SCI / CPA Awareness Month
Awareness Day on Parliament Hill
The Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA) is launching their Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and CPA Awareness Month on May 7th, 2009 with a signature event on Parliament Hill.
The event which first found its wheels as a “chairleader” event was launched originally in Nova Scotia with a Liberal MP Mike Savage from Dartmouth – Cole Harbour spending the day in a wheelchair last year on the Parliament hill. Mr. Savage was amazed by his colleagues’ reactions to his sudden disability and how inaccessible life became for him.
This year’s event organized by the National Office will launch a national awareness month with events taking place across the country. (Please see the end of this document for provincial events)
The Goal of this event is to build disability and accessibility awareness amongst the policy makers.
Structure: Several MPs and Senators will spend May 7th in a wheelchair. They will conduct their normal working day having to make time allowances for simple things like finding wheelchair accessible shuttles and washrooms. They will be allowed to leave their chair only while in the House of Commons as there is only one wheelchair accessible spot on the floor for our Sponsor Minister Steven Fletcher.
From 11:00am – 1:00pm The HRSD and Status of Persons with Disabilities committee will be receiving presenters on poverty and disability. Several of the committee members have already committed to participating in the event.
4:00pm – 5:00pm there will be a wheelchair race in front of Parliament Hill. The first race will be with the manual chairs. We have two celebrity participants: Chantelle Benoit from the Canadian Women’s Paralympic Basketball team and Steven Daniel from the Canadian Paralympic Rowing team. (Please see attached Bios at the end)
The Motorized Race will be between Minister Stephen Fletcher who operates a head controlled chair, an opponent of his choosing (possibly Justin Trudeau) and CPA Ontario’s Peer Support Coordinator Madelyn Scanlan.
5:00pm the event will be followed by a press conference in front of Centre Block.
Listed below please find the participants confirmed and prospect list.
Confirmed:
Minister Steven Fletcher (co-sponsor)
Minister of State for Democratic Reform (Conservative)
Peter Stoffer NDP
Fisheries and Veterans Affairs
Mike Savage Liberal
Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Justin Trudeau Liberal
Assistant Critic – area of responsibility youth
Maria Minna Liberal
Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Dona Cadman Conservative
Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Martha Hall Findlay – Liberal
Gov’t Operations and Estimates, Access to information, Privacy and Ethics
Other possible Participants:
John Baird- Conservative- Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
Carolyn Bennett – Liberal – Health committee
Catherine Callbeck – Former Premier of PEI - Senator
Ron Cannan – Conservative - Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Chris Charlton – NDP- subcommittee on gifts under the conflict of Interest code for the members of the House of Commons
Stockwell Day – Conservative - Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.
Dr. Dhalla – Liberal – Canadian Heritage
Nicholas Dufour – Bloc
Joyce Fairbairn – Senator -Chair of the Paralympic Foundation
Diane Finley – Conservative – Minister HRSD (approached to be involved in a capacity she feels appropriate)
Christiane Gagnon, Bloc - Health Critic
Nancy Greene Raine– Senator
Michael Ignatieff – Liberal leader
Jason Kenny- Conservative- Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Marjorie Lebretton Leader of the Government in the Senate – secretary of state Seniors
Tony Martin – NDP - Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Greg Thompson – Conservative – Minister of Veterans Affairs
Judy Wasylycia-Leis – NDP – Vice Chair Health Committee
The following is a draft of important points and objectives the CPA would like to convey with the event- it will be updated prior to the event.
One Page Info sheet for Participants (Draft)
The Canadian Paraplegic Association was founded in 1945 by veterans with disabilities returning from World War II – next year the CPA celebrates their 65th anniversary.
The CPA offers 6 core services with peer support being the founding principal of the association in 1945 – the CPA delivered peer support assistance to over 10,000 individuals and their families last year.
Physical access determines where you can go, what you can do and to some extent who you can be with. Imagine your entire day dictated by accessibility.
