Blatant neglect of the disabled in Quebec

Both the Provincial Liberals and the Parti québecois have neglected Quebecois suffering from physical and mental impairments. Both governments have approved budget after budget with no attention and consideration paid to the disabled in our society. They are treated as outcasts. They are the forgotten citizens of Quebec.

Quebec governments have allocated millions for projects like enforcement of the language law and committees to evaluate reasonable accommodation in the province. But nothing has been proposed for the disabled. The Disability amount is a non-refundable tax credit that reduces the amount of income tax an impaired person has to pay (Line 376 of the Provincial Income Tax Form).

To qualify for this tax credit, one has to be suffering from a severe and prolonged impairment of mental and or physical functions. This impairment must be certified by one or more of the following: a physician optometrist, audiologist, speech therapist, (speech- language pathologist), occupational therapist, psychologist or physiotherapist. The impairment is considered to be severe and prolonged if it lasted (or is expected to last) for a continuous period of at least 12 months.

Quebec governments have been grossly negligent in providing for the disabled. For the past nine years and even prior to 1999, the miserly deduction has remained stagnant in comparison to the Federal counterpart. Here is a brief numerical picture of this blatant injustice meted out to these unfortunate souls. The disability allowance allocated by: