For the past twenty years, Don and I have been involved with the parent support organization "Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network" (PLAN). The thrust of PLAN is twofold: financial planning to protect persons with disabilities from poverty, especially when their parents die; and the creation of life-long support networks for the disabled, who are so often isolated.
Over the weekend of Jan. 30-Feb.1, I attended a PLAN workshop in Yellowknife. There I learned what ten years of lobbying the Federal Government by PLAN has achieved for the most vulnerable in Canadian society.
In March 2007, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced the creation of a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). It is estimated that the RDSP will benefit as many as 500,000 Canadians.
Why do I consider the RDSP to be a blow against poverty? Before this, when planning for a loved one with a disability, the only option has been to establish a trust. This requires visits to lawyers, accountants or notaries, etc., entails a substantial cost, and is done without any government support. Now families will have a choice that will be inexpensive to establish and provides a government contribution. The RDSP is especially good news for low-income families, as the Federal Government has established matching grants and contributions to assist them. Certain provincial jurisdictions have also agreed that having an RDSP will not disqualify recipients from disability income programs, nor cause claw-backs if they actually receive income from it. This gives the beneficiary a degree of self-determination about the use of their RDSP.
We too can get involved in seeing that this new service will in fact help those most in need. We can use our voice, pen or computer to encourage the Federal Government to implement this plan, first by straightening out the kinks, and secondly by getting all Canadian banks and financial institutions onboard. We can share information, and support PLAN.
To discover more information both about the RDSP and about PLAN, please visit the following websites: www.rdsp.com (and) www.plan.ca.
Pax et Bonum. Julia
