National Conference DISABILITY AND WORK IN CANADA A Partnering Strategy for Moving Forward December 4-5, 2018 Delta Hotels Ottawa City Centre 101 Lyon Street North, Ottawa K1R 5T9 Canada Steering Committee: Alec Farquhar, Maureen Haan, Kathy Hawkins, Steve Mantis, Kathy Padkapayeva, Ron Saunders, Emile Tompa, Monica Winkler Conference Agenda Tuesday, December 4 8:30 Registration opens Light breakfast is served 9:00-9:30 Indigenous prayer by Albert Dumont Goal of the DWC initiative; goals of this conference Welcome by Yazmine Laroche, Deputy Minister, Public Service Accessibility Vignette: A personal story by Mandy Penney 9:30-10:15 Overview of draft strategy document and how it was developed 10:15-10:30 Break 10:30-11:30 Plenary panel: provincial strategies on disability and work Panel members: Chair: Mary Reid (recently retired as the Director for the Disability Policy Office, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) Ian Ross (Executive Director, Policy and Program Development, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Government of BC) Jennifer Clark (Director, Program Effectiveness, Disability Programs, Government of Saskatchewan) Anne MacRae (Manager of Employment Supports, Persons with Disabilities, Department of Community Services, Province of Nova Scotia) Henry Kielley (Director, Disability Policy Office, Dept of Children, Seniors, & Social Development, Government of Newfoundland Labrador) Brian Saunders (Senior Policy Advisor, New Brunswick Premier’s Council on Disabilities) 11:30-12:10 Table talk on the vision and pillars: How do the draft vision statement and the four pillars relate to your own experience? 12:10-12:15 Preview of the afternoon sessions 12:15-1:00 Lunch Vignette: A personal story by Lisa A. Guest speaker: Kate Young, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility Video vignette: A personal story by Ali 1:00-1:15 Break 1:15-2:30 Parallel discussion sessions I The focus of each session is on the role of each of these groups in advancing the goals of the DWC strategy and on the supports they need to accomplish this. Panels represent a range of perspectives on the topic and include research and innovation. * Lived Experience Session: Chair: Steve Mantis (Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups) Janet Paterson (Canadian Injured Workers Alliance) Tim Rose (CIBC) Steven Estey (Council of Canadians with Disabilities) Dana Howse (Safety Net Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research, Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador) Rapporteur: Bill Adair (Spinal Cord Injury Canada) * Employers Session: Chair: Maureen Haan (CCRW) Ellen Austin (BDC) Anna-Karina Tabuñar (Sodexo Canada) Jennifer Popkey (TD Bank) Elizabeth Kwan (Canadian Labour Congress) Marcia Rioux (York University) Rapporteur: Meghan Kelly (CCRW) * Service Providers Session: Chair: Kathy Hawkins (InclusionNL) Elizabeth Smith (Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work) Sean McEwen (Calgary Alternative Employment Services) Jen Soucy (Live Work Play) Tammy Yates (Realize) Joseph Guilione (L'Arrimage) Arif Jetha (Institute for Work & Health) 2:30-2:45 Break 2:45-4:00 Parallel discussion sessions II * Unions Session: Chair: Robert Blakely (Canada’s Building Trades Unions) Joe Dowdall (International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793) Debbie Colson (International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793) Niki Lundquist (Unifor) Theresa Minnett (Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour) Dana Howse (SafetyNet, Memorial University) Meghan Kelly (CCRW) Rapporteur: Nina Hansen (British Columbia Federation of Labour) * Federal-Provincial Interface Session: Chair: Aisling Gogan (Poverty Reduction, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) Eppo Maertens (Employment and Social Development Canada) Ian Ross (Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Government of BC) Terry Copes (Sudbury Community Legal Clinic) Pam Lahey (McMaster University) John Stapleton (Open Policy) Rapporteur: Mary Reid (recently retired from the Disability Policy Office, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) 4:00-4:15 Break 4:15-5:00 Brief reports from the sessions 5:00-6:30 Down time 6:30-9:00 Reception Vignette: A personal story by John Rae Remarks from The Honourable Patricia A. Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour (at 7:00) Video vignettes: Lynn’s story, Shelby’s story Wednesday, December 5 8:15 Full breakfast is served 8:45-9:00 Welcome back; overview of day 2 Video vignette: A personal story by Bruce Kruger 9:00-10:15 Monitoring and evaluation First results of 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability (Gail Fawcett, Senior Research Advisor, Employment and Social Development Canada) Outline of plans to data options for developing indicators regarding disability and employment (Gail Fawcett, Senior Research Advisor, Employment and Social Development Canada) Ideas for measuring progress and evaluation (Emile Tompa, Co-Director, Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy) Overview of initiatives of Labour-Market Information Council (Steven Tobin, Executive Director, Labour Market Information Council) Commentator: Michael Prince (Lansdowne Professor of Social Policy, University of Victoria) 10:15-10:30 Break 10:30-11:15 Mental health and the workplace Panel members: Nitika Rewari (Manager, Research, Evaluation & Knowledge Translation, Prevention and Promotion – Workplace, MHCC) Candace Sellar (Program Manager, CSA Group) Don Palmer (Executive Director, Causeway) Rebecca Gewurtz (Associate Professor, McMaster University) 11:15-12:15 Small business and disability Panel members: Eppo Maertens (Policy Director, Employment and Social Development Canada) Todd Peters (Owner/Operator, River City Remanufacturing) Keegan Colville (Owner/President, Service Master Clean Saint John) Jamie Burton (Vice President, Dolphin Digital) Michael Zacks (Director and General Counsel, Office of the Employer Adviser, Ontario) 12:15-1:00 Lunch Vignette: A personal story by Kevin Rempel Video Vignettes: Brian’s story and Eugene’s story 1:00-2:30 Small group discussions on draft strategy: advice on vision, pillars, key activities Delegates will be asked to consider what they have heard over the last 1.5 days and how to address it in the strategy. 