CEC Provincial Units & Events (from CEC website)
A provincial unit is an organization of all CEC members within that province. For example, British Columbia CEC is comprised of all CEC members in British Columbia.
Provincial units provide a means for networking, professional development, and information-sharing for their members. Their typical activities include sponsoring an annual conference and other professional development events, publishing a newsletter or journal, political advocacy, and supporting the activities and positions of the international Council.
Please see below for information about each unit, including their presidents and upcoming events. Or, contact CEC’s Customer Service Center at (888) 232-7733 or service@cec.sped.org.
Special Education in Canada
In Canada, education is the responsibility of each province and territory.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was proclaimed in 1981, affects the delivery of educational services and set the foundation for other Canadian policies: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.”
The Human Rights Code
Each province and territories maintains its own human rights code and they are all very similar. For example, in 1987 Manitoba's Human Rights Code authorized the Manitoba Human Rights Commission to mediate/investigate discrimination complaints based on:
Duty to Accommodate Disability
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Human Rights Code (Manitoba), and the resulting court cases have established a duty to accommodate disability. Thus, in education there is a duty to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities to allow them to access educational services equally, unless to do so would cause undue hardship.
In Manitoba, “undue hardship” is defined as follows: “The measures to accommodate special needs will be reasonable and required unless they cause undue hardship due to cost, risk to safety, impact on others, or other factors.”
Each province has created their own legislation according to their unique history and needs.
For Additional Information
Founded in 1967, the Council of Ministers of Education (CMEC) is an intergovernmental body consisting of the 13 individual ministers of education. Its Web site provides a list of educational services and contacts by province and territory.
The Canadian Education Association (CEA), founded in 1891, is a bilingual, federally incorporated nonprofit organization that seeks to influence Canadian public policy pertaining to education.
The United Nations’ Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was passed by the 76th Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly on Dec. 13, 2006.
https://www.cec.sped.org/Membership/New-Membership-Options/Your-Local-Unit/Canadian-Provincial-Units
A provincial unit is an organization of all CEC members within that province. For example, British Columbia CEC is comprised of all CEC members in British Columbia.
Provincial units provide a means for networking, professional development, and information-sharing for their members. Their typical activities include sponsoring an annual conference and other professional development events, publishing a newsletter or journal, political advocacy, and supporting the activities and positions of the international Council.
Please see below for information about each unit, including their presidents and upcoming events. Or, contact CEC’s Customer Service Center at (888) 232-7733 or service@cec.sped.org.
Special Education in Canada
In Canada, education is the responsibility of each province and territory.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was proclaimed in 1981, affects the delivery of educational services and set the foundation for other Canadian policies: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.”
The Human Rights Code
Each province and territories maintains its own human rights code and they are all very similar. For example, in 1987 Manitoba's Human Rights Code authorized the Manitoba Human Rights Commission to mediate/investigate discrimination complaints based on:
- ancestry
- age
- ethnic background/origin
- creed, religious belief, religious association/activity
- nationality or national origin
- sex
- gender-determined characteristics
- sexual orientation
- marital/family status
- source of income
- political belief, political association/activity
- physical or mental disability
Duty to Accommodate Disability
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Human Rights Code (Manitoba), and the resulting court cases have established a duty to accommodate disability. Thus, in education there is a duty to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities to allow them to access educational services equally, unless to do so would cause undue hardship.
In Manitoba, “undue hardship” is defined as follows: “The measures to accommodate special needs will be reasonable and required unless they cause undue hardship due to cost, risk to safety, impact on others, or other factors.”
Each province has created their own legislation according to their unique history and needs.
For Additional Information
Founded in 1967, the Council of Ministers of Education (CMEC) is an intergovernmental body consisting of the 13 individual ministers of education. Its Web site provides a list of educational services and contacts by province and territory.
The Canadian Education Association (CEA), founded in 1891, is a bilingual, federally incorporated nonprofit organization that seeks to influence Canadian public policy pertaining to education.
The United Nations’ Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was passed by the 76th Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly on Dec. 13, 2006.
https://www.cec.sped.org/Membership/New-Membership-Options/Your-Local-Unit/Canadian-Provincial-Units