Last updated on June 29th, 2023 at 10:34 am

INTRODUCING Gryph, your new editor in chief! Thrilled that Gryph is coming on board with Disability news as editor in chief. He has produced a stellar second issue. Have something to submit? Send to @gryphknight on Twitter. We’ll publish Sundays and sometimes Mondays! Happy Easter.

NEWS:

Alberta introduced their “first” virtual-learning school for students in gr 7 / 8 with learning disabilities. From the CTV online article:

“All of our students at Rundle Studio have a diagnosed learning disability,” Wolf [principal] said. “All of them have struggled in some way or another with their education and they’re looking for that extra support that they need and we’re able to provide that for them.”

This progressive move was a side-effect of repeated terms of virtual-learning in response to the ongoing COVID19 crisis.

Surrey, BC MLA Stephanie Cadieux resigned her provincial seat to take role as “Canada’s first chief accessibility officer” with Employment and Social Development Canada. One hopes that her own lived experience as a person-with-disabilities will provide fresh insights on full inclusion in Canadian society for all PWD.

Canada’s Federal Budget 2022 garnered many headlines during this week. The reactions regarding PWD issues were firm in their disapproval, outrage, and exhaustion:

Ryan wrote a poignant letter to various Cdn Ministers expressing their concerns regarding the lack of any mention of the promised Canada Disability Benefit.
Disability without Poverty released a statement insisting, “the government must show their commitment to the Canada Disability Benefit given the promised made to Canadians with disabilities in the September 2020 Throne speech. It’s time to table the bill now.”
B2BNN published a guest OpEd that summarized the dark history of Canadian PWD issues since 2015.

CTV made an interesting choice to broadcast their special investigation into MAiD – Medical Assistance in Dying – in the same week that PWD were disappointed by Budget 2022. The online PWD community has expressed concerns that MAiD eligibility has been increased at the expense of providing PWD with the supports – while alive – to fully engage with Cdn society.

Adidas Pushing For Greater Inclusion Of Athletes With Disabilities :

“With a new campaign, Adidas is calling on marathons to set aside bib number 321 — a figure associated with Down syndrome — for neurodivergent runners and one of the country’s biggest races is already on board. “