2:30-3:00 Break 3:00-4:00 Reports back from the group discussion 4:00-4:30 Next steps and closing remarks Conference Twitter Hashtag #DWCanada Disability & Work in Canada national conference Biographies of DWC Steering Committee members Alec Farquhar Alec Farquhar is a lawyer with a long career involved with disability issues. He is Chair, Engagement, for the Centre for Research in Work Disability Policy and member of the planning committee for Disability and Work Canada. Previously, Alec was Director of the Office of the Worker Adviser (OWA), an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Labour which advises and represents non-unionized workers in their workers’ compensation claims, return to work and appeals. Alec came to the OWA from the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers where he was Managing Director, and before that from the Ontario Ministry of Labour where he was the Director of the Occupational Health and Safety Branch. Maureen Haan Maureen has been the President & CEO of CCRW since 2012. CCRW is the only national organization with the sole vision of equitable and meaningful employment for people with disabilities and has been a strong advocate to this vision for over 40 years. Under Maureen’s leadership, CCRW has seen an increase in direct program service throughout Canada, as well as a more transparent, stream-lining of understanding the business case of hiring a person with a disability. Maureen provides insight to employer engagement through CCRW best practices and proven results. Maureen has been very active in the cross-disability sector, currently focusing on employment issues. She has been involved with numerous committees and groups that increase awareness of and access for the disability sector and the Deaf community. Kathy Hawkins Kathy Hawkins is the Manager of InclusionNL: Employer Supports and Services Program of Empower, The Disability Resource Centre. As Manager, Kathy provide supports and services to employers interested in creating more inclusive workplace environments for current and new employees with multiple types of disabilities. In this capacity she advises employers and businesses on all facets of creating accessible work environments & building disability confidence including; recruitment & hiring, accessibility reviews of physical locations, reasonable workplace adjustments & employee accommodations, as well as staff training & professional development. Kathy also provides expertise to business interested in creating accessible websites, technical applications and mobile apps and holds professional certification in website accessibility from the University of South Australia. Kathy is currently the President of the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada, sits on the Board of the NL Association of the Deaf, and is an active member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals. Steve Mantis Steve was injured in an industrial accident in 1978 losing his left arm. He went through the Workers Compensation system and saw first hand how it failed for many injured workers. It became apparent that many workers with a permanent disability became chronically unemployed and lived a life in poverty and depression. He has been active ever since working to improve the lives of injured and disabled workers across Canada. Steve is the Founding member of the Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group, the Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups and the Canadian Injured Workers Alliance. He is presently serving as Chair of the Research Action Committee of the Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG) and sits on the Executive Committee of the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy. Kathy Padkapayeva Kathy Padkapayeva is the National Manager at the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP). She holds a PhD equivalent degree (Candidate of Sciences, CSc) in Philosophy from the Belarusian State University, Belarus. Her research interests are in the area of labour-market engagement and workplace accommodations of people who experience disability, and in promoting the gender perspective in the study of health & employment. “I'm honoured to be part of the DWC Steering Committee, supporting the development of a vision and strategy for the future, focused on increasing employment of persons with disabilities. I believe that partnerships among different stakeholder groups are key in reaching the goal of equal employment opportunities for all.” Kathy Padkapayeva Ron Saunders Dr. Ron Saunders is a consultant in knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE). He retired at the end of 2017 as Director, KTE and Senior Scientist at the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) but currently holds an appointment as Adjunct Scientist with IWH. Before joining IWH, Ron was Vice-President, Research, at Canadian Policy Research Networks. Prior to that, he spent 17 years in the Ontario Public Service, most notably as Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy, Communications and Labour Management Services in the Ministry of Labour. Ron also spent time in academia, teaching at the University of Toronto and the Queen’s University School of Policy Studies. He currently holds an appointment as Associate Professor in the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at U of T. Emile Tompa Dr. Emile Tompa is a senior scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. He holds an appointment as associate professor in the Department of Economics at McMaster University and assistant professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. He is co-director of the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy, a seven-year initiative funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Grant. Tompa is a labour and health economist with an MBA from the University of British Columbia, an MA in economics from the University of Toronto, and a PhD in economics from McMaster University. Tompa’s research interests include the consequences of occupational health and safety system design on the health and well-being of individuals and populations, the economic evaluation of workplace interventions for improving the health and well-being of workers, the economic burden of adverse health conditions and disability, and the analysis of disability policy systems. Monica Winkler Monica Winkler is the Senior Administrator at