A person with a spinal cord injury or other physical disability, when given the opportunity can be a full contributing member of society.
Today alone there will be 3 new spinal cord injuries in Canada – approximately 1,000 new injuries a year.
The Canadian Paraplegic Association, through its 48 offices nationwide, interacts with an estimated 40,000 individuals with a spinal cord injury or other physical disability on an annual basis.
Historically the highest incidence of spinal cord injury is in young men between the ages of 18-24; but in recent years we have seen an increased rate of injury in seniors.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act has its sights set on making Ontario accessible by 2025.
According to a recent Ontario Neurotrauma survey “The lifetime cost to the healthcare system for a single spinal cord injury is estimated at over 2 million dollars”.
The 25th anniversary of the Rick Hansen Man in Motion Tour will be celebrated in March, 2010.
The Chair of the CPA – Bruce Drewett will be hosting the event with Minister Fletcher.
Bruce
Bruce has worked in the Ontario Public Service for almost 22 years. During that time, he has worked for the Ministries of Community and Social Services, Citizenship, Education, Management Board of Cabinet and Cabinet Office. From 1996 until 2007, Bruce worked in the area of Special Education, including 4 years as branch director at the Ministry of Education. Most recently, Bruce was the responsible for the leading the development of the province’s Poverty Reduction Strategy at Cabinet Office.
Bruce has volunteered with a number of non-profit organizations for many years and in 2002 he received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Volunteerism. Bruce has volunteered with the Canadian Paraplegic Association for 15 years and has served as the National President for the past couple of years.
Bruce holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from Queen’s University and is also a graduate of the Queen’s University School of Business Public Executive Program.
Soldier On Success Story
Steve Daniel
Sergeant (Ret’d) Steve Daniel, of Sudbury, Ontario, served with the 1st and 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment for 14 years and did four tours of duty including Croatia, Bosnia x 2, and Afghanistan. He was in charge of airborne operations for 3 RCR Petawawa and training to become a free-fall parachute instructor. On June 30, 2005, Sgt Daniel took off on his 102nd free fall jump of his career, and knew something was not right. Gaining speed far too quickly on landing, and unable to slow his descent, Sgt Daniel landed on his tail bone. The impact burst fractured his T-11 vertebrae and paralyzed him from the waist down. The soldier who had devoted a large part of his life to the Canadian Forces was now about to take on an entirely different battle.
Steve adapted to his new condition and underwent several months of rehabilitation. Far from feeling sorry for himself, the former soldier shot to the forefront of adapted sports and was introduced to CF Soldier On through a former colleague from 1 RCR, WO Andrew McLean.
The CF Soldier On program introduced Steve to adaptive sports and enabled him to obtain a wheelchair adapted for basketball, and shortly thereafter, his own rowing equipment. This was a crucial step forward for him. “Playing a team sport like adaptive basketball or sledge hockey,” he says, “allows me to socialize with people who are going through the same difficulties as I am. It was an important part of the rehabilitation and recovery process.”
Not only has Steve won gold at the 2008 Canadian Indoor Rowing Championship, he pulled the fastest time ever recorded in Canada for his category, making him a serious competitor across the globe. Notable results for 2008 were a gold medal at Canadian Henley and silver medal at US Nationals.
As a member of the Canadian National Adaptive Rowing Team, Steve Daniel placed 11th in the world in rowing (men’s single sculls ASM1x) at the 2008 Beijing Summer Paralympic Games.
Today, Steve is balancing his training with Coach Thomas Merritt along with his education. After his accident, he enrolled in a three-year Business Administration program at Cambrian College in Sudbury. He will be pursuing a degree at Laurentian University in Health Promotion starting in 2009. In addition to his studies, Steve trains four to five times a week on the waters with the Sudbury Rowing Club, not to mention two days a week of strength and endurance training.
In 2007, Steven laid a wreath on behalf of the CPA at the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.
