Article: Will the CDB Address Core Concerns for Indigenous Peoples?
This article was written by Evelyn Huntjens. It originally appeared in the edition of DABC’s Transition magazine, Canada Disability Benefit: What protection does it actually offer? (Fall/Winter 2024).
Read the full edition in PDF format here and in text-only format here.
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The upcoming Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) has brought both hope and concern for individuals and their families who may qualify. Indigenous people, especially those with disabilities, routinely find many barriers in accessing the supports they need. The CDB could help solve some of these issues, but only if it recognizes and addresses the complex problems Indigenous people face.
Barriers in the DTC
One of the biggest barriers Indigenous people and communities face is the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) for which people must qualify to access the CDB. The DTC can be very inaccessible, due to confusing and challenging barriers that keep eligible people from accessing it.
In many Indigenous communities, and in rural and northern areas, there can be delays in accessing medical appointments. If you don’t have a doctor, getting the DTC becomes almost impossible which delays or blocks access to this benefit, and therefore the CDB.
Because many Indigenous people with disability live in poverty, tax credits like the DTC don’t help. The DTC offers a reduction in income taxes, but not a refund. It is only valuable because of its link to other benefits such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan. But, the potential financial benefits of the RDSP are years away, as it can only be accessed without penalty after age 60.
All of these factors make applying for the DTC either too difficult or a low priority. This is even though 55% of people with severe and very severe disabilities are potentially eligible for the DTC. Given the trends in statistics, the percentage of Indigenous peoples who are not accessing the DTC is likely higher. Additional resources are needed to support access to the DTC and therefore to the CDB.
On top of these issues, approval for the DTC doesn’t guarantee re-approval. Even if you have a lifelong condition, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requires you to reapply every 3-5 years. This is a huge barrier, especially for those with “invisible disabilities” that are harder to “prove,” but significantly impact daily life.
Ableism and racism in our healthcare system is rampant for Indigenous people with these disabilities. People have been intimidated and shamed, and told they don’t qualify. It is not the healthcare practitioner’s role to approve the DTC, but they are often the gatekeepers to access.
Gaps in the CDB Regulations
The CDB has the potential to offer direct financial support to people with disabilities, but there are many gaps in the rules that need to be fixed. There’s a risk that, without specific steps to include Indigenous communities, the CDB could create the same barriers as the DTC.
The CDB needs to take into account that Indigenous people living with disability in rural or remote communities often require direct supports to access benefits. The application process for the CDB should be simple, so people who don’t have reliable healthcare can still navigate the application process and be approved. And, people who receive disability income assistance should have an automatic approval process for the CDB.
Another hurdle is the doctor’s fee for completing the DTC. An individual or family living on disability income assistance cannot be out of pocket as much as $250 in a month and still put food on the table. Many Indigenous communities’ programs and services do not provide resources to cover this application cost or travel to have the form completed. This will perpetuate poverty for those who live with disability, whether they qualify or not.
It seems contradictory to make commitments to inclusive communities and full participation for all citizens and then create a new program with processes that have substantial barriers.
Without addressing these issues, Indigenous people with disabilities could be left out again.
Empowering Indigenous People with Disabilities
One important step in developing a truly inclusive process is to ensure Indigenous people are involved in making decisions about accessing the CDB in their communities. Community-based navigation programs should also be available to support Indigenous people with disabilities.
Allyship with Indigenous people with disabilities should go beyond government policies.
There should be public campaigns to raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by Indigenous people with disabilities. And, Indigenous people with disability should also have leadership roles to build stronger networks of support.
The Canada Disability Benefit has the potential to provide much-needed support, but it’s crucial that the federal government addresses the current gaps. Then, the CDB can become a tool that truly empowers and supports Indigenous people with disabilities.
Learn more at BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society and DAWN Canada.
Evelyn Huntjens joins DAWN Canada as the Director of Indigenous Initiatives to lead the organization in amplifying the voices of Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people living with disabilities. Evelyn resides on Vancouver Island, BC within the ancestral territory of the Quw’utsun People and is a member of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation.