the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW). She has been working with CCRW since 2008. Monica is a member of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC) and a volunteer crisis responder with Kids Help Phone Text Line. Monica is also very active in ensuring accessible elections in Ontario and Toronto through the Election Outreach Networks. Prior to her work with CCRW, Monica had her own business, Meetings by Monica, which she started after working for 10 years at The Hospital for Sick Children as a research lab technologist. Biographies of Speakers and Panel Participants Ellen Austin Ellen Austin is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) promotes entrepreneurship by providing highly tailored financing, venture capital and consulting services to entrepreneurs. Ellen was appointed to the newly created position of the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for BDC, in November 2018, based on her years as an advocate for groups of individuals who faced systemic and cultural barriers in the workplace. Her Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning aligns with her ongoing interest in the movement of people and their ability to thrive in diverse communities. She is the chair of BDC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, a member of the Financial Services and Entrepreneurship Connections Advisory Committees of ACCES Employment and the Employer Champion for World Skills Ottawa. Ellen is a 2016 recipient of ACCES Employment’s Wall of Fame Awards honouring influential individuals representing employers that have contributed to the development and growth of newcomers to Canada. She is an advocate for the inclusion of all talent. Robert Blakely Mr. Robert Blakely is the Canadian Operating Officer, (a journeyperson plumber and pipefitter); Canada’s Building Trades Unions—and assumed this national leadership role in 2000. He is a respected voice in Ottawa for the 14 unions affiliated to the Canadian Building Trades which represents almost 450,000 skilled tradespeople across Canada. Mr. Blakely earned a law degree from the University of Alberta and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1978. As a member of the Edmonton-based Law Firm Blakely & Dushenski his expertise in Labour Relations, practicing on the employee side, is widely recognized. He was also credentialed as a Certified Human Resources Professional by the Human Resources Institute of Alberta. In 2008 Mr. Blakely received an Honorary Doctorate Degree (Law) from the Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland. In 2012 he was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel. Mr. Blakely joined the Canadian Forces (Naval Reserve) in 1969 and rose through the ranks. In 2004 he was promoted to Commodore and appointed Commander of Canada’s Naval Reserve a position he held until his retirement in 2010 Jamie Burton Jamie Burton is the Vice President at Dolphin Digital Technologies. Dolphin is a specialized consulting firm widely recognized for the use of technology to tackle social issues. Dolphin has led a fundamental transformation in the way we work by developing a virtual business capable of wealth creation and social cohesion. Their transformative workplace facilitates innovation and the development of a unique approach to profitability; one which allows for social alignment and sustainable, collaborative solutions. Dolphin is the first business in Canada to develop a barrier free employment strategy for persons with disabilities. “It is imperative that policy is developed with collaboration from all stakeholders so that outcomes impact all levels of society. Business is a critical part of the solution to drive change for employment of persons with disabilities. The initiative is a comprehensive inclusive strategy which requires our collaborative efforts to achieve successful results.” Jamie Burton Jenn Clark Jenn Clark is the Director, Program Effectiveness, Disability Programs in the Government of Saskatchewan. Jenn has been with the Government of Saskatchewan for almost 20 years and has held a number of different roles with the Ministry of Social Services over the past several years. Highlights include being the business lead on the development of the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (or SAID) program and leading the development of the Saskatchewan Disability Strategy that was released in 2015. In her current role, Jenn’s focus is on supporting Community Living Service Delivery programs and services for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as continuing to support the implementation of the Saskatchewan Disability Strategy. The Disability and Work in Canada initiative aligns very well with the Saskatchewan Disability Strategy, which has a specific focus on improving employment and other valued and productive opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We’ve recently been working to reframe all of the strategy recommendations in terms of the outcomes we’re trying to achieve. The Disability and Work initiative has the potential to help Saskatchewan make continued progress in this area. Debbie Coulson Debbie Coulson, Member and Social Services Manager, International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 793. In this role I assist our members with their compensation claims that includes return to work. Since 2003 I have been involved in many return to work interventions involving small, medium and large employers working in the construction industry. We are always looking at ways to keep our members working within the building trades post injury for many reasons and the Disability and Work in Canada initiative promotes a culture change that is a necessary ingredient for successful return to work outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Keegan Colville Keegan is the President of Service Master Clean in Saint John, NB. Service Master has been providing janitorial services to businesses in southern NB for over 30 years. They pride themselves on top quality service and ensuring that facilities they serve are safe, presentable and well maintained in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Keegan was also a Research Associate at Dalhousie University and NSCC in Nova Scotia. At Dalhousie he produced a paper on the measurement of E Coli. While with NSCC, he installed weather stations throughout NS for the creation of a solar and