Chantal Benoit
Photo: Bogetti-Smith
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Birthplace: Beloeil, QC
Hometown: Mont-Saint Hilaire, QC
Birth Date: October 1, 1960
Height: 165cm
Language\s: French/English
Occupation: Office Manager, RGK
Club: CIVA Montreal, Quebec Team
Coach: Guy Berthiaume, Reg McClellan, Tim Frick
On the National Team since: 1984
Classification: 3.5
Began Wheelchair Basketball: 1983
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Profile
Chantal Benoit was introduced to wheelchair basketball when a group of her friends invited her to accompany them to a demonstration game at the Jeux du Quebec. A year later, a wheelchair basketball team was formed near where she lived.
She has been on the national team since 1984, a year after she started playing the sport. She attributes her success in wheelchair basketball to her passion for the sport and her persistent need to improve every time she gets on the court. Before a big game, she relaxes by striking up conversations with people she doesn’t know.
With the national team, she has competed at five Paralympic Games. She has four Paralympic medals in her athletic portfolio: gold from the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, gold from the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, gold from the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games and a bronze from the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.
At a young age, Benoit lost a leg to cancer.
She is an office manager at RGK Wheelchairs, Inc.
Her personal motto is “Be in love with what you do.”
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International Competition
2008 5th Place at the Beijing Paralympics in China
2008 Bronze Medalist at the North American Cup, Birmingham, AL
2008 Gold Medalist at the Good Luck Beijing International Invitational, Beijing, China
2007 Silver Medalist at the Parapanamerican Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2007 Bronze Medalist at the 4 Nations Tournament, Sydney, Australia
2007 Gold Medalist at the Osaka Cup, held in Osaka, Japan
2006 Gold Medalist at the Gold Cup World Championships in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and selected to the All-Star Team
2006 Bronze Medalist at the Roosevelt Cup Tournament in Warm Springs, Georgia
2005 Silver Medalist at Qualification of Americas in Colorado Springs, USA
2004 Bronze Medalist at the Athens Paralympic Games in Greece
2002 Gold Medalist at Gold Cup World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan
2002 Silver Medalist at Qualification of the Americas in Brazil and selected to All Star Team
2000 Gold Medalist at the Sydney Paralympic Games in Australia
1999 Gold Medalist at Qualification of the Americas in Mexico City, Mexico
1998 Gold Medalist at Gold Cup World Championships and awarded MVP
1998 Gold Medalist at Qualification of the Americas in Winnipeg, Canada
1996 Gold Medalist at the Atlanta Paralympic Games
1994 Gold Medalist at Gold Cup World Championships in England
1992 Gold Medalist at Barcelona Paralympic Games
1990 Bronze Medalist at Gold Cup World Championships in France
1988 Fourth Place at the Seoul Paralympic Games
1986 Silver Medalist at the Pan-American Games in Puerto Rico
1984 Member of the Canadian Paralympic Team
National Competition
2008 CWBL Finals with CIVA Named to the All-Star Team
2008 Nationals with Quebec Team Named to the All-Star Team
2006 CWBL Finals with CIVA Named to the All-Star Team
2006 CWBL Women with Quebec Team Named to the All-Star Team
2005 CWBL Finals Named to the All-Star Team
2004 Awarded MVP at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz
2003 Bronze Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz
2003 Silver Medalist at NWWBT with LA Sparks and awarded MVP
2001 Gold Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz
2001 Gold Medalist at NWWBT with LA Sparks and awarded MVP
2000 Silver Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz and selected to All-Star team
1999 Silver Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz and selected to All-Star team
1998 Gold Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz and selected to All-Star team
1998 Selected to All-Star team at CWBL Finals Division II with Kamikaze
