Changes

==<big>'''Meet our panellists'''</big>==

==<big>'''Meet our panellists'''</big>==

====<big>'''Michel Marcelin, Accessibility Advisor, Health Canada'''</big>====

=====<big>'''Michel Marcelin, Accessibility Advisor, Health Canada'''</big>=====

[[File:MM.jpg|left|frameless]]

[[File:MM.jpg|left|frameless]]

<big>My name is Michel Marcelin, and I work for Health Canada as an accessibility Advisor I am a first-generation Canadian of German and Mauritian descent. I am a person with multiple disabilities, both mild physically and learning oriented. Over my life, having a disability was always part of my identity. Still, I never really fully embraced what this truly means and the value that it holds to myself personally until fairly recently, when I realized that it is really my “superpower.”</big>  

<big>My name is Michel Marcelin, and I work for Health Canada as an accessibility Advisor I am a first-generation Canadian of German and Mauritian descent. I am a person with multiple disabilities, both mild physically and learning oriented. Over my life, having a disability was always part of my identity. Still, I never really fully embraced what this truly means and the value that it holds to myself personally until fairly recently, when I realized that it is really my “superpower.”</big>  

<big>I tell you this story to express to you the importance of resilience and perseverance when facing challenges of many kinds. It is this resilience that I have developed over my life (even educationally and professionally) that has carried me through hard times. As a student with a learning disability, recognizing not my weakness but my strength and allowing this strength to propel me forward has really been my superpower!</big>

<big>I tell you this story to express to you the importance of resilience and perseverance when facing challenges of many kinds. It is this resilience that I have developed over my life (even educationally and professionally) that has carried me through hard times. As a student with a learning disability, recognizing not my weakness but my strength and allowing this strength to propel me forward has really been my superpower!</big>

====<big>'''Debbie Patterson, Strategic Manager, National Defence'''</big>====

=====<big>'''Debbie Patterson, Strategic Manager, National Defence'''</big>=====

[[File:LDP.jpg|left|frameless]]

[[File:LDP.jpg|left|frameless]]

<big>'''About Lily:''' I am a brown Portuguese wavy coat waterdog who trained for more than two and a half years to be a Service Dog. My full-time job is to support and work for my handler. By law, I can go anywhere my handler goes. I have signed a non-disclosure clause. I am not a circus dog, and I don’t do tricks, although I do know some. I have webbed toes that help water dogs become better swimmers. I am barrel-chested, so I have a larger lung capacity. I love to work! This is because Portuguese water dogs were bred to be working dogs and were initially used by Portuguese fishers to pull heavy nets between fishing boats and dive into deep water to retrieve items. I do not shed hair, so I don’t leave a mess wherever I go. I have no dander, so people with allergies are comfortable around me. Different cultures attach meaning to black dogs, so my brown colour means that persons from different cultures do not need to fear me or be superstitious about me, and I should not cause them discomfort. Some people recognize me as the “Obama dog” as the former US president had a dog named ‘Beau’ exactly like me, while others think I am some sort of doodle, which I am not. I am not an emotional support animal nor a companion animal; however, when I am not working and doing my job, I am very good around people, and children love me. Some people find it amusing that the acronym for Portuguese Water dog is PWD, and so is the acronym for ‘Persons’ with Disabilities’ which is also PWD.</big>

<big>'''About Lily:''' I am a brown Portuguese wavy coat waterdog who trained for more than two and a half years to be a Service Dog. My full-time job is to support and work for my handler. By law, I can go anywhere my handler goes. I have signed a non-disclosure clause. I am not a circus dog, and I don’t do tricks, although I do know some. I have webbed toes that help water dogs become better swimmers. I am barrel-chested, so I have a larger lung capacity. I love to work! This is because Portuguese water dogs were bred to be working dogs and were initially used by Portuguese fishers to pull heavy nets between fishing boats and dive into deep water to retrieve items. I do not shed hair, so I don’t leave a mess wherever I go. I have no dander, so people with allergies are comfortable around me. Different cultures attach meaning to black dogs, so my brown colour means that persons from different cultures do not need to fear me or be superstitious about me, and I should not cause them discomfort. Some people recognize me as the “Obama dog” as the former US president had a dog named ‘Beau’ exactly like me, while others think I am some sort of doodle, which I am not. I am not an emotional support animal nor a companion animal; however, when I am not working and doing my job, I am very good around people, and children love me. Some people find it amusing that the acronym for Portuguese Water dog is PWD, and so is the acronym for ‘Persons’ with Disabilities’ which is also PWD.</big>

<big>I am most proud of changing and advancing outdated policies and procedures and being an advocate for others, especially those who are not able to advocate for themselves. Initially responsible for personnel administration and logistics in the military, I later became the first compassionate services officer in NDHQ/NCR. For over 10 years, I was an EAP referral agent in DND, a previous co-chair for the Defense Advisory Group (DAG) for persons with disabilities (PWD) - first as the military co-chair at NDHQ and then as a civilian Co-chair in the NCR. I have advocated for the fairness of military widows reservists killed in Afghanistan and equality in the workplace, clothing and equipment from a GBA+ perspective, resulting in asset changes and updating of dress regulations. I was qualified as an assisting officer, contributed towards the development of casualty administration, headquarters transformation, and a wide variety of projects. I belong to the various DND DAGs and WiDs as a member.  I continue to volunteer with various organizations including those that involve persons from EE groups, such as blind hockey.</big>  

<big>I am most proud of changing and advancing outdated policies and procedures and being an advocate for others, especially those who are not able to advocate for themselves. Initially responsible for personnel administration and logistics in the military, I later became the first compassionate services officer in NDHQ/NCR. For over 10 years, I was an EAP referral agent in DND, a previous co-chair for the Defense Advisory Group (DAG) for persons with disabilities (PWD) - first as the military co-chair at NDHQ and then as a civilian Co-chair in the NCR. I have advocated for the fairness of military widows reservists killed in Afghanistan and equality in the workplace, clothing and equipment from a GBA+ perspective, resulting in asset changes and updating of dress regulations. I was qualified as an assisting officer, contributed towards the development of casualty administration, headquarters transformation, and a wide variety of projects. I belong to the various DND DAGs and WiDs as a member.  I continue to volunteer with various organizations including those that involve persons from EE groups, such as blind hockey.</big>  

====<big>'''Jeffrey Stark, Principal Advisor for the Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology program, Shared Services Canada'''</big>====

=====<big>'''Jeffrey Stark, Principal Advisor for the Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology program, Shared Services Canada'''</big>=====

[[File:Jeffrey-stark.png|left|frameless]]

[[File:Jeffrey-stark.png|left|frameless]]

<big>Jeffrey Stark is an expert in inclusive and accessible Information & Communication Technology (ICT) and a passionate advocate for disability issues. He frequently speaks on accessibility standards, guidelines, best practices, and the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, aiming to eliminate systemic barriers in Canada and beyond.</big>

<big>Jeffrey Stark is an expert in inclusive and accessible Information & Communication Technology (ICT) and a passionate advocate for disability issues. He frequently speaks on accessibility standards, guidelines, best practices, and the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, aiming to eliminate systemic barriers in Canada and beyond.</big>