Be A PAL:

The Canadian Council on Disabilities is seeking support for Statistics Canada’s Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) in 2011.

PALS is said to be the most important and comprehensive source of disability statistics in Canada and CCD has been urging HRSD for sometime to support and announce support for PALS in 2011. Apparently a decision has not been made in this regard.

So the CCD is now encouraging everyone who is interested in public policy on disability to write to HRSDC Minister Diane Finley, urging HRSD to support and announce support for PALS in 2011.

The contact information for the Hon. Diane Finley is:

Hon. Diane Finley
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Email: FinleD@parl.gc.ca

In addition to writing to Minister Finley, CCD is asking that you their concern about PALS 2011 with individuals and organizations in your network and encourage them to also contact Minister Finley about the need for PALS 2011.

And here is some additional information for you.

From April at CCD's Winnipeg office.

Some Background on PALS

Statistics Canada’s Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) is the most important and comprehensive source of disability statistics in Canada and is seen as a best practice model internationally. CCD is concerned that Human Resources Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has not yet committed funding for a PALS for the 2011 census.

It is crucial that PALS continue so that governments and community have the
information and research needed to develop good policy and programs. It should
be noted that upon ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities Canada will be obligated to collect data on the socioeconomic
status of persons with disabilities.

PALS and its predecessor HALS have been, and remain, extremely valuable survey tools. No other survey provides the range and depth of statistically reliable information about:

• The kinds, causes and severity of disabilities experienced by Canadian
  children and adults;
• The extent of utilization and unmet need for a range of human, technological
  and built environmental supports needed because of disability;
• The need for, and availability of, disability-related accommodations for
  paid employment and for participation in education and work-related training;
• Accessibility measures needed in local and interjurisdictional transportation services (buses, trains, airplanes);
• Social and economic barriers experienced by persons with disabilities;
• Impacts of disability and of the associated barriers on personal and family incomes and on the social and economic activities of family members;
• Direct, non-reimbursed costs paid out-of-pocket by individuals and familiesfor disability-related items and services.

Under the heading "Act Now" on its home page, CCD has added information on the need for action on PALS 2011.

In closing, I would like to thank you in advance for considering this request and CCD will share information with you on this issue as it becomes available.

Off you go now.

There's work to be done.