Subject: Ensuring a Dignified Life for Disabled Canadians Before a Dignified Death
Dear Editor,
I hope you are having a wonderful day.
My name is Avi Karp, and I am writing to bring attention to a critical issue regarding how our federal government treats disabled Canadians. I have launched a petition (linked below) urging the government to prioritize a dignified life for disabled individuals by ensuring adequate financial support through the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB).
This issue is deeply personal to me. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 12, making me the youngest person in Quebec to receive this diagnosis. Since then, I have dedicated my life to advocating for the quality of life of people with disabilities—working to increase the disability pension, co-authoring a study on pediatric quality of life, and contributing to the establishment of the Canada Disability Benefit. I have also worked within our political system, previously holding roles with the Federal NDP and the Provincial Canadian Party of Quebec.
While I recognize Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) as a valid and necessary option for those in irreversible pain and suffering, we cannot allow legislated poverty to be treated with death. That is not compassion—it is systemic neglect. We must ensure that MAiD remains a last resort, chosen solely by the patient, rather than a consequence of financial desperation.
The government has acknowledged that $2,000 per month was the bare minimum needed to survive during the COVID-19 crisis. Yet, the Canada Disability Benefit falls far short of this amount, leaving disabled individuals in poverty. If we are willing to provide a dignified death, we must first provide a dignified life.
I urge readers to support my petition, which calls on the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities to immediately increase the Canada Disability Benefit to at least $2,000 per month. Disabled Canadians deserve to live with dignity—not just die with it.
Link to the official House of Commons petition
Sincerely,
Avi Karp
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