Disability Policy in Canada An Overview

Over the last century there has been a shift from conceptualizing disability as a challenge to law and order, to viewing disability as a medical and/or economic deficit and then as a sociopolitical issue. In Canada, these changing conceptualizations of disability have been reflected in the development of disability policies, which form part of general Canadian social policies. Each model of disability captures a particular aspect of disability and focuses on particular goals, and each depicts a different account of what society owes people with disabilities. However, the lack of linkages between the models and their conceptual bases means that no one model can be used to guide disability policy development. Decision making about the goals of disability policy and the rights of people with disabilities requires the development of a normative foundation.