temperature mapping system. Keegan has been an extremely strong supporter of CCRW and has hired numerous clients for his operations here in Saint John. He is a strong advocate and as such, he recently invited Jo-Anne to speak at their annual Eastern conference of franchise owners from across Canada. Due to this initiative, we are now working on Service Master being one of our National employers! Terry Copes Terry Copes has a BA in History from Simon Fraser University and an LLB from the University of Toronto. He was called to the bar in 1984 and spent the first two years of his career at the Kenora Community Legal Clinic before joining the Sudbury Community Legal Clinic as a staff lawyer and as Executive Director since 2011. Over the years he has handled social assistance, housing, and WCB cases as well as developing a particular expertise in CPP matters. He is presently the Chair of the Northern Clinics WCB/CPP study group. He is also a member of the CPP-D Client and Stakeholder Roundtable and the Social Security Tribunal Review Stakeholder Engagement Working Group. He has represented clients at various Administrative Tribunals and in the courts, including Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Joe Dowdall Joe Dowdall is the vice-president and government affairs representative for Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers. Prior to his appointment to government affairs, he was Local 793’s director of training and apprenticeship for 25 years from 1993 to 2018. Joe was awarded the IHSA Roy A. Phinnemore Award on September 24, 2015. Joe volunteers at Spinal Cord Injury Ontario and continues to help raise money for spinal cord research. Joe has also served on Ontario’s Partnership Council on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities. Albert Dumont Albert Dumont, “South Wind”, is a Poet, Storyteller, Speaker, and an Algonquin Traditional Teacher. Albert has dedicated his life to promoting Aboriginal spirituality and healing and to protecting the rights of Aboriginal peoples, particularly the young. Steven Estey Steven is the Government and Community Relations Officer for the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) whose motto is “a voice of our own.” He has worked and volunteered with CCD in many roles over the past two decades. Steven is also former Human Rights Officer at Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) a Canadian based non-governmental organization that works globally to advance the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities. From 2003, until the successful conclusion of the negotiations in 2006, Steven was Adviser to the Canadian Government delegation to the United Nations, which drafted the new Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD). From 2007 until 2010 he led DPIs work to encourage the Government’s around the world to ratify the CRPD. Since leaving DPI in 2010, he has devoted his time to teaching and projects strategically aimed at the effective implementation of the CRPD and related to the full realization of human rights for people with disabilities. Gail Fawcett Gail Fawcett is the Senior Research Advisor at Employment and Social Development Canada. Gail designs and conducts research on persons with disabilities at ESDC, primarily using data from Statistics Canada, to support program and policy development in the department and in connection with Canada’s reporting requirements for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She has been involved with this type of research for nearly 30 years. Gail also participates in questionnaire design and data development. “The work that is being done under this initiative is highly relevant to the research that we do. While we are involved in research in a wide range of areas relating to persons with disabilities, one key area involves employment. The research that is done under this initiative is quite unique in that it provides a true multidisciplinary approach and brings together a wide range of players—governments at all levels, key academic researchers in the field, stakeholders and disability groups, persons with disabilities themselves, employers, labour organizations, etc.” Gail Fawcett Rebecca Gewurtz Rebecca Gewurtz is an associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation at McMaster University. She is an occupational therapist with a program of research focused broadly on work disability policy, including workplace accessibility strategies and disability benefit systems. Aisling Gogan Aisling Gogan is the Director of Poverty Reduction, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. She leads the development and implementation of a Government-wide approach to prevent, reduce and alleviate poverty in Newfoundland and Labrador. During her 18 year career with Newfoundland and Labrador’s public service, Aisling has worked in a number of positions, including Cabinet Officer, Director of Career, Employment and Youth Services, Director of the Workforce Development Strategy and Director of Research and Planning with the Women’s Policy Office. Aisling is an active volunteer, a recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador’s Public Service Award for Excellence and an alumnus of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. Prior to joining Newfoundland and Labrador’s public service, Aisling worked as a self-employed social program evaluation consultant and taught Political Science at Memorial University. “Inclusion is a critical element of poverty reduction and, for most people, a decent paying job is the best way out of poverty. Increasing both the employment levels and the employment incomes of people with disabilities is important to poverty reduction and requires a holistic approach as promoted by this important initiative.” Aisling Gogan Joseph Guillone L’Arrimage is a non-profit organization offering supported employment services to individuals living with a mental illness wishing to integrate the labour market. Using an adapted Place then Train approach our activities are centered on rapid job search, employment integration and retention. I have been with L’Arrimage since 1984. I started as an Employment Counselor and have been the Director since 2004. Nina Hansen Nina Hansen is the Operations Manager for the BC Federation of Labour and formerly the Occupational Health and Safety Director. This role involves contributing to policy