Date: Tuesday, October 7th, 2025
Time: 12 to 1:30 p.m. ET
Language of delivery: English
Platform: Zoom
Accessibility: ASL interpretation and bilingual captioning will be provided. Additional accommodations available as requested.
About
Join us as we reflect on the history of disability in Canada. What lessons from the past still matter today?
Explore the key events, policies, advocacy movements, and lived experiences that have shaped the lives of disabled people in Canadian society.
Whether you’re a manager, student, researcher, or accessibility representative, this is an opportunity to deepen your understanding and engage in a meaningful conversation. Learn from our panelists about the actions needed to advance disability rights and ensure that progress is protected for the future.
Speakers
Moderator
- Tony Labillois: Tony dedicated 35 years to Statistics Canada, distinguishing himself through his leadership in economic and social statistics and his commitment to diversity and inclusion. He became the Director General of Justice, Diversity, and Population Statistics, co-leading the Disaggregated Data Action Plan. For 22 years, he was a Champion for persons with disabilities, advocating for their full participation and valuing their contributions. Since 2020, he has served as Vice-Chair of the Governing Council and Chair of the Advisory Council of the Canadian Accessibility Network.
Panelists
- Max L. Brault
Lead, Accessibility Consulting, Nīewe Consulting :
Max is a bilingual leader in accessibility and policy with nearly 20 years of experience advancing disability rights and employment equity in Canada. He has contributed to major accessibility legislation, represented Canada at the UN Convention on Accessibility, and was awarded both the Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals. Max is also the author of The Race to the Starting Line (2025), a book on the Accessible Canada Act and its impact on building a barrier-free society.
- Kira Smith
Ph.D., York University
Kira A. Smith is an AMS Postdoctoral Fellow in the History of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Her research combines history, mad studies, and fiction to look at children’s experiences in Canadian asylums. Kira received her Ph.D. in Critical Disability Studies from York University. Her forthcoming book, Mad Children, argues the importance of looking back to imagine a different approach to mental wellbeing and care. Kira also teaches at three institutions in disability studies and history, and volunteers for Madness Canada. You can find her most recent work in The Routledge Companion for Gender and Childhood, and Rethinking History.
- Dean Mellway
Accessibility AdvisorDean is a distinguished leader in accessibility and adaptive sports, with a career spanning over 50 years. He has held pivotal roles, including Executive Director of the READ Initiative (Research, Education, Accessibility and Design), leading to the creation of Carleton’s Accessibility Institute. Dean was a member of the Canadian Paralympic Hockey Team (1991–2001), earning Paralympic medals in 1994 and 1998. He has conducted accessibility audits for institutions like the National Arts Centre and Jamaica’s Parliament. A founding member of multiple adaptive sports programs, Dean’s work has shaped inclusive policies and events, leaving a lasting impact on disability advocacy.