1997 Selected to All-Star team at CWBL Finals with Ottawa F-Team
1996 Selected to All-Star team at CWBL Finals for Women with Zodiaks
1996 Bronze Medalist at CWBL Finals with Ottawa Shooters
1995 Gold Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz and awarded MVP
1995 Gold Medalist at CWBL Finals with Ottawa Shooters
1994 Silver Medalist at NWBT Final Four in San Jose with Ottawa Royals
1992 Silver Medalist Paralympics at NWBT Final four in New Mexico with Ottawa Royals
1994 Silver Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz and selected to All-Star team
1993 Bronze Medalist at CWBL Finals with Ottawa Shooter and selected to All-Star team
1992 Gold Medalist at Women's CWBL Finals with Ottawa Jazz and awarded MVP
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SCI / CPA Awareness Month
May, 2009
(SCI= Spinal Cord Injury) (CPA= Canadian Paraplegic Association)
Activities
National Association
Media and Participant Contact: Danielle Leguard-White
(613) 723-1033 ext. 237
Cell (613) 298-6515
National Executive Director: David Hinton
Phone (613) 723-1033 ext. 223
May 7th Ottawa, Ontario Parliament Buildings
Selected Members of Parliament and Senators will spend the day in a wheelchair culminating in races in front of the Center Block
Newfoundland and Labrador
Contact: Cecil Templeman
Phone (709) 753-5901
Prince Edward Island
Contact: Myrtle Jenkins-Smith
Phone (902) 626-9523
May
Minister of Health to announce in the Legislature that May will be “CPA Month” in PEI
May
New conference to launch new Resource Center
May 7th Charlottetown, PEI Confederation Centre
Paralympic wheelchair racer; Kelly Smith will be a guest speaker and tour local hospitals
Nova Scotia
Contact: Robert White
Phone (902) 423-1277
May 7th Province Wide
“Chair”-Leader Event – selected individuals across the province will spend a day in a wheelchair
New Brunswick
Contact: Haley Flaro
Phone (506) 462-9522
Ontario
Contact: William Adair
Phone (416) 422-5644
Manitoba
Contact: Ron Burky
Phone (204) 786-4753
May 1st Brandon, Manitoba
Pathways to Employee Conference on Employment and Disabilities, Westman coalition of Employment Opportunities Inc.
May 4th Winnipeg, Manitoba
CPA Manitoba Board Program and Community Relations Committee Meeting
May 5th Winnipeg, Manitoba Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital
Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital Patient Rounds
May 6th Winnipeg, Manitoba
CPA Manitoba Operations Committee Meeting
May 11th & 12th Winnipeg, Manitoba
Disability, Health and Wellness Conference
May 12th Winnipeg, Manitoba Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital
Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital Patient Rounds
May 12th Winnipeg, Manitoba
CPA Manitoba Board of Directors Meeting
May 15th Province-Wide
Distribution of CPA Manitoba Newsletter “Para Tracks” to 900 people with spinal cord injuries in Manitoba
May 19th Winnipeg, Manitoba Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital
Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital Patient Rounds
May 20th Winnipeg, Manitoba
CPA Manitoba member follow-up conference post discharge from hospital
May 21st Winnipeg, Manitoba
Ten Ten Sinclair Housing Inc. Board of Directors meeting
May 26th Winnipeg, Manitoba Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital
Health Sciences Centre Rehabilitation Hospital Patient Rounds
Saskatchewan
Contact: Cheryl Young
Phone (306) 652-9644
Alberta
Contact: Teren Clarke
Phone (780) 424-6312
British Columbia
Contact: Melanie Crombie
Phone (604) 326-1226
May 2nd Vancouver, BC GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre
Day long conference “East Meets West” (medicine)
May 6th Vancouver, BC GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre
Peer Support Session
May 12th Province wide
Provincial Elections – Quadriplegic Stephanie Cadieux running for Liberal party
May 13th Vancouver, BC GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre
Peer Support Session
May 20th Vancouver, BC GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre
Peer Support Session
May 21st
House trading – how to get an accessible, economic vacation
May 7th Vancouver, BC GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre
Peer Support Session
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