The Pulse

Host Grant Hardy is following up with chair of the AODA Alliance David Lepofsky! Grant and David spoke a couple of months ago ahead of the AODA Alliance’s 30th Anniversary celebrations at Queen’s Park in Toronto. David provides an update on how the event went and talks about the missed AODA January 2025 deadline.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

Host Grant Hardy spoke with lead actors of the popular CTV crime-drama “Sight Unseen,” Dolly Lewis and Agam Darshi. Together they preview the show’s upcoming second season and discuss authentic and respectful disability representation in film and television. AMI Communications Specialist Greg David joins the conversation.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

Alex Howard is a host of The Dark Room podcast and is a self-described cinephile. He is all about the implementation of Audio Description for all movies and is an advocate for the blind and low vision community in the film and TV industry. 

He joins Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about compelling AD tracks, navigating sight loss and adapting his hobby of watching movies through his sight loss journey. 

Plus, Alex gives us a glimpse at some of his picks for Best Picture at the Oscars, and some other award-winning or nominated films that contain disability representation. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

Host Grant Hardy is speaking with Vicky Levack, advocate for The Disability Rights Coalition of Nova Scotia, about how women with disabilities are more likely to experience homelessness caused by fleeing violent and abusive living situations that women without disabilities. Vicky shares some of her own experiences of taking part in a government program that helped her to leave an inadequate living environment. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

The Pulse is continuing to cover the important impact made by a historic $30 million dollar donation from The Slaight Family Foundation to 11 of the leading organizations in disability advocacy and healthcare in Canada.

On this episode, host Grant Hardy is speaking with Sandra Hawken, President and CEO of the Holland Bloorview Foundation. Grant and Sandra have an interesting conversation about the development of Brain Computer Interface programs at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and what the funds from the donation will do to further improve the programming.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

On Tuesday December 3rd, both Giving Tuesday and International Day of Persons with Disabilities, The Slaight Family Foundation announced a historic $30 million dollar donation to 11 of the leading organizations in disability advocacy and health care. Empowered Kids Ontario is one of those organizations. Jennifer Churchill, EKO’s CEO, joined Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about the significant impact this donation will have on the organization!

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

Tiffany Houston is CEO of Shine Foundation, a Canadian organization that works to fulfill the dreams of youth with disabilities.

Host Grant Hardy speaks with Tiffany about some of the Shine Dreams they are currently fulfilling, their response to the Canada Post Strike, and how the organization got started.

You can find more information on Shine Foundation at www.shinefoundation.ca and more information on their holiday fundraising campaign at www.shineholiday.ca

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

Today on The Pulse, we’re featuring the Makers Making Change Holiday Hackathon! Last month in Burnaby, B.C., host Grant Hardy attended this event, hosted by Makers Making Change, a program offered through the Neil Squire Society in British Columbia. The event offered an opportunity for volunteers to adapt 250 toys to donate to kids with disabilities across Canada.

In this episode, Grant speaks with members of the Makers Making Change team, volunteers, students, and people who will benefit from the adapted toys too!

Grant’s first guest is Reed Schrad, the Web Product Owner at Makers Making Change to give Grant some more information about the event.

Then, Grant speaks with Charlie Kiers, a volunteer at the Holiday Hackathon, who shows us how an adaptation is made to a popular Fisher Price toy.

Ethan Ho, a high school student and volunteer, stopped by to give Grant some more insight into what kind of work is needed to adapt the toys and what kinds of difference these toys will make.

At the event was Marie Brown, an occupational therapist with SET BC who told Grant about the importance of equitable access to inclusive play.

Plus, Evie and Carey Lotz are a mother and daughter pair that were at the Holiday Hackathon. Evie has benefited from one of the toys through the Makers program and Carie spoke to Grant about how important these toys are to kids with disabilities.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

On The Pulse, host Grant Hardy highlights important issues in the disability community. On today’s episode he speaks with Stephanie Pilon, Manager of Campaigns and Advocacy at the CNIB. Stephanie joins the show to share information on the CNIB’s Get on Board! Campaign, including what an accessible bus stop includes, the biggest barriers to public transit, and what you can do to help the CNIB achieve their goal of Safe and Accessible Journeys! 

For more information on the Get on Board! Campaign, or to participate in the Secret Rider Survey, visit www.cnib.ca

Highlights:

• Show Intro (00:00)
• Introducing Stephanie Pilon (1:21)
• How does the CNIB gauge what issues need to be prioritized (2:38)
• The CNIB Get on Board! Campaign (4:30)
• Training in municipalities for accessible transit (14:50)
• Access to technology’s impact on transit accessibility (17:30)
• Accessible bus stops (20:15)
• Stephanie’s goals for public transit (24:37)

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]

Chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, David Lepofsky, joins host Grant Hardy to talk about the history of the AODA Alliance, and let’s us know what’s going on at their 30th Anniversary celebrations on November 25th in Toronto. 

The AODA Alliance has invited members from all major political parties to attend their event in Queen’s Park in Toronto, Ontario. Members of the disability community can visit www.aodaalliance.org to sign up for a 3 minute time slot to present a speech on accessibility barriers they’ve faced, and their lived experience with disability. The event will be held on November 25th between 2 and 4 p.m. eastern, and people can attend the event virtually or in person at Queen’s Park. 

Highlights:

• Show Intro (00:00)
• David’s role in the AODA Alliance (00:58)
• History of the AODA and the AODA Alliance (2:45)
• The AODA Alliance’s 30th Anniversary Celebration (16:13)
• David’s hope for the future of accessibility (23:35)

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email [email protected]