reachAbility, a charitable organization committed to creating an even playing field for persons with all types of disability, asks Canadians with disabilities to share their experiences with employment in “The First Person Project,” a book being published in 2010.

Whether you live with a physical, cognitive, visual, hearing, mental health or invisible disability, no matter where you are in your career, we want your stories of challenges, successes, stigma, accessibility, disclosure and empowerment, in your own voice and in your own way. Please send us your nonfiction contribution of no more than 1500 words; we encourage a variety of formats, from prose and poetry to art, photography, cartoons and more.

Our goal is to break down the real barriers to employment (stigma, fear and misunderstanding), to spread the “Equal (fair and equitable) Not Special” message, and to increase awareness of the advantages and achievability of inclusion, with strategies and solutions for the future. We’re interested in particular incidents and/or your overall experience. Topics you could focus on, but are not limited to, include:

1. How has your disability affected your getting a job? How do you feel about disclosure? If you have disclosed your disability in a job interview, what happened?
2. Have you felt accepted or excluded by management and co-workers?
3. What sort of barriers have you encountered at work? How have you dealt with them?
4. If your disability or issues surrounding it arose while you were employed, did things change at work, and if so, how? Were accommodations made? Did you leave work?
5. Has your disability influenced your job choices? Have you changed careers?

The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2010.*

*Please include your name, age, sex, disability and location. Your piece may appear anonymously at your request. Submission is not a guarantee of publication. Submissions are considered donations and are not compensated. We reserve the right to edit.

For more information or to make a submission, please contact:
Karen Janik, First Person Project Editor
editor@reachability.org
Tel/TTY: (902) 429-5878 | Toll Free/TTY: 1 (866) 429-5878
6389 Coburg Road, Suite 200, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 2A5

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am pleased to invite you to participate in the online consultation on the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Convention).

The Convention is of great importance to Canadians. Canada signed the Convention in March 2007, meaning that Canada is currently required to respect the general object and purpose of the treaty. The Government of Canada is seeking the views of Canadians, and particularly of the disability community, in order to inform the decision on ratification. These views would also play an important role in informing any measures that may be taken post-ratification at the federal level to further implement the Convention.

This online consultation is fully accessible:
* The content of the consultation Web site is available in the following alternate formats upon request: Large Print, Braille, Audio Cassette, Audio CD, e-Text Diskette, e-Text CD, and DAISY.
* The consultation Web site features a simple design to allow easy navigation.

Many resources are available on the consultation Web site to help you guide your feedback: instructions on how to fill out the consultation questionnaire, a Frequently Asked Questions section, links to useful resources such as the full text and a plain English guide to the Convention, background materials and much more.

Have your say! If you would like to participate in this online consultation, submit your views through the Web site or by email, regular mail, fax or phone. All contributions must be received by the Office for Disability Issues by July 31, 2009, midnight, Eastern Daylight Time.

Consultation Web site

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or require additional information on this consultation:

-By email
-By phone:
819-994-0335 (National Capital Region)
866-203-2426 (toll-free within Canada) If you are calling outside the toll-free area, you may leave a message with your name, reason of your call and best time to reach you during regular office hours and a representative will return your call.
1 800 O-Canada: 1-800-622-6232
TTY: 819-934-6649
-By fax: 819-994-8634
-By regular mail:
Stakeholder consultation, Office for Disability Issues, C/o Intergovernmental Relations, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Bell Building, 105 Hôtel de Ville Street, Gatineau, Québec K1A 0J9

We look forward to receiving your feedback.

Sincerely,
Laura Oleson, Acting Director General
Office for Disability Issues
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada