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<title><![CDATA[Abilities Canada - ]]></title>
<link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/]]></link>
<description><![CDATA[News, health, travel, education and career information for people with disabilities, from abilities.ca]]></description>
<ttl>50</ttl>
<lastBuildDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:16:00 EST</lastBuildDate>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Our Hidden Reality - Conjugal Violence against Women with DisAbilities ]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/women/2011/12/06/communicare_dawn_blog_2/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Women's Issues]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ This post is based on DAWN-RAFH Canada’s statement delivered by National Director, Bonnie Brayton on December 6, 2011 in Montreal, QC in commemoration of the National Day of Action and Remembrance on Violence Against Women. More than 20 years after the massacre of 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique in Montreal, violence against women in Canada continues to be an on-going issue. For women with disabilities, it is even more intensified and occurs in a number of different forms. One of these is conjugal or spousal violence.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/women/2011/12/06/communicare_dawn_blog_2/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:16:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Celebrating Our Accomplishments on UN Day of Persons with Disabilities]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/12/01/ccd_idpd_2011_celebrating_our_accomplishments/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ On 3 December 2011, Canadians will be celebrating the United Nations’ Day of Persons with Disabilities. The history of advances in disability policy at the federal level is presented in a new book, called Celebrating Our Accomplishments, published last month by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national organization of people with disabilities working for an inclusive and accessible Canada.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/12/01/ccd_idpd_2011_celebrating_our_accomplishments/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:34:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Abilities Digital Issue - Fall 2011]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2011/11/04/abilities_issue_87_digital/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Products]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Read a digital version of the current issue]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2011/11/04/abilities_issue_87_digital/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:20:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Check Out the Newly Revised Directory of Disability Organizations in Canada - NOW ONLINE!]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/10/28/ddoc_2011/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ The Canadian Abilities Foundation, with the support of TD, is proud to re-launch the Directory of Disability Organizations in Canada.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/10/28/ddoc_2011/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:09:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[In The Garden of Hope & Ingenuity]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/technology/2011/10/27/toronto_rehab_geoff_fernie/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ One of the leading lights in this circle is someone I’ve come to think of as the Rock Star of Rehab: Dr. Geoff Fernie. Long before I met him this past summer, I had been regularly, silently thanking the person who had created the device that smoothly, effectively lifts me into or out of my wheelchair each morning and evening. Fernie, I would soon learn, along with his team, created this device—the first battery-powered, portable ceiling lift, the SturdyLift. He also developed the first raised toilet seat, balance pole and more. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/technology/2011/10/27/toronto_rehab_geoff_fernie/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:37:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Painting by Touch]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2011/10/06/john_bramblitt_painter_with_vision_disability/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Throughout most of his life, John Bramblitt, 39, turned to drawing or writing whenever his seizures became too much to bear. Creating something offered him respite from the disruptive convulsions,  that were part of growing up with severe epilepsy. But when Bramblitt lost his vision 10 years ago because of damage caused by the disorder, he thought that his ability to create and enjoy art was gone forever. Then one day in 2002, Bramblitt decided to start painting again. He considered doing something that is regarded as visual to be almost an act of defiance—and he was ready to defy expectations.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2011/10/06/john_bramblitt_painter_with_vision_disability/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:45:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Thoughts as a New School Year Approaches]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/learning/2011/08/31/back_to_school_thoughts/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Learning]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/learning/2011/08/31/back_to_school_thoughts/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:19:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Extreme Wheeling]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2011/08/17/aaron_wheelz_fotheringham_wheelchair_motocross_wcmx/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ When Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham was a little boy, he used to blast up and down the hall using his crutches, pretending that he was a superhero. These days, as a pioneer in the sport of wheelchair motocross (WCMX), Fotheringham flies for real. The 19-year-old made it into the 2010 Guinness Book of World Records as the first person to do a single backflip in a wheelchair. In August 2010, he mastered the double backflip.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2011/08/17/aaron_wheelz_fotheringham_wheelchair_motocross_wcmx/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Abilities Digital Issue - Summer 2011]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2011/08/17/abilities_issue_86_digital/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Products]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Read a digital version of the current issue]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2011/08/17/abilities_issue_86_digital/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:34:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Clothes Encounters]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2011/07/07/fashion_for_wheelchair_users/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Products]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Izzy Camilleri felt that she was “all thumbs” the first time a client using a wheelchair approached her for one of her famous leather designs eight years ago. Though long considered an icon of Canadian fashion and haute couture, Camilleri admits that designing around a wheelchair was something that she had never considered—and it made her a little nervous. Now, Camilleri’s taken adaptive clothing a step further by opening the world’s first store completely devoted to fashions for “seated clientele.” IZ Adaptive—where authoritative function meets unparalleled fashion for wheelchair-users—opened its doors in Toronto this past May.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2011/07/07/fashion_for_wheelchair_users/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:53:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[See you at Women's World 2011!!]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/07/04/dawn_event_womens_world/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Attention Women with disAbilities and Deaf Women<br><br>
You are invited! On July 6th (6pm - 10pm) come out to an evening of LEADERSHIP, PARTNERSHIPS AND NETWORKING for Women with disabilities and Deaf women co-hosted by the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada, The Public Service Alliance of Canada and Women’s World 2011.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/07/04/dawn_event_womens_world/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:22:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Our #1 issue is Violence ... ]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/women/2011/06/30/communicare_dawn_blog_1/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Women's Issues]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Welcome to our first blog entry with COMMUNICARE (the latin word for impart, share and make known).  Issue #1:  Violence against women with disabilities and Deaf women.  The issue of violence has been our #1 issue since DAWN Canada began. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/women/2011/06/30/communicare_dawn_blog_1/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:20:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Breaking Free]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2011/06/16/profile_luca_lazylegz_patuelli/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ As soon as Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli begins contorting and twisting his body, a chorus of cheers erupts. To the 300 schoolchildren gathered here at a seniors’ home in Toronto for the Abilities Arts Festival, Patuelli is more than just a celebrity. He’s a role model. Most of the children watched Patuelli steal the hearts of Canadians on the hit show So You Think You Can Dance Canada this past August. The professional dancer, who has competed around the world with breakdancing crews, made it to the top 90 on the show, a first for a contestant with a disability.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2011/06/16/profile_luca_lazylegz_patuelli/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:20:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Dating in the Dark]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/sex/2011/06/09/virtually_blind_dating/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Sexuality + Relationships]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Even under the best of circumstances, Internet dating is like trying to knock down milk bottles at a carnival. You can come close, but how often do you get to go home with a teddy bear? Or a soulmate? Now that I’ve lost most of my sight, it’s getting even harder to find mine. I have retinitis pigmentosa, which is congenital, incurable and getting worse. Even so, I do want to find The One.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/sex/2011/06/09/virtually_blind_dating/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:07:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Evidence Rules Leave Disabled Canadian Girls Open to Sex Abuse]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/social_policy/2011/05/31/girls_disabilities_evidence_sex_abuse_vancouver_sun/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Social Policy]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun - May 30, 2011<br>Canadian girls and women with disabilities are up to 10 times more likely to be sexually assaulted or exploited than other girls and women. The Evidence Act allows defence lawyers to challenge a person's mental capacity to understand what it means to take an oath to tell the truth and promise not to tell a lie.
Those with mental disabilities are the only people other than children who can be questioned about their understanding of the duty to tell the truth.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/social_policy/2011/05/31/girls_disabilities_evidence_sex_abuse_vancouver_sun/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 31 May 2011 17:04:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Fundamental Disability Rights Case Goes to  Supreme Court of Canada]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/05/17/ccd_press_release_may_17_2011_intellectual_disa_courts/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ On Tuesday May 17th the Supreme Court of Canada will be asked to consider whether people with intellectual disabilities should be allowed to testify in court.  Specifically, the question before the Court is whether people with intellectual disabilities are required to demonstrate an understanding of the concept of a “promise to tell the truth” in order to be permitted to testify.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/05/17/ccd_press_release_may_17_2011_intellectual_disa_courts/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2011 17:44:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Tourism for All, An International Standardization Effort ]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/travel/2011/05/09/international_accessibility_spain_keroul/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ The European Union’s current efforts to standardize tourism products and services will have international implications. It is proper and desirable that the authorities in the tourism sector adopt international standards so travellers can feel comfortable. Similarly, tourism and cultural establishments and attractions are expected to comply with standards respecting accessibility for people with disabilities.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/travel/2011/05/09/international_accessibility_spain_keroul/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2011 11:27:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[We Are Electors. We Are Women with Disabilities]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/women/2011/04/27/women_disabilities_federal_election_2011/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Women's Issues]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ We are moms; we are caregivers; we experience spousal abuse; we are renters and home owners. We are also women with disabilities. Women with disabilities need to see themselves reflected in the election commitments of all Canada’s Federal Parties. DAWN-RAFH Canada and CCD are encouraging candidates running in the Federal Election to address the issues of women with disabilities.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/women/2011/04/27/women_disabilities_federal_election_2011/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:20:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Disability and Student Health: Impact on Inclusion]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/learning/2011/04/26/health_impact_on_inclusion/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Learning]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/learning/2011/04/26/health_impact_on_inclusion/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:44:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Conservative Government Has Future-oriented Approach to Disability Issues]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/04/19/ccd_press_release_april_14_2011_conservative_platform/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ On 8 April 2011, Canadians had their first look at Here for Canada, the Conservative Party of Canada’s 2011 Platform. The Conservative Platform references initiatives undertaken on disability issues by the Harper Government. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national human rights organization of people with disabilities working for an inclusive and accessible Canada, called upon all Parties to address disability issues in their Platforms.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/04/19/ccd_press_release_april_14_2011_conservative_platform/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:12:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Liberal Platform Puts Disability Issues on the Agenda, CCD Challenges Others To Do The Same]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/04/19/ccd_press_release_april_4_2011_liberal_platform/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national disability organization working for an inclusive and accessible Canada, welcomed the Liberal Platform’s twin-track approach to disability issues, featuring (1) specific disability initiatives and (2) an attentiveness to the concerns of Canadians with disabilities reflected in major initiatives for all Canadians.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/04/19/ccd_press_release_april_4_2011_liberal_platform/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:12:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Many Voices, Many Paths]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/04/18/dawn_rafh_national_victims_of_crime_awareness_week_2011/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ The DisAbled Women's Network (DAWN) Canada/Réseau d'action de femmes handicapées (RAFH) Canada felt they needed to find a vehicle for bringing issues of relevance to women with disabilities both to inform and to dialogue.  They chose COMMUNICARE (the Latin word for communication) as the name for this initiative because of this. Today they bring you their first COMMUNICARE  message around an issue that was first identified by their Founders, twenty-five years ago, violence and abuse.  One in five women in Canada today lives with a disability and continue to be abused at rates 2 to 10 times higher than non-disabled women.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/04/18/dawn_rafh_national_victims_of_crime_awareness_week_2011/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 13:07:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Disability Rights: A Call to Arms!]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/03/24/drpi_disability_rights/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Each year, the United Nations (UN) proclaims December 3rd as the International Day of Disabled Persons (IDDP) in order to encourage all communities, governments, service providers and individuals to focus on the contributions, achievements and human rights of persons with disabilities. During the fall of 2010, a series of presentations took place across the globe, which involved people with disabilities, disability advocates, governments and other key stakeholders with a view to the further empowerment of persons with disabilities.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/03/24/drpi_disability_rights/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:25:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Reach Canada's 30th Anniversary Conference ]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/03/24/reach_30_anniversity_conferene_2011/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ The Evolution of Disability Rights: A Retrospective and Perspectives for the Future June 16, 2011 Hampton Inn Ottawa Conference Centre
The conference will explore the impressive progress in advancing the participation of persons with disabilities in our society as well as what we can do to close the gaps that still exist to ensure full access and inclusion. The Keynote Speaker will be David Lepofsky, Author and Lawyer, Crown Law Office in Toronto, and Chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Alliance (AODA). Mr. Lepofsky Lepofsky has received the Order of Canada and Order of Ontario.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/03/24/reach_30_anniversity_conferene_2011/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:25:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Dealing with Today’s Disability Poverty]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/03/23/2011_federal_budget_disability_poverty/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ At the personal level poverty means doing without many of life’s essentials. For Canadians with disabilities, this translates into living without needed technical aids that bridge obstacles in a person’s life; having to forego eating well because you apply your food budget to the rent to live in an accessible building; cutting your pills in half to make them last longer because you can’t afford to buy more. These are the types of choices that you have to make when you are living on less than $10,000 a year.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/03/23/2011_federal_budget_disability_poverty/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:03:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Provincial/Territorial Ministers Consider Human Rights in the Context of Disability]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/social_policy/2011/03/17/ccd_press_release_mar_15_2011_ministers_human_rights_disability/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Social Policy]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Winnipeg 15 March 2011—Canada’s provincial and territorial ministers responsible for disability issues and human rights spent the last two days considering what human rights mean in the context of life with a disability.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/social_policy/2011/03/17/ccd_press_release_mar_15_2011_ministers_human_rights_disability/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Working Paper on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, February 2011]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/02/03/2011_white_paper_un_convention_rights_pwd/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) and the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) have developed a Working Paper, The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Making Domestic Implementation Real and Meaningful. The intention of the paper is to spark dialogue on implementation of the CRPD and propose concrete actions for consideration.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2011/02/03/2011_white_paper_un_convention_rights_pwd/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:22:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[The Ins and Outs of Disability and Education]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/belonging/2011/01/12/ins_and_outs_disability_education/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Belonging]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ I have been wondering for quite some time about the often-strained relationships between school systems and parents when it comes to choosing the special education approach or the inclusive approach to disability and education.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/belonging/2011/01/12/ins_and_outs_disability_education/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:21:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[A Generation in Motion]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/opinion/2010/12/15/my_word_issue_84/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ These days it’s hard to fathom, but barely a generation ago many people with disabilities were locked up, warehoused and denied access to the community— let alone the whole world. But times have changed, and a quantum shift from institutionalization to inclusion has paved the way, for many, towards a much greater level of social and economic participation. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/opinion/2010/12/15/my_word_issue_84/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:23:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Issue 84 -  TABLE OF CONTENTS]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/12/15/issue_84_promo/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/12/15/issue_84_promo/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:48:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Access Guide Canada - A Celebration of Accessibility]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/independent_living/2010/12/01/access_guide_canada_celebration_of_accessibility/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Independent Living]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ When the topic of accessibility comes up, almost everyone in the disability community has a horror story to share. These tales are often told with a passion stirred by injustice. People without disabilities often move about in the world oblivious to the ease with which they are able to do so. To level the playing field and help those with disabilities navigate the world with less effort, the Canadian Abilities Foundation launched Access Guide Canada (AGC) in 2002. AGC is an online directory of over 17,000 businesses and organizations in Canada that provide access to people with disabilities. It is a practical resource listing accessible places to eat, shop, stay and more. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/independent_living/2010/12/01/access_guide_canada_celebration_of_accessibility/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:10:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Striking the Right Chord]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2010/11/26/canadian_singer_songwriter_justin_hines/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Ask Justin Hines how he got into the music business and he won’t miss a beat before giving an answer. “I don’t remember wanting to do anything else,” he says. “I’m a very lucky guy. I never had to figure out what I wanted to do. As a child, I knew I wanted to sing, so I never had to think ‘maybe I’ll try this.’ It was always music.”]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2010/11/26/canadian_singer_songwriter_justin_hines/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Nov 2010 17:38:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Passing of the Torch]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/opinion/2010/11/04/my_word_issue_83/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Canada is losing too many of its bright lights—individuals who have led the way for those of us striving toward a level playing field for citizens with disabilities. The sad paradox is that the population of people with disabilities is dramatically increasing, while some of our strongest leaders are no longer with us. The need for a new generation of champions is becoming very clear.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/opinion/2010/11/04/my_word_issue_83/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:02:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Disability Poverty: An Unacknowledged Reality]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/11/01/ccd_end_exclusion_2010/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ In Ottawa, at a national forum called End Exclusion 2010 (November 1 -2, 2010), people with disabilities and their allies are challenging the myth that people with disabilities are "well taken care of in Canadian society."  The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), Canada Without Poverty (CWP) organized the forum to examine current trends and research findings on poverty. They also want to give Canadians the opportunity to present their ideas for strengthening policy and legal protections that will lift people with disabilities out of poverty.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/11/01/ccd_end_exclusion_2010/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:25:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Government of Canada Tells Disabled Canadians – Get a Job  ]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/10/08/ccd_press_release_sept_29_2010/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/10/08/ccd_press_release_sept_29_2010/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:48:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Mobility Products for Sale]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2010/09/29/mobility_products_for_sale/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Products]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/products/2010/09/29/mobility_products_for_sale/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:28:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Party at Your Place]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/independent_living/2010/09/16/pain_free_entertaining/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Independent Living]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ There’s nothing like getting together with friends and family to enjoy good company and, of course, good food. Whether you’re having two or 20 people over for a gathering, the idea is to make it as simple as possible so that you can have a great time along with your guests. The following tips can help minimize fatigue and ensure that your next entertaining experience is pain-free, pleasant and memorable. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/independent_living/2010/09/16/pain_free_entertaining/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:10:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Stephen Hawking: In His Own Words]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/accessibility/2010/09/13/stephen_hawking_his_own_words/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Accessibility]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ I am quite often asked: How do you feel about having ALS? The answer is, not a lot. I try to lead as normal a life as possible, and not think about my condition, or regret the things it prevents me from doing, which are not that many. 

]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/accessibility/2010/09/13/stephen_hawking_his_own_words/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:37:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Close Encounters]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2010/09/13/stephen_hawking/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Famous physicist Stephen Hawking gave a public talk recently at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ontario—an event that demonstrated how time is a flexible medium, in more ways than one. 
]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/people/2010/09/13/stephen_hawking/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:37:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Issue 83 -  TABLE OF CONTENTS]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/09/13/issue_83_promo/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Organizations]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/organizations/2010/09/13/issue_83_promo/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:54:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Dreaming of Sleep]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/family_life/2010/09/12/sleep_disorders_children_disabilities/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Family Life]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ “Sleeping like a baby.” We’d all love to look down on our contentedly slumbering child and be able to say those four little words. But it’s not always easy—especially when a child has a disability with underlying conditions that affect sleep.
]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/family_life/2010/09/12/sleep_disorders_children_disabilities/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:29:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Shall We Dance?]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/arts/2010/09/01/integrated_dance_propeller_dance/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Arts]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Moni Hoffman loves to dance in her electric wheelchair. By doing so, she expresses her feelings, explores movement, experiments with choreography, and connects deeply with her dance partners. “Dance is who I am,” says Hoffman. For dancers with disabilities, integrated dance classes and performance offer opportunities to refine skills, broaden experiences, have fun and pursue artistic careers. For dancers without disabilities, the innovations of integrated dance can offer deep challenges and big rewards. “Finding the common ground among dancers whose bodies are innately different from each other is creatively interesting,” says Shara Weaver, one of the three co-founders of Ottawa’s Propeller Dance organization. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/arts/2010/09/01/integrated_dance_propeller_dance/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:53:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Always Be Prepared]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/09/01/self_defence_people_with_disabilities/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Health + Activity]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people with disabilities have a higher risk of being a victim of violence or abuse than the general population. There are steps you can take to minimize danger and maintain safe boundaries. Here are some tips from self-defence experts that can help to ensure your safety.]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/09/01/self_defence_people_with_disabilities/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:50:00 EST</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Strokes of Genius]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/arts/2010/08/17/mouth_and_foot_painting/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Arts]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Susie Matthias holds a paintbrush in her mouth. She turns her head, dips the brush into paint, adjusts her head again and applies it to her canvas. While working on her latest painting of a woman in solitude by the Mexican sea, Matthias, 47, continues chatting—talking around the brush in her mouth. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/arts/2010/08/17/mouth_and_foot_painting/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:24:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[No Ordinary Vacation]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/travel/2010/08/17/southeast_asia/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ The Vietnamese orphanage run by Buddhist nuns didn’t have a volunteer program, but they appreciated our offer to help and welcomed us openly. We spent our first morning playing games and singing songs with the children. Then, we were served a special lunch of vegetarian delicacies. After helping to wash dishes (over 200 children live at the orphanage) in huge aluminum basins filled with cold well water, we were shown to a room with beds so that we could take a nap like everyone else in the orphanage. This was not what we expected. 

]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/travel/2010/08/17/southeast_asia/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:38:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Go Fish]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/08/17/barrier-free_fishing/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Health + Activity]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ When that monster rose from the deep, Wylie Harvey had realized a dream. It was a scene out of a Hemingway novel, really: man vs. nature. But there he was, in a boat off of Australia’s coast, fighting—and winning—a battle with a 1,000-pound black marlin. “That one might have been a record,” says Harvey, the pride trickling through his voice as he recalls that unforgettable moment back in 2001. 

]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/08/17/barrier-free_fishing/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:24:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Fire Drill]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/08/17/fire_safety/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Health + Activity]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ People with disabilities face unique concerns in the event of a fire. The ability to detect a fire or escape its effects may be hindered by hearing or vision challenges, cognitive impairments or mobility restrictions. But don’t despair: Taking the steps below can help to ensure your safety in a fire emergency. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/08/17/fire_safety/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:20:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Dive In]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/08/17/swimming/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Health + Activity]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ For people with disabilities, swimming can be an effective, healthful and fun activity. When set up properly, pools can offer accessibility, safety, specialized programs and, of course, exercise. Friendship, laughter and a chance to meet new friends are bonuses. 

]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/08/17/swimming/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:20:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[The Right to Belong]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/belonging/2010/08/17/inclusion_belonging/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Belonging]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ In this, the third of our series from the Belonging Initiative, John Ralston Saul advocates for a circular approach to inclusion and community. The following is excerpted from his keynote address for the PLAN organization’s 20th anniversary. 

]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/belonging/2010/08/17/inclusion_belonging/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:45:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>


<item>
  <title><![CDATA[Help Wanted!]]></title>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/work_money/2010/08/17/volunteering/]]></link>
  <category><![CDATA[Work + Money]]></category>
  <description><![CDATA[ Several years ago, one of my doctors suggested that I find some volunteer work to do. At the time, I was trying to come to terms with having an acquired brain injury and the limitations that it presented both physically and mentally. I had loved my job and to be told that I could not work again was extremely difficult. My doctor believed that volunteering would offer me a purpose and help me to contribute to society in a meaningful way. ]]></description>
  <guid isPermaLink="true"><![CDATA[http://www.abilities.ca/work_money/2010/08/17/volunteering/]]></guid>
  <pubDate>Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:20:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>



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