development, providing training and education across the province, and working with varied stakeholders to promote safe and healthy workplaces. Prior to joining the directors’ team at BCFED, Nina worked for more than 16 years as an occupational health and safety representative and workers’ advocate for IATSE Local 891 and the CAW Local 3000. Nina’s background in advocacy has provided her with an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by workers living with psychological or physical disabilities and a deep interested in making a difference for these workers. Dana Howse Dana Howse is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy, working at the SafetyNet Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research, Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador. Dana has been studying aspects of work-related health and disability for over 15 years, as a master’s and doctoral student and now as a postdoctoral fellow. Her doctoral research examined injured workers’ experiences with problematic compensation claims in Ontario and revealed important differences in how injured workers and the WSIB think about and practice claiming. In her current research, Dana is examining the ways in which disability policies, programs and legislation help or hinder people with disabilities, including injured workers, to engage in work-related travel or ‘work mobility.’ “This initiative is highly relevant to me as someone who researches work disability in the Canadian context. Given the economic and social implications of Canada’s current (un)employment rates for people with disabilities, I think it is critical to find ways to meaningfully and effectively engage people with disabilities in the workforce. The Disability and Work in Canada initiative creates necessary space and facilitates vital connections to advance efforts in this area.” Dana Howse Arif Jetha Dr. Arif Jetha is an associate scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. He is also an assistant professor (status-only) at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Jetha earned his PhD in behavioural sciences and public health at the University of Toronto, and an MSc in health community and development from the London School of Economics and Politics. He also held post-doctoral fellowships at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety and the Institute for Work & Health. Jetha’s program of research aims at understanding life course differences in the employment participation of people living with chronic disabling conditions. He is specifically interested in understanding early labour market experiences of millennial young adults and their impact on key transitions across life. His research also takes a systems perspective to understand the role of policy-level factors and organizational conditions in the prevention and management of work disability. Arif utilizes a mixed-methods research approach to pursue his research program and produce findings that are relevant and usable for diverse stakeholders. Meghan Kelly Meghan Kelly is the National Corporate Relations Manager of The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW). She has been working with CCRW since 2013 and has been involved on varying levels of the organizations programs and services. Meghan’s most recent area of focus at CCRW has been concentrated in expanding Employers Lens, both independently and through work within CCRW Partners Program and the Disability Confident Employer Program. In her role Meghan connects with Employers across the country, discovers their specific need, and develops customized CCRW services that will support them in hiring and retaining persons with disabilities. Meghan currently works out of the CCRW Office in St. John’s Newfoundland. Henry Kielley Henry is a social worker from St. John’s. He graduated with his BSW in 2000, and his MSW in 2008, both from Memorial University. Henry spent 10 years with Eastern Health working front line in mental health and community supports, but mainly in long term care. Henry managed the long term care single entry program for a number of years before joining government in 2010. He has been with government since with the exception of a year spent as Manager of Social Work and Spiritual Care in a long term care facility in Manitoba. He now works as the Acting Director of the Seniors and Aging Division of the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development, as well as Acting Provincial Director of Adult Protection and the Disability Policy Office. Elizabeth Kwan Elizabeth Kwan is the Senior Researcher at Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). At the CLC, she has the files for Human Rights, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Indigenous, Racialized and LGBTQ2SI workers, health and pharmacare policy, labour migration, immigration, and poverty files. Elizabeth has 3 decades of policy, program and service experience in these areas working with government, public sector organizations, non-government organizations and unions. Before joining the CLC, among other work, she developed and delivered workshops to stakeholders as well as service and health providers on Understanding and Preventing Abuse of People with Disabilities in Ottawa. “Disability & Work in Canada initiative is very relevant to my human rights and social justice work. I believe that an injury to one, is an injury to all. At the CLC, my research focus is on legislation, policies and regulations related to workers with disabilities such as the Accessible Canada Act, mental health, pharmacare, and social programs such as CPP Disability, Employment Equity, Employment Insurance, taxation, and the return to work of injured workers.” Elizabeth Kwan Pam Lahey Pam Lahey is one week away from her obtaining a PhD from McMaster University; her program of research has focused on work disability policy, specifically reintegration of people with mental illness into the mainstream labour market. She is student fellow with the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy, as well as the student coordinator. Pam represents the lived experience voice on the panel today; however, she has the advantage of understanding the challenges of navigating employment programs from multiple perspectives, as a social policy analyst, an academic and above all, a person living with a mental illness. Niki Lundquist Niki is cross appointed