Explore every episode of the podcast Disability Rights, and Wrongs: The David Lepodcast

In this first episode, David Lepofsky shares one of his most impactful advocacy stories—the time he dragged the Toronto Transit Commission to the Human Rights Tribunal just so blind riders could know what subway stop they were at. Sounds simple, right? It wound up being a 12 year battle. But thanks to that fight, we now have the automated stop announcements you hear on every subway and bus in Toronto. David walks us through the struggle, the wins, and the lessons learned along the way.

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

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David Lepofsky and AMI’s Jacob Shymanski discuss the latest in disability rights … and wrongs. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Builders and architects are overwhelmingly misinformed on the realities of what it takes to make our shared spaces accessible. Why is this?

One of Canada’s top built environment accessibility experts, Thea Kurdi, makes it clear that a few persistent misconceptions continue to counter efforts to make our shared spaces fully accessible. Those misconceptions are:

- Building codes insure accessibility
- Accessible buildings will be more expensive
- Accessible buildings will be ugly

In this episode, you’ll learn why all three of these ideas are misguided and what you can do to make our shared spaces more accessible.

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
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• Email feedback@ami.ca

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Our hope as disability rights advocates is that the messages of our campaigns reach the desks of the decision makers; the CEOs, organization presidents and high level politicians. But what does our labour and messaging look like from the other side of the desk? Today, we share a conversation David had with former premiere of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne about what we can do to get into the busy agendas of people in high level positions. This episode is the first of two parts with Kathleen Wynne. Kathleen Wynne’s December 3, 2022 letter to the AODA Alliance stating what she committed to do if she were elected leader of the Ontario Liberal Party: https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/new2012/kathleen-wynne-is-second-ontario-liberal-leadership-candidate-to-make-disability-accessibility-commitments/ Breaking News –Premier Wynne has Just Announced in the Legislature that the Ontario Government Agrees to Develop an Education Accessibility Standard under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/breaking-news-premier-wynne-has-just-announced-in-the-legislature-that-the-ontario-government-agrees-to-develop-an-education-accessibility-standard-under-the-accessibility-for-ontarians-with/ Learn more about our advocacy on accessibility for students with disabilities www.aodaalliance.org/education About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Getting media attention is an invaluable tool for disability rights advocates. Whether you’re trying to pressure your provincial/state government or a private company, the public scrutiny a high profile media piece can provide is often the decisive factor that turns an advocacy battle in your favour.

In this episode, David talks to Michelle McQuigge, a Canadian Press journalist of nearly 20 years. She is very familiar with the processes within news organizations that dictate whether or not a potential story gets published. It has to be understood that news outlets receive dozens, if not hundreds of emails with potential stories every single day. Michelle shows us how to cut through that noise by telling us how journalists think and what editors are looking for.

With the information found in this episode, disability rights advocates fighting disability barriers can confidently approach the media with compelling stories that they’ll actually want to cover.

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email feedback@ami.ca

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In this episode, you’ll hear from Bruce MacIntosh about a remarkable disability advocacy campaign he helped organize in the 2000s. It centered around hugely problematic, arguably unconstitutional, age cutoffs for crucial government funded therapies for Ontarian children with Autism. The 26 events they put on directly lead to the government backing down. While this was only one small chapter in a much larger advocacy battle, this moment showed that successes can be had when a motivated group of advocates utilize smart strategies and clever messaging. 

It's great to hear disability advocacy stories that lead to real progress but this episode is about extracting the specific elements that made the campaign successful, like creativity, a practical organizational structure and precise messaging, among many others.

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

• X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia
• Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio
• Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc
• TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc
• Email feedback@ami.ca

