Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
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Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

www.hrsdc.gc.ca

Mandate of the Office for Disability Issues

The mandate of the Office for Disability Issues is to:

  • foster coherent policies and programs in the federal jurisdiction and across all jurisdictions;
  • serve as a model for the federal government and provide leadership by example;
  • build the capacity of the voluntary sector and create cohesive networks of partners through strategic investment;
  • support the ongoing pursuit of knowledge to inform policy and program development; and
  • reach out to Canadians to engage citizens on disability issues, increase awareness and create citizen consensus regarding full participation of people with disabilities in Canadian society.

Who we are

Programs Division

The Programs Division is responsible for the delivery and administration of programs.

We administer the following programs:

Policy Division

The Policy Division provides leadership in the development and design of disability-related policy and programs. The division seeks to improve horizontal management, as well as policy and program coherence and collaboration on disability-related initiatives within HRSDC and across the Government of Canada. The Division also builds and maintains relationships across departments and with external stakeholders.

The work of the Policy Division is shared among three specialized units, as follows.

Economic Inclusion Unit

  • Works with a wide range of stakeholders and government departments to build policies and programs that enable people with disabilities to work, and to have a decent standard of living.

Social Inclusion Unit

  • Provides advice on disability policy and options on issues related to social inclusion, in collaboration with officials across the Government of Canada and through networking with key stakeholders both inside and outside government.

Awareness Unit

  • Supports the work of HRSDC Co-Champion for Diversity (Accessibility) to ensure that the Department’s awareness of disability-related issues makes it a workplace of choice for people with disabilities and a model to emulate within the Government of Canada.

Intergovernmental Relations and Special Projects Division

The Intergovernmental Relations and Special Projects (IRSP) Division works to ensure policy coherence in the development, presentation and communication of positions on disability issues in national and international fora. The Division is also responsible, in partnership with other jurisdictions and stakeholders, for the development and dissemination of research and knowledge on disability issues, as well as the development of policy proposals aimed at achieving full inclusion and participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of society.

The work of the IRSP division is shared among three specialized units, as follows.

Intergovernmental Relations Unit

  • Develops and maintains key relationships with provincial and territorial partners;
  • Contributes to the development of international reports and treaties.

Disability Research and Knowledge Development Unit

Legislation Development Unit

  • Oversees work associated with federal legislation initiatives focusing on Canadians with disabilities;
  • Contributes to the development of international treaties, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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Date Modified:
2012-01-25