to the Human Rights and Legal Departments of Unifor. She is also the staff liaison that supports the work of Unifor’s disAbilities caucus and committees. Unifor is currently engaged in a project to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities so that they may become workers with disabilities. Central to this project is the creation of a plan to bargain equity and a program to support people with disabilities so that retention and support complement hiring initiatives. Anne MacRae Anne MacRae is the Manager of Employment Supports, Persons with Disabilities, at the Department of Community Services, Province of Nova Scotia. She is currently developing an employment framework to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities in Nova Scotia. “As we develop this framework it is important to ensure that the work we do in Nova Scotia fits into the broader context.” Anne MacRae Eppo Maertens Eppo Maertens is a Policy Director at Employment and Social Development Canada, currently responsible for the Workforce Development Agreements and the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities. He studied Economics, Journalism and Public Policy at the University of Western Ontario and Carleton University. He started his career in journalism before joining the public service in 2005, where he has worked in compliance, investigations and policy. Sean McEwen Sean McEwen is currently a Director of Employment Services at Calgary Alternative Support Services where he leads a team of 11 awesome Career Development professionals. For the past 20 years Sean has been working in Supported Employment and Supported Entrepreneurship service delivery and design. As a Senior Consultant at RealEyes Capacity Consultants, Sean engages with service providers and business across Canada to build their capacity in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion. Through RealEyes, Sean has co-developed Career and Employment Inclusion Training for organizations facilitating employment services for job-seekers with disabilities. An avid proponent of collaboration and social innovation, Sean has helped developed social media campaigns and regional / provincial / national networks dedicated to the Employment Inclusion of people with disabilities. Sean’s educational background is in Youth Services and Mental Health. He is a Certified Employment Specialist and has chaired the board of directors for both the Alberta Association for Supported Employment, as well as the Canadian Association of Supported Employment. Theresa Minnett Under the jurisdiction of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, as one of two Workers Advisors in the province of NL, I assist injured workers in accessing WCB entitlement and in developing and identifying appropriate return to work permanent accommodations within WCB legislation and polices. Some of my strong labour activities are lobbying for legislative changes including an increase in minimum wage for non- union workers, the development of a WCB occupational disease registry, an increase in WCB compensation rate, entitlement for mental health inclusion in WCB and the dismantlement of the WCB Prevention Return to Work Injury Management Employees/Employer (PRIME) Program. Don Palmer Don Palmer is the Executive Director at Causeway Work Centre. Causeway Work Centre is a community development organization that has been providing supported employment services to persons living with mental health challenges for 40 years. During that time Causeway has developed or utilized a number of supported employment models to assist their clients to get & to keep paid employment. Included are 3 social enterprises that employ 65 persons every year in food services, landscaping & bicycle repair & retail. Many Individuals living with mental illness are ready and willing to work. Expertise exists to help employers to integrate individuals with challenges into their workplaces. A major barrier is the stigma that still exists around mental illness and a sense that accommodations are difficult to initiate. This is often not true. Janet Paterson My name is Janet Paterson and I grew up in northwestern Ontario on a working farm. Activities included carrying pails of water to the barn, shovelling manure, making hay, gardening, piling and hauling firewood and many more. I enjoyed canoeing and bicycle touring. I suffered a workplace injury in 1987, resulting in a broken back. Surgery was successful and eventually I return to work as a caregiver for persons with disabilities. Ten years after my first injury, I was jumped at work in a stairwell that resulted in the breakdown of my low back fusion and herniated discs in my neck as well as a shoulder upper body injury. I have always faced challenges when finding my place in the workforce. I look forward to an act that will give persons with disabilities the supports that they need to be successfully employed doing meaningful work in a respectful environment. Todd Peters Todd Peters is the Owner/Operator at River City Remanufacturing. River City Remanufacturing was established in 1999 and is currently located just outside of Winnipeg, in Elie, Manitoba. We are a lumber manufacturer of crating and pallet parts which is exported to Crate and Pallet makers in the United States. “Bottom line is, people need to work, and we need people. Starting out is the hardest part for both the Employee and Employer in everyday life, thus the need for human resource positions, “head hunter” companies etc. It’s hard to build up the courage for an interview and it’s hard for a company to trust this person will actually be the right person for the position. In our situation we also understand that our line of work is not something kids dream of doing. I have a simple motto – “make me miss you” which means do a great job and I’ll do everything in my power to help you while you’re here and then going onto your next stage in life. But that’s only if you get the start of course. With all that being said, the Disability & Work in Canada initiative is important as it brings awareness to both employees and employers. I believe it also helps bridge the unnecessary gap of courage and trust between the two as well.” Todd Peters Jennifer Popkey Jennifer Popkey is a Strategic Sourcing Partner - People with Disabilities, TD Bank. Jen Popkey is a member of TD Bank's Diversity Sourcing team, focused on meeting and supporting