Emile Tompa, Director, Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP)

Stephen Lytton, Board President, British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS)

Alec Farquhar, Chair, Engagement, Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP)

 

 

Keynote Speaker:

 

Commentator:

 

Session Description: The finalization in 2006 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) represented a breakthrough in the recognition of the barriers resulting from disability and the urgent need for action by governments and civil society.  Much progress has been made since 2006 internationally and in Canada.  However, we are still far from making the vision of the CRPD real on the ground for persons with disabilities.  Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will open the DWC 2020 Conference with a focus on how the CRPD can contribute to further progress.

Comments by Steven Estey, Human Rights Consultant and a leader within Civil Society Organizations. Steven has been a leader in Canada and internationally in the development and championing of the CRPD.

Tags: Human Rights

 

 

 

Parallel session 1: Major Initiatives from Selected Provinces

 

Moderator:

 

Speakers: 

• 
  Ron Saunders
• 
  Yutta Fricke
• 
  Catherine Shortall
• 
  Joseph Giulione

• Ron Saunders, Adjunct Scientist, Institute for Work & Health (IWH)
• Yutta Fricke, Executive Director, Disabilities Issues Office, Province of Manitoba
• Catherine Shortall, Acting Director, Disability Policy Office, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Joseph Giulione, Director, L’Arrimage, Quebec; President of Regroupment des Organismes Spécialiseés pour l’Emploi des Personnes Handicapées

Session Description: This session provides highlights of provincial initiatives to foster employment of persons with disabilities. It includes a brief report on the DWC Policy Roundtable held in June 2020. The main part of the session is a dialogue about promising initiatives in Quebec, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Additional Materials and Resources: 

• DWC Session Provincial Initiatives Roundtable Summary (PowerPoint) by Ron Saunders
• Disabilities Issues Office COVID-19 messaging (website)
• Accessibility in the Workplace: Good for Everyone, Law in Manitoba (video)

 

 

 

Parallel session 2: Disability Community Experiences in Relation to Work given COVID-19 Pandemic

 

Moderators: Emile Tompa, Director, Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP) and Maureen Haan, President & CEO, Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW)

Speakers: 

• 
  Pamela Lahey
• 
  Krista Carr
• 
  Mahadeo Sukhai

• Pamela Lahey, Research Advisor, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)  
• Krista Carr, Executive Vice President (CEO), Inclusion Canada 
• Mahadeo Sukhai, Head of Research and Chief Accessibility Officer, Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) 

Session Description: Various surveys have been undertaken by researchers and community group during the COVID-19 pandemic to better understand the experience of persons with disabilities in relation to work and other social roles. A key concern is that many persons with disability are being further marginalized and are struggling to keep their connections to work and their communities. In this session findings from a selection of these survey efforts are profiled.

Additional Materials and Resources:

• Environmental Scan of the Impacts, Including Social Benefits, of Accessibility and Social Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities (PDF) Research Team: Dr. Emile Tompa (Lead); Co-Investigators: Dr. Amirabbas Mofidi, Dr. Arif Jetha, Dr. Pam Lahey, Dr. Alexis Buettgen. 2019.
• COVID-19 and Persons with Disabilities: Hope on the Horizon? (PowerPoint) by Drs. Gail Fawcett, Pamela Lahey, and Linden Timoney

Tags: COVID-19

 

 

 

Parallel session 3: Using the COVID-19 Recovery to Increase Employment of Persons with Disabilities

 

Moderator:

 

Speakers: 

• 
  Shawn de Raaf
• 
  Laura Celeste
• 
  Elisabeth Harrison
• 
  Lacey Croft
• 
  Carla Rice
• 
  Max Brault

• Shawn de Raaf, Research Director, Social Research & Demonstration Corporation
• Laura Celeste, Researcher for the evaluation of the BC Partners in Workforce Innovation – Increasing Employment Through Inclusive Workplaces
• Elisabeth Harrison, Research Associate, University of Guelph
• Lacey Croft, Research Assistant, University of Guelph
• Carla Rice, Professor, Principal Investigator and Co-Director, From Invisibility to Inclusion Project
• Max Brault, Vice President, Accessibility Consulting Services & National practice lead for Accessibility, BDO

Session Description: The COVID19 pandemic has disproportionately affected the most vulnerable in society, including persons with disabilities. This has included a significant employment impact. Effective responses are needed to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in the COVID19 recovery. And can the recovery be used to increase employment of persons with disabilities? This session will explore the impacts and ideas for solutions.

