Good morning Mr. Chair.

Good morning everyone.

Thank you for that important question, Ms. Chabot.

Every single day, people with disabilities encounter difficulties and barriers. That may have to do with the fact that the principle of universal accessibility is not adhered to in various places across the country, Quebec, in our case. People with disabilities also face barriers when it comes to transportation, particularly air travel. Canadian border services aren't always accessible to people with functional limitations. Accessibility barriers exist in workplaces and businesses. It's a very long list.

COPHAN opted for an approach based on co-operation. Yes, the federal government's goal of making Canada barrier-free by 2040 has moved the needle in terms of improvements and ideas—and we are, of course, thankful for that—but support across the board is really what's necessary.

We also applaud the efforts and progress other provinces have made. For example, spaces in Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and British Columbia are much more accessible to people with disabilities than spaces in Quebec.

I want to draw something else to your attention, Ms. Chabot. As you know, the rate of disability in Canada is 27%, which is equivalent to eight million people. The rate of disability in Quebec is 21%. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Quebec is expected to see one of the biggest increases in the population of people 65 and older by 2031. That means the number of seniors will double, even triple, in some parts of Quebec.

We obviously would like to see coercive measures to remedy that lack of leadership in Quebec. There are laws, but they aren't respected. Here's a simple example. The national building code, which falls under federal jurisdiction, is not respected in Quebec, or at least very little. A contractor who fails to comply with Quebec's building code will get a slap on the wrist from their professional association and a $500 to $1,200 fine. That's it. In Ontario, the penalties are much harsher.

We'd like to see the work being done elsewhere serve as a model. To achieve a fair Canada, accessibility standards must be adhered to all over the country.

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