The Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission

The Disabled Persons Commission Act was created by the Nova Scotia Government in 1989 to enable persons with disabilities to have a voice in government policies and programs which directly affect them.

The Disabled Persons Commission, first assembled in 1990, seeks to:

• promote the concerns of persons with disabilities within the government itself, particularly when a policy affects more than one government department
  
• educate both the Coordinating Committee of Ministers and the general public on the needs and abilities of persons with disabilities
  
• promote information about programs and services that serve persons with disabilities
  
• review existing government policies and programs to make sure they are appropriate and effective, and that they reflect the needs and concerns of persons with disabilities
  
• make the general public aware of what it can do to facilitate the integration of persons with disabilities into the social and economic mainstream of the community

The DPC has 12 members, of which seven are community appointments that either have a disability or represents the disability community. The remaining members must represent provincial departments which provide programs for persons with disabilities. The Governor-in-Council tries to appoint members who represent the various regions of the province. The members in turn elect the Chair, who must be a representative of the disability community and be a person with a disability. Each member serves a two-year term.

When promoting the concerns of persons with disabilities within the government, the Commission primarily reports to the Coordinating Committee of Ministers, which in turn reports to the Government of Nova Scotia on the status of persons with disabilities.

The following members of the Coordinating Committee are selected from Ministries which have a direct stake or investment in the services and programs being provided to persons with disabilities:

Minister of Community Services (also the Chair of the Coordinating Committee)
Minister of Health
Minister of Education
Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
Minister of Environment and Labour
Minister of Transportation and Public Works

Ultimately, the Disabled Persons Commission serves the over 150,000 Nova Scotians who have a disability.

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Comments to: williaye@gov.ns.ca - Page last updated 2007-August-16. Privacy Policy.