"It is an honor to recognize Canada's progress in enacting and implementing disability legislation such as the Employment Equity Act," said Ambassador William J. vanden Heuvel, FERI president.

Canada's Constitution guarantees the rights of people with disabilities, and the Canadian charter of Rights and Freedoms protects people with disabilities from discrimination. The Institute's trustees were also impressed with Canada's implementation of these laws on national, provincial, and local levels. This includes Canada's "National Strategy," a $158 million program guided by people with disabilities, which funded hundreds of projects to improve access to housing, employment, transportation, education and communications.

Alan Reich, World Committee on Disability chairman, also commended Canada for its worldwide concern for people with disabilities. Canada has demonstrated magnificent leadership in developing the international landmine treaty being signed in Ottawa this week, which will eradicate devices that have maimed and disabled hundreds of thousands of innocent victims."

The U.N. unanimously adopted the World Programme of Action in 1982, calling on all nations to strive for full and equal participation of the world's half billion people with disabilities for economic, humanitarian and social reasons.

The Award was established in 1995 in cooperation with FERI and the World Committee on Disability, the international arm of the National Organization on Disability. It is named for President Roosevelt, who contracted polio at age 39. Although he never took another step unassisted, he was elected President of the United States four times and led the U.S. through the Great Depression and World War II. His key role in founding the United Nations is often regarded as his crowning achievement.

The National Organization on Disability and promotes the full and equal participation of people with disabilities in the life of their societies.