Toronto Star’s disability columnist Helen Henderson’s column in the April 1, 2006 Toronto Star is quite insulting to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Alliance.

The AODA Alliance was among the first to lead off the growing tide of opposition to the Government’s plan to weaken the Human Rights Commission. Its position has received wide support from organizations in the disability community. Helen Henderson’s article is available online at this pinpoint URL: http://tinyurl.com/oa3no.

This column’s headline refers to the AODA Alliance speakers at its March 16, 2006 Queens Park news conference as “chicken littles”.

The more letters that are sent in to the Toronto Star by different people, the more likely that some will get printed. Keep your letter to around 100 words. It is best to email it to:

lettertoed@thestar.ca

The article gives an email address to Helen Henderson that you might copy it to --

henderson@thestar.ca

However, it is important to send your email directly to the main “Letters to the Editor” address at: lettertoed@thestar.ca

In your letter refer to the title of the article [Rights debate marred by Chicken Littles
by Helen Henderson, Toronto Star April 1, 2006] so they know what you refer to.

Include your phone number in your email so they can contact you if they decide to print your letter in the newspaper. You do not have to be in Toronto to send in a letter.

Write the letter in your own words. It is best if the Star doesn’t just get a bunch of letters written in the exact same way.

For ideas, look to the websites of DAWN Ontario:

http://dawn.thot.net

and the AODA Alliance

www.aodaalliance.org

If you want to read exactly what was said at the AODA Alliance news conference, to decide if this article is a fair comment, you can see it at both the DAWN and AODA Alliance websites.

When you write your letter, remember that the newspaper’s readers probably didn’t read Helen Henderson’s article and may not know much about this whole issue. You might wish to mention in your letter that in the Legislature on March 29, Attorney General Michael Bryant rejected the request for a public consultation on this issue, saying he’s consulted enough.

 

---

Proposed Reforms to the Ontario Human Rights Code

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update - March 31, 2006
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update - March 29, 2006
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update - March 28, 2006
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update - March 24, 2006

Call for Letters/Emails to Premier McGuinty - Re: Proposed Reforms to the
Ontario Human Rights Code - March 23, 2006

DAWN Ontario's Open Letter to Premier McGuinty re: OHRC

Human rights body needs fixing, not dismantling
by Avvy Yao-Yao Go, Margaret Parsons & Uzma Shakir,
Toronto Star Op/Ed - Mar. 13, 2006

Human Rights Reform Action Kit
Stop the Gov't from Weakening Enforcement of the Ontario Human Rights Code

Changes to Human Rights complaints system threaten the rights of those who need it most: OPSEU - Feb. 20, 2006

Ontario Human Rights Commission - Protecting the right of all Ontarians

Report: "Making Ontario's Human Rights Commission Work"
Download Report as a PDF file (88 kb)
Download Report as a Word doc.

TAKE ACTION
Sample Letter to a Member of the Ontario Legislature

 

Go To Top

Return to DAWN Ontario index page

Featured News & Alerts

What's New
additions to the site indexed daily

Contact Us