Additional Materials and Resources:

•  Harrison/Croft/Rice - Guelph U. (PowerPoint)

Tags: COVID-19, Employment supports, Hiring

 

 

 

Break with Vignette: Vignette: Because of COVID…

 

Because of COVID… represents the new barriers persons with disabilities are now facing, because of COVID. Discover the stories of real people who are working the changes and adapting to the new realities of the pandemic in the workplace.

Tags: COVID-19, Accommodation, Disability-confident workplace, Hiring

 

 

 

Panel session 1: Income Security for Persons with a Disability (Part 1)

 

Moderator:

Speakers: 

• 
  John Stapleton
• 
  Sherri Torjman
• 
  Tom McDowell
•  

• John Stapleton, Innovation Fellow, Metcalf Foundation
• Sherri Torjman, Social Policy Consultant and Policy Associate, Maytree
• Tom McDowell, Instructor, Ryerson University

Session Description: This session will discuss big picture information about income supports for people with disabilities. It will also examine the possible structure and aspects of the proposed federal disability benefit. As well, the Ontario Basic Income Pilot will be evaluated with reporting on the experiences of participants in the Ontario Basic Income Pilot in Hamilton, ON.

Additional Materials and Resources:

• IRIS Releases A New Policy Primer On The Federal Government’s Plan To Introduce The ‘Canadian Disability Benefit' (website), by Sherri Torjman, November 4, 2020.
• A new Canadian Disability Benefit modelled after the GIS? What does that mean? (website) Open Policy Ontario, John Stapleton, September 30, 2020.
• Southern Ontario 2019 Basic Income Experience Report (website), by Mohammad Ferdosi (McMaster University), Tom McDowell (Ryerson University) Wayne Lewchuk (McMaster University) Stephanie Ross (McMaster University)
• The Experiences of Social Assistance Recipients on the Ontario Basic Income Pilot (website), by Tom McDowell and Mohammad Ferdosi, November 5, 2020

Tags: Income supports

 

 

 

Panel session 2: Driving Change: Inclusive Hiring During a Pandemic

 

Moderator:

 

Speakers: 

• 
  Jamie Millar-Dixon
• 
  Jasmine Marchant
• 
  Magda Trespalacios Rubio
• 
  Susanna Tam

• Jamie Millar-Dixon, Inclusive Workforce Consultant, BC Partners in Workforce Innovation
• Jasmine Marchant, Inclusive Workforce Consultant, BC Partners in Workforce Innovation
• Magda Trespalacios Rubio, Organizational Development Consultant, ICBC
• Susanna Tam, Organizational Development Consultant, ICBC

Session Description: Such positive momentum has been made in recent years to increase workforce representation of people with disabilities at all levels of positions in organizations. However, COVID-19 saw many workplaces across the country shut down, suspend hiring or redeploy existing staff to work remotely from home. This has resulted in decreased activities to support workplace hiring and other inclusion efforts of people with disabilities. One organization in BC did the opposite. Working with the BC Partners in Workforce Innovation (BC WiN) team, ICBC has taken significant steps to keep inclusion moving forward, driving change, even during a pandemic. The Insurance Corporation of BC reinforced its commitment to being an inclusive employer and the CEO communicated this to the senior leadership team, established a D&I Leadership Group, took the time to educate staff on how to become more inclusive and continued to reinforce learning throughout the spring, summer and fall with all leaders. Their goal is to prepare leaders now, for increased hiring in the future. All current vacancies, through small in numbers, are recruited through BC WiN. BC WiN Inclusive Workforce Consultants, along with representatives from ICBC, will share a step-by-step approach the organization undertook during COVID to strengthen their commitment to being an inclusive employer.

Additional Materials and Resources:

• Websites:
  • www.bcpartnerswin.org
  • www.icbc.com

Tags: COVID-19, Disability-confident workplace, Initiatives, Innovation, Partnership

 

 

 

Presentation by the Federal Minister: The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

 

Introduction: