Disabled Canadians were seen as burdens so they weren’t given the same rights as non-disables until around the end of the 1970s. The establishment of the Coalition of Provincial Organizations for the Handicapped initiated these changes. Those who were mistreated include veterans of World War I, persons with mental health issues, and people who are handicapped. Legislation intended to protect disabled Canadians are Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Employment Equity Act