Family Resources: You and Your Income Tax
When you have a family member with a disability it’s important to be fully informed about issues pertaining to preparing and filing your income tax. Based on an income tax workshop presented by a chartered accountant, this tip sheet (PDF: 175 KB) was most recently updated for the 2002 tax year. While it provides a worthwhile overview of key issues, we suggest contacting a financial manager or accountant to address the specific matters regarding your family’s situation.
Picture This: Life as a Parent of Children with FASD
Healthy Generations Family Support Program is very pleased to present and share with you a pod cast/short film developed by a group of Mothers of children with FASD from Sioux Lookout, Ontario. Through these photos and stories, the parents have defined for themselves and others, what is worth remembering and what needs to change. Please feel free to add to the discussion in the coments section.So sit back, turn on your speakers and click on the link below, (the little box beside the volume control on the video window permits you to make the video 'full screen'.) It takes 20 minutes to view. Feel free to add to the discussion in the comments box. http://citizen.nfb.ca/picture-this
Judy Kay
Program Coordinator
Healthy Generations Family Support Program
Community Living Sioux Lookout
807-737-1447 ext. 224
Disabilities fund deadline a challenge for many, organizations argue
Grant criteria ‘rigged’ for project in finance minister’s riding: opposition
BY JULIET O’NEILL
Ottawa Citizen
April 12, 2008
Opposition MPs criticized the government yesterday for what they see as “rigging” a federal disabilities fund to channel money to a large project whose board includes Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s wife and a staff member.
The defence offered by government MPs during question period was that the one-month period for applications for money from the three-year, $45million “enabling accessibility” fund does not expire until the end of April.
Organizations representing disabled individuals said that not only does the large grant component of the fund appear custom-made for a proposed “abilities centre” in Mr. Flaherty’s riding, but the smaller grant component of the fund has such arduous criteria that many nonprofit organizations don’t stand a chance of meeting them in such a short time.
Accusing the Conservatives of patronage and political favouritism, New Democratic Party House leader Libby Davies urged an extension of the deadline to give others an opportunity to apply.
“It is very curious when only one group, in the minister’s riding, seems to qualify,” Ms. Davies said. “No wonder Canadians are losing trust in the government.”
The website for the proposed “abilities centre” in Whitby, Ont., describes the plan for a world-class recreation, athletic and performing ats facility fully accessible to all persons with a varying degree of abilities and challenges.
“Will the minister admit that rigging the application in favour of an organization where his own wife and executive assistant are members of the board is just wrong?” asked Toronto Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi. “What does he have to say to all other disabled Canadians?”
“We do not have a team of experts who can pull something like this off within one month.'
TRACI WALTERS, national director, Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres
Both of the government MPs who responded, Lynne Yelich and Peter Van Loan, pointed out that the existing funding deadline has not passed.
Ms. Yelich is parliamentary secretary to the minister of Human Resources and Social Development, which operates the fund; Mr. Van Loan is government house leader. Mr. Flaherty was not in the Commons.
Organizations representing disabled individuals and MP Carolyn Bennett, Liberal critic on disabilities policy, accused Mr. Flaherty Thursday of a conflict of interest because the board of the proposed Whitby centre includes Mr. Flaherty’s wife, Christine Elliott, who is also the MPP for the provincial riding, and his executive assistant, Nancy Shaw.
Mr. Flaherty’s spokesman said the minister is following instructions he received in December from ethics commissioner Mary Dawson to disclose that his wife is on the board and to recuse himself from any discussion of the application.
The small grants from the fund are for such things as ramps, elevators, lowering sinks and handrails and otherwise making buildings and vehicles more accessible.
“We never know year to year if we will receive funding for the next,” said Traci Walters, national director of the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres.
Among other things, the application for funding requires quotes for costs, identification of other sources of funds, letters of community support and confirmation of compliance with laws at all levels of government. A five-year lease is necessary on property that is going to be made more accessible.
“Non-profit organizations are under-resourced and understaffed — especially disability organizations,” Ms. Walters said. “We do not have a team of experts who can pull something like this off within one month. Especially organizations run by and for people with disabilities. We are swamped with providing disability supports to individuals.”
