OAFP Accessibility Policy

  1. The Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians (OAFP or Association) supports the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) as they apply to the rights of its members within the mandate and functions of the Association. The OAFP adopts this accessibility policy in order to ensure that its members are aware of their rights and obligations under the Code.
  2. The OAFP will take all reasonable steps to provide accommodation to individual members who require it because of disability so that they may fully participate in meetings and functions of the Association. Accommodation includes the provision of interpreters or other assistance that will facilitate the ability of the members to overcome the barriers posed by a disability. Functions include meetings and social gatherings convened by the OAFP and other events that take place either in or outside of Ontario where the individual member participates as a representative of the OAFP. Functions do not include trips either in or outside Ontario in which the individual member participates on a voluntary basis for pleasure or for personal development.
  3. The responsibility to accommodate is a joint responsibility between the officers of the Association and the individual members who require accommodation. The OAFP will carry out its responsibility to accommodate to the extent that doing so does not pose an undue hardship on the Association.
  4. Members of the OAFP who require accommodation are encouraged to advise the Executive of the OAFP at any time that they require accommodation in order to be able to fully participate in meetings or events of the OAFP. Such notice will allow the Executive to plan and have in place necessary measures to meet the needs of members.
  5. In any event, members who require accommodation shall advise the Secretary of the OAFP by telephone, in writing or by e-mail as soon as possible after receiving notice of an upcoming meeting or event that they require accommodation in order to participate and shall outline the accommodation that they require. The Secretary of the OAFP will make the necessary accommodation arrangements either directly or through staff of the OAFP.
  6. If the individual member and the Secretary disagree about the need for or the method proposed to provide the accommodation requested they will attempt to resolve the matter. If they are unable to do so, the Secretary will refer the matter to the Chair of the OAFP who will attempt to resolve the issue directly with the individual member or will refer it to the Executive for resolution. The Secretary or Chair shall advise the individual member of the Executive’s proposed accommodation and of his or her right to pursue the matter with the Ontario Human Rights Commission or Ontario Human Rights Tribunal within six months if he or she is not satisfied with it.