Disability Rights Coalition
Change and Choices in Nova Scotia
About Us
The Disability Rights Coalition (DRC) is an advocacy group made up of people with disabilities, their friends and family members, and dedicated professionals, formed in response to the Nova Scotia government’s failure to implement the recommendations in the 2001 Kendrick Report. Prepared for the government by Dr. Michael Kendrick, the report called on the Province to end the institutionalization of people with disabilities and demanded the provision of essential supports to enable them to claim their rightful place in society.
Our Founding Mission
We have continued to evolve as a cross-disability coalition, uniting individuals and organizations from across Nova Scotia in our pursuit of advancing the equity interests of all persons with disabilities. Guided by our core values, we firmly believe in the importance of the following principles:
- Community-based living: Supporting individuals with disabilities to live independently in their own homes and communities.
- Person-centred planning: Tailoring supports and services to prioritize each individual’s unique needs, wants, and desires.
- Comprehensive disability strategy: Collaborating with stakeholders to develop a province-wide strategy that prioritizes the rights and interests of persons with disabilities.
Our History and Advocacy
In 2014, the Disability Rights Coalition (DRC) filed a landmark complaint with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, alleging systemic discrimination against people with disabilities. This complaint was filed in conjunction with a case brought by three individuals who had been institutionalized for years due to the Province’s failure to provide adequate community-based services.
Despite the initial dismissal of our complaint, the DRC persisted in its advocacy efforts. In 2021, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal overturned the initial decision, ruling in our favour. The Province’s subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was ultimately unsuccessful, marking a significant victory for disability rights in Nova Scotia.
In a ruling, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal found that the Government of Nova Scotia was perpetuating systemic discrimination against people with disabilities. The Court determined that the Province’s failure to provide adequate support for community-based living was a clear violation of human rights. Systemic discrimination occurs when a systemic or institutional practice disproportionately affects a larger group of people, rather than a single individual. The Court’s decision unequivocally ordered the Province to overhaul its approach to supporting people with disabilities, paving the way for transformative change.
Human Rights Remedy
The DRC will continue to play a crucial role in ensuring the effective implementation of The Remedy. The Human Rights Remedy outlines six key directions for transforming the disability support system in Nova Scotia:
- Implement a new system of individualized planning and support coordination
- Closing Institutions
- Develop a broader system of community-based supports and services
- Establish a province-wide multidisciplinary support program
- Implement individualized funding
- Strengthen the whole disability system’s capacity to enable transformation to a human rights approach
Moving Forward: Advancing Disability Rights
To remain a powerful voice for disability rights, the DRC will continue:
- To promote the equality interests of all persons with disabilities.
- To support efforts to protect, promote, and fulfill the rights of all persons with disabilities in their access to supports and services to live, work, and participate in community.
- To promote the personal autonomy of all persons with disabilities to ensure that person-directed planning and decision-making respects, protects and fulfills personal choice and control.
- To engage in the monitoring of the systemic human rights remedy in the Disability Rights Coalition’s complaint of systemic discrimination to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.
Together, we can create a brighter future for people with disabilities in Nova Scotia, one that values equity, inclusion, dignity, and human rights.
