The Pulse

Rachelle Hole is an associate professor at the UBC Okanagan School of Social Work. She is also the co-director of the Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship. She chats with us about TYDE, a new program to help young people with intellectual disabilities and autism find meaningful employment.

This is the September 12, 2018 episode.

The Alzheimer Society of Canada has announced the first-ever Canadian Charter of Rights for People with Dementia. CEO Pauline Tardif tells us how the Charter empowers Canadians with dementia to self-advocate while ensuring that their rights are known to their supports.

We also hear from Roger Marple, one of the eight members of our Advisory Group who contributed to the Charter. He explains how why the new Charter took a human rights-based approach to dementia.

This is the September 11, 2018 episode.

The issue of accessible buildings goes well beyond new projects. Old buildings are in desperate need of retrofitting and in some cases, are exempt from meeting accessibility codes. Whether it’s National Accessibility legislation, provincial plans, or municipal codes, there needs to be some consistency.

Debbie Windsor is a disability advocate in Saskatoon. She explains how a lack of accessibility impact all facets of life including education, meaningful employment and transportation. She also tells us about her new radio show and online forum for people with disabilities, caregivers and parents.

This is the September 10, 2018 episode.

In the past few years, professional sports have seen a wave of protests over pressing social issues. While sports can serve as a vehicle of social change, it can also offer structure that re-enforces the status quo.

Dr. Tim Delaney is a sociology professor ad department chair at SUNY Oswego. He chats with us about his book The Sociology of Sports and explores how sports intersect with social issues of domestic violence, racism, and class.

This is the September 7, 2018 episode.

For the first time in fourteen years, the Ontario Human Rights Commission have announced their plans to update the province’s education system to reflect new and ongoing challenges faced by students with disabilities.

Dr. Gordon L. Porter is the director of Inclusive Education Canada and Dr. Sheila Bennet is co-author of the report “If Inclusion Means Everyone Why Not Me?” They discuss the issues and barriers faced by students with disabilities. They also share their recommendations on making education inclusive to students at every age level.  

This is the September 6, 2018 episode.

Dave Williams is the chair of The Braillists, a grass-roots community group connecting Braille readers with Braille technology developers and funders. He discusses the significance of Braille in the 21st century and tells us about Canute, a new and affordable multi-line Braille ebook reader.

This is the September 5, 2018 episode.

Thirty-eight years ago, Canadian athlete Terry Fox ran the Marathon of Hope to fundraise money for cancer research. Today, his goals live on through the annual Terry Fox Run which occur all around the world.

To commemorate his story, we speak with Terry’s younger brother Darrell Fox, senior advisor to the Terry Fox Research Institute. Darrell reflects upon on his experiences supporting the Marathon of Hope and discusses the impact of his brother’s story on Canada.

This is the September 4, 2018 episode.

The National Football League's regular season kicks off soon! Football fans all over the continent are not only getting ready to root for their teams but to also play Fantasy Football. So, are you ready to join the party?

AMI community reporter Nick D'Ambrosio and AMI's Jeff Ryman join us at the roundtable to discuss the culture of Fantasy Sports. They also discuss which apps and websites are most accessible to join a league.

This is the August 31, 2018 episode.

There are many assistive devices and technology out there to benefit people with vision loss. But, sometimes they can be bulky, heavy and require a lot of lugging around. So, how can these benefits be streamlined into one wearable device that is customized to your needs?

Rakshesh Patel is the Canadian representative for NuEyes. He tells us about their hands-free electronic pair of smart glasses for people with low vision.

This is the August 30, 2018 episode.

The Canadian government is working towards a national accessibility policy. Bill C-81 aims to provide an accessibility framework that will impact the lives of every Canadian with a disability. However, while the Accessible Canada Act is a good start, there are still some shortcomings that need to be addressed.

David Lepofsky is a long-time accessibility advocate, lawyer and chair of the AODA Alliance. He shares with us his five suggested amendments to the proposed bill.

This is the August 29, 2018 episode.