The Milestone Fight for Including Disability Rights in Canada’s Charter of Rights - With Yvonne Peters - Pt 2
Disability Rights, and Wrongs: The David LepodcastShow Notes
In 1981, the then Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre-elliot Trudeau was dead set on repatriating the constitution of Canada. At the time, our constitution was effectively under the control of the British parliament. Repatriating it meant that Canada would finally have the power to amend it without British approval. In the process, Trudeau also wanted to introduce a charter of rights and freedoms, which would enshrine the rights of protected groups directly into our constitution. The problem? Canadians with disabilities were not included in the list of protected groups.
This is part 2 of 2 of the story of the advocates who successfully lobbied to have disability rights included in the new Charter of Rights and Freedoms. David Lepofsky, fresh from law-school, was among them, along with fellow disability rights advocate and lawyer, Yvonne Peters. The two share their perspectives of this landmark victory in disability advocacy.
David Lepofsky’s memoir: Swimming Up Niagara Falls! The Battle to Get Disability Rights Added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms” is Available online for free download at https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/swimming-up-niagara-falls-the-battle-to-get-disability-rights-added-to-the-canadian-charter-of-rights-and-freedoms-by-aoda-alliance-chair-david-lepofsky-now-available-as-free-audio-book-ms-word/ in pdf, MS Word, e-pub formats and as a free audio book, or for purchase as a hard copy book from Amazon or as a Kindle e-book from Kindle.
Watch David Lepofsky’s December 12, 1980 presentation to the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons ofCanada on the Constitution of Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBdYFUtAslc
David Lepofsky’s January 29, 1981 Interview on CBC Radio This Country in the Morning re the Disability Amendment to the Charter of Rights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnqNpeGhWP0
David Lepofsky’s November 26, 1981 Interview on CBC Radio This Country in the Morning re the Disability Amendment to the Charter of Rights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcn6mZcJeLc
September 16, 2024 Interview with AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky on TVO’s “The Agenda With Steve Paikin” on His Memoir About the Battle in 1980 to Get Disability Equality Rights Added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rELGQu2ulSI
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