History of Disability
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is currently presenting an exhibition about the history of disability in Canada.
The exhibition, entitled Out from Under: Disability, History and Things to Remember, started this April and runs until July 13, 2008. According to the ROM website, a display of 13 diverse objects reveals a rich and nuanced history that pays tribute to the resilience, creativity and the civic and cultural contributions of Canadians with disabilities.
The first of its kind in Canada, Out from Under was produced in collaboration with students, scholars and alumni from Ryerson University and will be on display on Level 3 of the ROM's historic building until July 13, 2008.
For more information, visit the ROM online.
Thank you to Bruce Rutherford for providing this information.
Have Your Say
The Ontario government wants to know what you think about poverty and what needs to be done about it.
The Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction, led by the Honourable Deb Matthews (Minister of Children and Youth Services and the Minister Responsible for Women's Issues) has been charged with the task of developing a focused poverty reduction strategy for Ontario by the end of 2008.
A vital part of the Committee's work is public consultation. Meetings have been scheduled in a number of Ontario communities, including Kingston, Kitchen-Waterloo, Peel, Thunder Bay, Toronto and York/Durham (North-East Greater Toronto Area). To request an invitation to one of these public meetings, contact the Minister's office via robyn.cassidy@ontario.ca or (416) 212-0922. To request a meeting in your area, contact your local Member of Provincial Parliament.
Citizens of Ontario can have their say online by filling out the Committee's website questionnaire. For more information about the work of the Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction and its Chair, visit their website home page.
Community Living Ontario has prepared a Poverty Reduction Strategy Consultation Kit. The kit is designed to assist those who want to participate in the public consultation process and are concerned about how poverty impacts people with developmental challenges and their families. Download the kit here .
Thank you to Community Living Oshawa & Clarington for providing this information.
More from the Province
On Thursday, May 15th, the Minister of Community & Social Services tabled legislation to create the Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008. The new Bill 77, which received first reading in the legislature on May 15 and is due for second reading shortly, will replace the old Developmental Services Act.
The Honourable Minister of Community & Social Services, Madeleine Meilleur, tabled the new legislation and spoke of its intent:
"This is a proud moment for me and for our government. Today I have the privilege of tabling legislation to create the Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008.
With today being Community Living Day at the Legislature, introducing this bill today is both symbolic and significant: symbolic, because we are letting Ontarians know that the McGuinty government is taking the next big step in laying the groundwork for our long-term plan for developmental services; significant, because we are demonstrating that we are a government of action, not words.
It [the old Developmental Services Act] speaks to a time when we supported people in institutions, not communities. We need legislation that recognizes that people with developmental disabilities can live much more independently in their communities, with the right supports.
When we came to office five years ago, nowhere was the need for modernization greater than in the developmental services. We heard loud and clear from people with developmental disabilities, their families and community agencies that the system of supports needed to be easier to navigate, people needed services and supports closer to home, and they needed more choice and flexibility in the support they received.
Our proposed legislation will lay the groundwork for that plan. This is a bill with families in mind. It responds to what families and people with developmental disabilities have told us through our province-wide consultations, and builds on that advice.
That's what this bill is all about. It's the critical next step in the evolution of services for people with developmental disabilities in this province. This province has come so far since 1974, when the current Developmental Services Act became law. But we have so much further to go, and we are committed to the journey. With the passage of this bill, we could really move forward."
As mentioned by Ms. Meilleur in her speech, the new bill was presented in coordination with Community Living Day at the Legislature. The Honourable Minister recognized many guests present that day in the gallery, including representatives from Community Living Ontario, Community Living Toronto and OASIS.
Sylvia Jones (Dufferin-Caledon) and Michael Prue (Deputy Third Party House Leader / Beaches-East York) also spoke to Community Living Day and the new legislation, on behalf of the Progressive Conservative and New Democratic Parties respectively. To read their comments please click here. To review or download a copy of Bill 77, click here.
BOB loves JOBS!
Last month, BOB FM visited Jobs'R'Us. This month, BOB's destination was Job Quest. Gloria Clark, Assistant Employment Supports Staff at Job Quest, entered the Breakfast with Bob contest on behalf of Job Quest and won a free Mcdonald's breakfast complements of BOB FM.
