The United Nations established December 3 as the lnternational Day for Persons with
Disabilities in order to increase awareness of the struggles faced by people with disabilities
around the world and to encourage the promotion and defence of disability-related rights.
Canada was, in fact, the first country to include legal protection for persons with disabilities
in its constitution, an accomplishment of which all Canadians can be proud. Canada is also a
signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities, which it ratified on
March 17,2OI0.