News from the DisAbled Women’s Network:

New Accessible Website - DAWN Canada launched a new, completely accessible website on March 28th. Check it out here: https://www.dawncanada.net/

Policy Dialogue - On April 17th, Bonnie Brayton, National Executive Director of DAWN-RAFH Canada, participated in a policy dialogue convened by the Episodic Disabilities Network (EDN) in Ottawa to develop a strategy to help the millions of Canadians living with episodic disabilities to fully and productively participate in the workforce.

HUMA Parliamentary Committee - On April 16, 2013 Carmela Hutchison, President of the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada and Bonnie Brayton, Executive Director of the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada presented at the HUMA Parliamentary Committee in Ottawa on employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Moving Forward Together: National Victims of Crime Forum - On April 18th and 19th, 2013, Bonnie Brayton, National Executive Director of DAWN-RAFH Canada participated in a Forum by the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime as part of a working group, bringing together over 150 victims and other key stakeholders to discuss the path forward. Though the analysis of the discussions and recommendations are ongoing, participants expressed a strong desire to see significant and immediate changes to Canada’s laws, policies and services for victims.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - To mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Bonnie Brayton, National Executive Director of DAWN-RAFH Canada, attended a press conference on June 10th organized by the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) in Toronto. The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State for Seniors was present to launch a DAWN-RAFH Canada and CACL‘s pan-Canadian community development project “Preventing and Responding to Elder Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities and Deaf People”.

Release of Plan Canada Report – DAWN Canada contributed their expertise in the writing of Plan Canada’s report titled “A Girl’s Right to Learn Without Fear: Working to End Gender-Based Violence at School“. This report explores how ‘gender-based violence is a major and critical factor threatening the education of children, and particularly girls’.

Release of Report “Women with Disabilities & Breast Cancer Screening: An Environmental Scan” - On June 19th, DAWN-RAFH Canada and the Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN) held a press conference to launch a significant report entitled “Women with Disabilities & Breast Cancer Screening” that identifies barriers to adequate breast cancer screening for women with disabilities and Deaf women in Canada, as well as recommendations for improving access. This press conference coincided with a two-day national meeting about a pan-Canadian project by DAWN-RAFH Canada and the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) that examines cancer screening and prevention practices for people with disabilities and Deaf people in order to highlight existing barriers to health services with respect to cancer screening.

In the news / Dans les nouvelles:

Betty Anne Gagnon -  Betty Anne Gagnon was a woman with an intellectual and a visual impairment who died on November 20, 2009, at age 48, while under the care of her sister Denise and brother-in-law Michael Scriven. They are awaiting sentencing on charges of failure to provide the necessities of life. Betty Anne Gagnon’s case is another example of the violence and abuse experienced by women with disabilities.

Batwheel arrive sur le web -  La websérie Batwheel raconte les aventures d’une superhéroïne en fauteuil roulant. Elle se bat contre le vilain Système. Derrière le masque de Batwheel se cache Maxime D. Pomerleau. Cette dynamique héroïne du quotidien, atteinte du syndrome de McCune-Albright, donne avec humour un nouveau visage aux personnes handicapées.
Carolyn Pioro on life after a devastating spinal cord accident - Carolyn Pioro, web intern at Chatelaine magazine, was a circus perfomer and waitress when a training accident left her with spinal chord injury that rendered her quadriplegic.
Marche contre l’euthanasie à Québec - Le Rassemblement québécois contre l’euthanasie est un organisme sans but lucratif qui a comme mission de contrer toute tentative d’introduire de quelque façon que ce soit l’euthanasie et le suicide assisté dans notre système de santé québécois.

High River woman killed trying to help a friend - Jacqui Brocklebank was swept up in the floodwaters in High River on Thursday, June 18th during the flooding in Alberta. The 33-year-old had cerebral palsy and was well known to residents as she often walked around the town and stopped in for a chat with people she knew.