Response from Vic Lau, Green Party

The following are answers we received from Vic Lau in response to the SACL questions which were emailed to all candidates:

1. Parents of children with intellectual disabilities across the province are struggling to ensure an inclusive education for their sons and daughters, with little opportunity for accountability at the school division level. If elected, what would your party do to ensure that children and youth with intellectual disabilities have consistent access to an inclusive, quality education with the supports they need?

WE IN THE GREEN PARTY WOULD WORK WITH YOUR GROUP AND OTHERS TO REVIEW THE NEEDS IN THIS AREA AND IMPLEMENT A GUARANTEED LIVABLE INCOME www.livableincome.org AS WELL AS OFFER ANY POSSIBLE AID AVAILABLE.


2. When people with intellectual disabilities become adults, there is very little offered in the form of services, and virtually no opportunity to create a personal plan for supported living. SACL is leading the development of individualized funding for services, something that many of our families want. Other provinces have had this option available for people with intellectual disabilities for many years. Does your party support individualized funding for people with intellectual disabilities?

YES. SEE www.livableincome.org


3. Poverty is the greatest impact of disability that most people with disabilities face in their lifetime. Right now 77% of the social assistance long term caseload are citizens with disabilities. Would your party support taking people with disabilities off of welfare and creating a separate income support program that addresses poverty and provides security?

YES THE GREEN PARTY IS CERTAINLY DEDICATED TO DOING THIS IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING ELECTED. AS AN MLA FOR DOUGLAS PARK, I WOULD WORK WITH YOU AND SACL TO DO THIS RIGHT. I ALSO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTING A SEPARATE DISABILITIES ACT THAT WOULD ENSHRINE CERTAIN PROTECTIONS FOR THE DISABLED!