On Wednesday, April 28th in Ottawa, members of the disability community gathered with Members of Parliament, federal officials and the general public to celebrate the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (Canada ratified the UN Convention on March 11, 2010.) I, John Rietschlin, member of the L’Arche Canada board and Donna Rietschlin, Community Leader, L’Arche Ottawa joined in the celebration.

Steve Estey, from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, was the MC for the event. He introduced federal ministers Diane Finley and Peter McKay, both of whom emphasized the importance of the Convention and the Canadian government’s commitment to ensure that all Canadians with disabilities are included. MPs from the three opposition parties, and leaders of national disability organizations underlined the hard work that has brought Canada to this important milestone and also the work that remains in order to fulfill the dream that every person with disabilities will fully enjoy their rights as citizens.

The evening provided an opportunity for Donna and me to talk with many of those who played instrumental roles in the process leading up to Canada’s ratification. Our conversations also turned to our shared hopes and dreams for a bright future as we all work together to make the dream embodied in the Convention a reality.

(To learn more about the United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities, visit http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=150 )