Date, Time, and Location
Monday, May 12th, 2025 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM ET
This was a virtual event held on Zoom.
Event Description
With the third panel in our Countering Policy Exclusions speaker series occurring right after the USA voted in a new 2025 federal government, we have invited leaders in civil society organizations to discuss what will and should be key priorities for action around ensuring rights and justice of and with women and girls with disabilities. During this panel, experts examined how the Global Disability Summit declaration to ensure 15% of development assistance funding to people with disabilities could be addressed in Canada. The discussion also considered whether Canada’s leadership of the G7 in 2025 offers openings to move forward on gender, disability, and inclusion. Further, we explored how the recently released recommendations for action by Canada from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Medical Assistance in Dying Track 2 legislation, arms exports, and the representation of women with disabilities can be effectively addressed by the government. The panel highlighted how women and gender-diverse people with disabilities are playing a leadership role in these areas.
Panelists
All four panelists were members of the University of Guelph’s Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development–Genre, handicap et développement inclusif (EDID-GHDI) partnership (www.edid-ghdi.ca).
Neil Belanger (he/him) is a member of the Lax Se el Clan in the House of Nikate’en, of the Gitxsan First Nation and is the Chief Executive Officer of the Indigenous Disability Canada/British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (IDC/BCANDS). He has also worked as a Senior Consultant, working with organizations in the First Nation, Indigenous, Health, Disability, and Social Services sectors. Neil’s expertise helps to shine a light on the impact of Canada’s international commitments on Indigenous Peoples with disabilities.
Bonnie Brayton (she/her) is the Chief Executive Officer of the Disabled Women’s Network of Canada (DAWN Canada), and has worked on issues concerning women with disabilities, ranging from health equity to gender-based violence to housing to employment. She provides insight into advancing the rights of women with disabilities internationally and within Canada.
Marijke De Pauw (she/her) is Humanity and Inclusion (HI) Canada’s Specialist in inclusive governance. She has a doctorate in law, and her main expertise includes the rights of older persons, the rights of persons with disabilities, inclusive development, and support to civil society. Marijke’s experience in international law and policy provides a perspective on the rights and international commitments Canada should prioritize with women, girls, and gender-diverse people with disabilities.
Maureen Haan (she/her) has been the President and CEO of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) since 2012. Maureen provides expertise in the cross-disability sector, particularly focusing on employment issues. Her involvement includes being the lead for employment for persons with disabilities for Civil Society on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), working on the Minister Disability Advisory Group (MDAG), and serving as a board member on Accessibility Standards Canada.
Event Materials
- View the recording of the event.
- Read a summary of the event (includes anonymized Q&A).
- Read the anonymized transcript of the Q&A (not included in the video).
- View resources and links from the host and panelists.
This event is the third in a series co-hosted by the Live Work Well Research Centre and Dr. Leah Levac’s Canada Research Chair in Critical Community Engagement and Public Policy. Watch for future events on the topic of Countering Policy Exclusions.