Gloria and Job Quest Program Supervisor, Dorla Pearn, invited a few colleagues over from Community Living Kawartha Lakes to join in on the breakfast fare.
The revellers took time out for a quick photo with BOB FM's Dave Illman. In the back row (starting at the left), are Gloria, Jessica White (Scheduling & Maintenance Clerk at Community Living Kawartha Lakes), Cindy Taylor (Adult Services Supervisor at Community Living Kawartha Lakes), Doris George (Respite & Volunteer Services Supervisor at Community Living Kawartha Lakes) and Dave. In the front row sit Mary Anne Johnstone (Coordinator of Family Supports, Intake/Response at Community Living Kawartha Lakes) and Dorla.
All Dressed up & Ready to Work
The gang at Jobs'R'Us are now sporting brand new uniforms. The uniforms, which arrived in May, feature the Jobs'R'Us logo and come in four pastel colours - pink, purple, blue and green. Congratulations to the employees at Jobs'R'Us for their smart, new look.
Fair Appreciation
The Lindsay Agricultural Society has expressed its gratitude to Community Living Kawartha Lakes. Here is an excerpt from the May 2008 letter that we received from the Society.
THANK YOU!
The Board of Directors of the Lindsay Agricultural Society wishes to express their sincere appreciation for your generous sponsorship of our 2008 Lindsay Central Exhibition. We are very excited this year to be celebrating the first full year at our new location. We hope you will join us for what promises to be a true festival of fun for the whole family.
The success of our Exhibition has only been made possible through the continued support of sponsors, such as yourself, from our local community and the agricultural sector.
Once again, our sincere thanks.
Lindsay Agricultural Society
Andy Letham, Manager
Healthy Accolades, Again!
For the second year in a row, Community Living Kawartha Lakes has been granted the Healthy Workplace Award. Marlene Cote, Human Resources Manager at Community Living Kawartha Lakes, accepted the award on our behalf at a ceremony last week.
The Healthy Workplace Award recognizes Community Living's health and wellness programs and practices. (Speaking of which, have you read our most recent edition of Take Care, our health and wellness column? If you haven't, click here).
The Healthy Workplace Award is a part of the Health for Life initiative of the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. Health for Life is a community partnership that encourages and supports thousands of people in Southern Ontario to make healthy lifestyle choices so that they may enjoy health for life.
Help us help you
We are hosting our 5th Annual Summer Carnival on Friday, August 15th and we need your help.
Please consider supporting our event by donating:
- Used (but still usable) items for our Yard Sale.
- Baked goods for our Bake Sale.
- New or like-new items for the Silent Auction.
- Prizes for the children's games
- Your time as a volunteer on the day of the Carnival
- Your ideas for events and activities for the Carnival
We have staff available to receive items Monday and Friday afternoons with the exception of baked goods, which should be brought in the morning of the event or the day before to ensure freshness. We are located at 33 Lindsay Street South in Lindsay.
To arrange a donation, please contact Doris George at (705) 328-0464, extension 230.
For full details about the big day, visit Coming Events
New Spaces & New Faces
Starting this month, the folks from the Fenelon Falls Learning Centre and Teens on the Go! will be making regular appearances on the Community Living Kawartha Lakes website.
The Learning Centre
At the new Learning Centre Corner, we will bring you monthly updates while class is running from September to June. Learning Centre participants will share their latest news, including lessons and class projects. This month, we share the poetic works of two of our participants and what we've learned about the solar system.
Starting in September 2008, the folks at the Learning Centre will introduce themselves to our website audience by posting their photos and sharing information about their interests and accomplishments.
To visit the Learning Centre Corner, click here.
Teens on the Go!
The Teens on the Go! gang will make their regular appearance in the Youth Corner of our website, bringing us up-to-date on their activities and sharing their latest photos.
One of the Teens' first challenges will be to come up with a name for their new space on the Community Living Kawartha Lakes website. As soon as they have chosen a name, we'll let you in on what they chose and why.
Starting in summer 2008, the Teens will introduce themselves to our website audience by posting their photos and sharing information about their interests and accomplishments.
To visit the new Teens on the Go! section of our website, click here.