great candidates with disabilities from across Canada grow their careers with TD. She is also a qualified Sign Language Interpreter, and has worked and volunteered in the PWD space for the past 20 years. Michael J. Prince Michael J. Prince is the Landsdowne Professor of Social Policy at the University of Victoria. “I remain active in working with people with disabilities and their families and with other groups in Canada. As the keynote speaker at the 2017 National Conference, I am honoured to have the opportunity to participate again in moving the dialogue and the vision forward.” Michael Prince Mary Reid Mary is personally and professionally committed to equity for all people with over 35 years’ experience working for the full inclusion of persons with disabilities. Her passion is for social justice and presenting the ‘opportunity’ that exists in each problem. Recently retired as the inaugural Director for the Disability Policy Office, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Mary is continuing to support to universal design adoption, disability rights movement, international development projects and local community initiatives. Nitika Rewari Nitika Rewari (B.Sc., M.Sc., PMP) is the Manager, Research, Evaluation & Knowledge Translation, Prevention and Promotion – Workplace, MHCC. Nitika comes to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) with years of experience in management within the non-profit sector and work in public health, policy, program evaluation, and knowledge translation. At MHCC, Nitika has spent the last five years visioning and leading projects and initiatives in the areas of workplace mental health, employment, first responders, and education. She has led national scale research projects, facilitated uptake of promising practices by leading knowledge exchange initiatives and developing practical tools and resources, informed policy changes within the mental health system, and engaged stakeholders nationally and internationally to serve those who are underserved and overlooked. Nitika has earned a Master of Science in Biotechnology from Northwestern University in Chicago as well as a Bachelor of Science from University of Toronto. She is an active member of Project Management Institute and Canadian Evaluation Society. Marcia Rioux Dr. Marcia Rioux is a legal scholar with extensive experience in community based participatory research in the areas of human rights, health and social justice, particularly around international disability rights. Dr. Rioux is a Distinguished Research Professor in the School of Health Policy and Management and teaches Critical Disability Studies and Health Policy and Equity at York University in Toronto, Canada. She is the Director and PI of Disability Rights Promotion International, a multi-year group of projects to monitor disability rights (including employment rights, indigenous rights, socio-political rights and other areas of rights) nationally and internationally. She is also the Director and PI of DRPI AWARE - a collaborative employment program for people with disabilities, taking place in Hyderabad, India, Dhaka, Bangladesh and Kathmandu, Nepal. The grant is funded by Global Affairs, Canada and York University. She has developed Indicators under the CRPD and the SDGs that recognize the importance of the input of grassroots voices in the way we measure progressive realization. Dr. Rioux has lectured throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. She has been an advisor to federal and provincial commissions, parliamentary committees, and international NGO's as well as United Nations agencies. She has edited a number of collected volumes and more than 70 book chapters and articles on disability rights. She has also been a visiting scholar and professor at a number of international institutions. She was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2014. Tim Rose Tim Rose is an accomplished activist, speaker, writer and entrepreneur who was lucky enough to be born with cerebral palsy. He holds two degrees, including a Masters of Law in Human Rights from the University of Nottingham in the UK, and has lived and worked on three continents. Raised to push the envelope, Tim has always been an out of the box thinker who believes that disability is a true asset in business. After years of discrimination in the labour market, Tim is delighted to now be bringing that experience to the corporate world to help reshape the way we see disability for all Canadians. Ian Ross Ian Ross is the Executive Director, Policy and Program Development, Province of BC. “My team and I lead policy and program development for WorkBC, BC’s primary employment program. I also have experience leading income support policy development, as well as accessibility initiatives. I believe that employment is integral to social inclusion, and people with disabilities deserve the same opportunities to work as everyone else.” Ian Ross Brian Saunders Brian Saunders is the Senior Policy Advisor at the New Brunswick Premier’s Council on Disabilities. He have been involved in public policy development in a variety of settings for over 25 years, including with local, provincial, national, and international non-governmental agencies, the Government of Canada, and the Province of New Brunswick. Before all of this work Brian completed a Master’s thesis on career transition for special populations at the University of New Brunswick. Employment and barriers to employment have always been a significant part of his professional life and continue to be so. “My focus is much less on inputs and much more on outcomes for persons with a disability, in this case increasing employment. The acid test of any effort or initiative is whether or not more persons with a disability are employed in real jobs with real wages afterward. If this initiative is demonstrated to be effective in doing this then “fantastic”. If not, then we will need to move quickly toward other approaches that have impact for the people we serve.” Brian Saunders Candace Sellar Candace Sellar is the Program Manager for Worker and Public Safety (WPS) Standards at CSA Group. Candace’s portfolio includes five staff managing over 59 Technical Committees, 1800 volunteer expert members, and more than 150 standards across a wide variety of topic areas including personal protective equipment, machinery and equipment safety, elevation hazards, and worker