Toronto Region ODSP Action Coalition - federal notes
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Earlier, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives... lost two by-elections that were called... circa 2005-2006.  They did better in the September 2006 by-elections; in Quebec.
See also CTV News  background piece on the 2006 federal by-elections

In other notes longtime deputy minister Kevin Lynch has apparently resigned. And former Conservative human resources minister Monte Solberg did not run in the last election, choosing to retire from politics.  Solberg had technically been in charge of federal disability policy.  Most recently we've been in touch with Dr. Carolyn Bennett, who would likely be the political point person on disabilities, esp. for Ontario residents, in any Liberal government under Michael Ignatieff.  We should ask her for her take on the "RDSP" and the U.N. disabilities covention which speaks to "adequate rates of social assistance" in participating countries.

As of early 2009 the new minister was Diane Finley.  She was supposed to have met with Deb Matthews around May 14th. We've spoken to her colleague Kathleen Wynne about it (Wynne is Education minister, in the McGuinty cabinet) but so far, nothing.
This continues to be a minor page.  The federal conservatives were up slightly in polling, in early October and the Prime Minister was a hit on YouTube, playing the piano and singing. One new link we should post is http://www.seniors.gc.ca
And the federal gov't is advertising the Registered Disability Savings Plan or "RDSP" - bad name, that. See their pages at http://www.disabilitysavings.gc.ca
Elections Ontario
Elections Canada
The House of Commons' Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) were apparently holding hearings in Toronto on June 1-2... HUMA is a committee of M.P.'s from all parties. To make a formal presentation or to submit a written brief, you were supposed to contact Christine Holke David, Clerk of the Committee at (613) 996-1542 or via e-mail at huma@parl.gc.ca
Also: Canadian Women's Health Network touches on pages like http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/activit/com/index-eng.php
To that we should probably add the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
In September the provincial group, perhaps spearheaded by Jennifer Laidley of ISAC, began a sort of linking to the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, although they don't actually run the U.N. links.