Americans celebrate 20 years of ADA while Canadians with disabilities wait

July 26, 2010 - PRLog -- The civil rights of Americans living with disabilities were passed into law 20 years ago on July 20, 1990 by President George Bush Sr in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The law was meant to ensure that people with disabilities would not be discriminated in their employment, government services, housing and in the community. It granted them rights similar to the Civil Rights Act.

During the intervening years, the US Courts narrowly restricted the application of the ADA. President George Bush Jr. pushed through Congress and the Senate 1,100 pages of amendments to the ADA to ensure the law did protect them. The ADA Amended was signed by President Obama in 2009.  

Not only does the United States have significant civil rights or human rights legislation protecting the disabled, it used the enforcement arm of the EEOC to ensure the law is followed.

The EEOC and the US Department of Justice will prosecute cases on behalf of Americans with disabilities ensuring they have access to and protection under the law.

Canadians have the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which grants equality with some exceptions to Canadians with disabilities but it does not give them protection. It would be like saying the US Constitution is all blacks and people with disabilities need.

Discrimination against people with disabilities is a fact of life on Canada. Governments Federal, Provincial and municipal routinely ignore human rights issues for the disabled. They know that it is an expensive and time consuming process for a person with a disability to sue them in court. Human Rights commissions and tribunals are a partial answer in Canada but still don’t redress issues to a large extent.

Public embarrassment is the best recourse for Canadians with disabilities. However, that relies on charity and human compassion not human rights which are both poor substitutes.

ADA Fast Facts (from The West Side)

Population Distribution

   * 54 million – Number of people who have a disability.
   * They represent 19 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.
   * By age — 5 percent of children 5 to 17 have disabilities.
   * 10 percent of people 18 to 64 have disabilities.
   * 38 percent of adults 65 and older have disabilities.
   * 12.4% – Percentage of females with a disability,
   * compared with 11.7 percent of males.

Using or Needing Assistance

   * 11 million – Number of disabled people 6 and older who need personal assistance with everyday activities. These activities include such tasks as getting around inside the home, taking a bath or shower, preparing meals and performing light housework.
   * 3.3 million – Number of people 15 and older who use a wheelchair. Another 10 million use a walking aid, such as a cane, crutches or walker

Specific Disabilities

   * 1.8 million – Number of people 15 and older who report being unable to see printed words.
   * 1 million = Number of people 15 and older who reported being unable to hear conversations.
   * 2.5 million – Number of people 15 and older who have difficulty having their speech understood. Of this number, 431,000 were unable to have their speech understood
   * 16.1 million – Number of people with limitations in cognitive functioning or who have a mental or emotional illness that interferes with daily activities, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and mental retardation. This group comprises 7 percent of the population 15 and older. This included 8 million with one or more problems that interfere with daily activities, such as frequently being depressed or anxious, trouble getting along with others, trouble concentrating and trouble coping with stress.

On the Job

   * 13.3 million – Number of 16- to 64-year-olds who reported difficulty finding a job or remaining employed because of a health condition.
   * 46% – Percentage of people 21 to 64 having some type of disability who were employed. The employment rate ranged from 75 percent of those with a nonsevere disability to 31 percent with a severe disability. For those without a disability, the employment rate is 84 percent for the same period
   * 59% – Percent of people 21 to 64 with difficulty hearing that were employed. The corresponding percentage for those with difficulty seeing was 41 percent
   * 48% – Percentage of people 21 to 64 with a nonsevere disability who work full time. This compares with 63 percent without a disability and 16 percent with a severe disability.
   * 6% – Percentage of disabled workers 16 and older who used public transportation to commute to work. In addition, 69 percent of people with a disability drove alone, 13 percent carpooled, 4 percent walked and 3 percent used a taxicab, motorcycle, bicycle or other means
   * 21% – Percentage of disabled workers 16 and older who worked in the educational services and health care and social assistance industries.

Income and Poverty

   * $2,250 – Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with a nonsevere disability. This compares with $2,539 for those with no disability and $1,458 for those with a severe disability.
   * $2,252 – Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with difficulty hearing. The corresponding figure for those with difficulty seeing was $1,932.
   * 12% – The poverty rate for people 25 to 64 with a nonsevere disability. This compares with 27 percent for those with a severe disability and 9 percent of those without a disability.

Serving Our Nation

$36.3 billion – Amount of compensation veterans received for service-connected disabilities in fiscal year 2008.
Accommodations

98% – Percent of transit buses that were lift- or ramp-equipped, as of 2007. This represents an increase from 62 percent in 1995.
Education

   * 28% -  Percentage of people 25 and older with a disability who had less than a high school graduate education. This compares with 12 percent for those with no disability
   * 13% – Percentage of people 25 and older with a disability who had a bachelor’s degree or higher. This compares with 31 percent for those with no disability.

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