louis There is no legislative provision allowing for the appointment of a Disability Commissioner of Canada. The Accessible Canada Act provides for the appointment of an Accessibility Commissioner, who is a full-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Commission and is responsible for leading the administration and enforcement of the Accessible Canada Act and its regulations. The Accessibility Commissioner is appointed by the Governor in Council to a term of up to seven years and addresses complaints about harm people suffered because?federally regulated organizations did not meet requirements regarding accessibility plans, feedback processes and progress reports. The Accessibility Commissioner may provide information or advice to the Minister of Employment and Social Development in respect of issues arising from the administration and enforcement of the Act. The Act requires that the Accessibility Commissioner prepare an annual report for the Minister, which must be tabled in the House of Commons. The report must include information on inspections, orders, notices of violations, and complaints, made pursuant to the Act. An Accessibility Commissioner was appointed to a term of seven years effective May 5, 2025, by Order in Council P.C. 2025-0371.