wellness. Candace brings more than a decade of experience in standards development at CSA Group managing projects both national and international in scope in worker and public safety, energy and utilities, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and environment and climate change programs. Candace has a Master’s Degree in Disaster and Emergency Management, and prior to CSA worked for Environment Canada in a number of roles, including as a Federal Environmental Emergencies Officer. Elizabeth Smith Elizabeth Smith is the National Manager of the CCRW Partners Program. The Partners program is a National employment service that supports job seekers with disabilities as well as small business employers. Elizabeth has 10 years experience in the non-profit sector and has been managing employment programs for job seekers with disabilities since 2012. An essential part of her daily role is to ensure employers are supported with up-to-date best practices on hiring and retaining persons with disabilities as well as ensuring the continual improvement of service streams for job seekers with disabilities. Jen Soucy LiveWorkPlay is a charitable organization that helps the community welcome individuals with intellectual disabilities. Jen Soucy is the Manager of Employer Partnerships and her focus is on supporting Federal Government Departments and Agencies to understand the benefits of hiring employees that have intellectual disabilities. Jen joined LiveWorkPlay in 2006 and she has training and experience in the fields of education and mental health. Previously, Jen held the position of Head Foreign Teacher at OeDae Academy in Busan, South Korea and was also a teacher for the Thames Valley School Board in London, Ontario. Jen holds a CESP certification from APSE, as well as a B.A. from Wilfrid Laurier University and a B.Ed from The University of Western Ontario. The Disability & Work in Canada initiative is relevant to Jen and her role supporting Federal Government employers to create welcoming and supported work environments. Jen is passionate about building more inclusive and welcoming communities for all! John Stapleton John Stapleton is a writer, instructor and Innovation Fellow with the Metcalf Foundation. He worked for the Ontario Government for 28 years in the areas of social assistance policy and operations and was Research Director for the Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults in Toronto. John teaches on public policy for community advocates and is extensively published in local and national media. Anna-Karina Tabuñar Anna-Karina Tabuñar is the Director, Corporate Affairs, at Sodexo. She is responsible for communications across Canada, including internal & external communications, media relations, government relations, stakeholder relations. Anna-Karina supports the Corporate Responsibility, Diversity & Inclusion, Indigenous Relations, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and the new corporate-wide Innovation Strategy. “I am a former broadcaster and journalist with lived experience with nonvisible disabilities. It is a personal mission to help build more inclusive workplaces. My work at Sodexo allows me to that on a global level. I am a member of Sodexo’s Global Disability Task Force which comprises members from around the world who work to advance inclusion for employees with disabilities. This year our focus is on mental health.” Anna-Karina Tabuñar Steven Tobin Steven Tobin is the Executive Director of the Labour Market Information Council whose mandate is to ensure Canadians, stakeholders and policy makers have the necessary information and insights to succeed in a changing, dynamic world of work. Before joining LMIC, Steven previously held positions at the OECD, the International Labour Organization as well as the federal and provincial levels of government. Tammy C. Yates In February 2015, Tammy C. Yates became the first black woman to be appointed as Executive Director of a national organization in Canada’s HIV and disability sectors when she was named to lead Realize. Tammy has served as the Chair of the national Episodic Disabilities Forum, as well as the Ontario Episodic Disabilities Network. Her résumé includes over 12 years of senior management, administration and communications experience in the non-profit and international development sectors. She originally joined the Realize Team in January 2013 and served as the Manager of Programs and Communications until her date of appointment. Prior to joining Realize, Tammy was the Officer-In-Charge/National Program Manager of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Trinidad & Tobago Branch Office. Michael Zacks Michael Zacks is the Acting Director of the Office of the Employer Adviser, and has been the OEA’s General Counsel since 1993. Previously he was the Director of Legal Services at the Workers’ Compensation Board, and the General Counsel and Director of Legal Services for the Ontario Ombudsman’s Office. Michael is a former Chair of the Ontario Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section, and is a regular presenter at legal education conferences on workers’ compensation, and to many groups on a variety of workers’ compensation and related topics. Accessibility Services at the Disability and Work in Canada national conference, 2018: The following have been arranged for delegates at the conference: - ASL Interpretation - CART services - Volunteers to assist when and where needed - Professional Attendant care - Materials provided in various formats (IE: braille, plain font documentation, Word) - Allergy and sensitivity food available upon request - Accessible venue - Water bowls available for service animals Please note: while we have tried to diligently cover all areas of accessibility, we may have overlooked your specific need. If this is the case, please speak with one of the conference organizers and we will endeavour to accommodate your request. Financial support for the conference was provided by Government of Canada, CCRW, CRWDP, and SSHRC. CRWDP is funded through the Social Siences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Conference sponsors: platinum sponsor UNIFOR, gold sponsor IUOE Local 793, Bronze sponsors CSA Group and Canadian Labour Congress Gratefully sponsoring people with lived experience to attend: Prevention Link, WSIB, WorkSafeBC Gratefully sponsoring people with lived experience to attend 2