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In this second half of the conversation David had with former Premiere of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, they combine forces to offer tips for advocates on a range of topics. This includes how to get through the door if you don’t already have a relationship with the person/office you’re looking to reach, how to compose compelling emails and even how to actually handle yourself during crucial meetings.   About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lisa Freeman is a physician and professor who lives with chronic illness. In this episode, she illuminates the factors that lead to hospitals and medical clinics being inaccessible spaces. She also provides fantastic tips on how to advocate for yourself as a patient with a disability. To learn more about disability barriers in the health care system and advocacy to remove and prevent these barriers, check out: David Lepofsky’s fall 2019 lecture at Osgoode Hall Law School on disability barriers in health care: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2yuFz_z9V0&feature=youtu.be The series of videos on the AODA Alliance website on disability accessibility issues in health care: https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/check-out-this-new-captioned-video-series-on-tackling-the-many-disability-barriers-in-ontarios-healthcare-system/ The final report on health care barriers by the Ontario Government’s Health Care Standards Development Committee: https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/download-in-ms-word-format-the-final-report-of-the-health-care-standards-development-committee-recommending-what-the-promised-health-care-accessibility-standard-should-include-submitted-to-the-ford/ The AODA Alliance’s August 3rd, 2021 brief to the Health Care Standards Development Committee https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/tell-the-health-care-standards-development-committee-if-you-support-the-aoda-alliances-recommendations-on-what-the-promised-health-care-accessibility-standard-should-include-spelled-out-in-the-aoda/ About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Bruce McIntosh continues his remarkable story of disability rights advocacy: The Ontario Autism Coalition’s clash with the Ontarian government over funding policies for children’s Autism therapy. This time, he highlights successes they had during Kathleen Wynne’s term as well as how they achieved those positive outcomes. He also gives his first-hand account of a major controversy that took place in 2019, when Doug ford began his term as premiere of Ontario. Ford brazenly broke his promise to eliminate the massive wait list of children awaiting funding for therapy. Nearly a decade of progress was wiped out in a single press announcement. Bruce, who was a policy advisor for the government at the time, resigned in protest at great personal cost. The resignation became a massive story in it of itself. Clip of “Doug Ford is a Liar” sourced from Canadian Press: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiPY2pLbXOg About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode of Disability Rights and Wrongs highlights a powerful story of advocacy that illustrates an important reality of the work of an advocate; Golden opportunities for progress can present themselves at any time. In this case, Maayan Ziv, a respected disability rights advocate and entrepreneur, took a cross-Atlantic flight in September 2022 with her power wheelchair stowed away in the cargo hold. Despite having taken multiple measures to keep it protected during the flight, she found it mangled and destroyed on arrival. The emotional video she posted on Instagram just after the incident went viral, stirring up a media storm that finally brought attention to an issue people with disabilities know all too well: the accessibility, or lack-there-of, Canadian airlines. Maayan lays out the many barriers she and many others face when travelling by air and reflects on the impact of the video. Link to David's full presentation to the standing committee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5EV5zJTDDI Link to the AODA's brief to the House of Commons: https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aodaalliance.org%2Fwhats-new%2Fread-the-march-18-2024-aoda-alliance-brief-to-the-house-of-commons-standing-committee-on-transport-re-disability-barriers-in-air-travel-long-version%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cjacobshymanski%40ami.ca%7Ca24231fd5a2948e9ba6e08de4e39649f%7C03ac09d7988d4c2c906f5de452aa8a83%7C0%7C0%7C639034205590879241%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=wMlfb%2BUx1NNinh40FEKbPTllWQhldik8DeI7GgLAoao%3D&reserved=0 About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There is a critical lack of accessible housing in Canada. 1 in 5 Canadians have a disability and our population is aging. This problem isn’t going away; it’s going to get worse. With so much recent talk of country building projects, especially around addressing the wider housing crisis, accessible homes cannot be neglected. Kate Chung is a grassroots advocate for accessible housing. She organizes with the Raging Grannies, a collective of activist groups of older women who use humor and satire to protest social justice issues. In part 2 of this conversation with Kate Chung, David learns about the importance of accessible housing and what we can do about it. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There is a critical lack of accessible housing in Canada. 1 in 5 Canadians have a disability and our population is aging. This problem isn’t going away; it’s going to get worse. With so much recent talk of country building projects, especially around addressing the wider housing crisis, accessible homes cannot be neglected. Kate Chung is a grassroots advocate for accessible housing. She organizes with the Raging Grannies, a collective of activist groups of older women who use humor and satire to protest social justice issues. In this episode, David learns from Kate about the importance of accessible housing and what we can do about it. About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 1981, the then Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre-elliot Trudeau was dead set on repatriating the constitution of Canada. At the time, our constitution was effectively under the control of the British parliament. Repatriating it meant that Canada would finally have the power to amend it without British approval. In the process, Trudeau also wanted to introduce a charter of rights and freedoms, which would enshrine the rights of protected groups directly into our constitution. The problem? Canadians with disabilities were not included in the list of protected groups. This is part 2 of 2 of the story of the advocates who successfully lobbied to have disability rights included in the new Charter of Rights and Freedoms. David Lepofsky, fresh from law-school, was among them, along with fellow disability rights advocate and lawyer, Yvonne Peters. The two share their perspectives of this landmark victory in disability advocacy. David Lepofsky’s memoir: Swimming Up Niagara Falls! The Battle to Get Disability Rights Added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms” is Available online for free download at https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/swimming-up-niagara-falls-the-battle-to-get-disability-rights-added-to-the-canadian-charter-of-rights-and-freedoms-by-aoda-alliance-chair-david-lepofsky-now-available-as-free-audio-book-ms-word/ in pdf, MS Word, e-pub formats and as a free audio book, or for purchase as a hard copy book from Amazon or as a Kindle e-book from Kindle. Watch David Lepofsky’s December 12, 1980 presentation to the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons ofCanada on the Constitution of Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBdYFUtAslc David Lepofsky’s January 29, 1981 Interview on CBC Radio This Country in the Morning re the Disability Amendment to the Charter of Rights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnqNpeGhWP0 David Lepofsky’s November 26, 1981 Interview on CBC Radio This Country in the Morning re the Disability Amendment to the Charter of Rights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcn6mZcJeLc September 16, 2024 Interview with AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky on TVO’s “The Agenda With Steve Paikin” on His Memoir About the Battle in 1980 to Get Disability Equality Rights Added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rELGQu2ulSI About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In October 1980, Canada’s Prime Minister, Pierre-elliot Trudeau was dead set on repatriating the constitution of Canada. At the time, Canada’s constitution was under the control of the British parliament. Repatriating it meant that Canada could finally amend it without needing British approval. Trudeau also wanted to add a charter of rights and freedoms to Canada’s Constitution, which would create a set of new constitutional rights that no government could violate. The problem? The new constitutional right to equality to be included in the Charter of Rights did not protect people with disabilities from discrimination. This episode tells the story of the advocates who successfully lobbied to have disability rights included in the new Charter of Rights. David Lepofsky, fresh from law-school, was among them, along with fellow disability rights advocate and social worker , Yvonne Peters. The two together, both now retired lawyers who are blind, share their perspectives on this landmark victory in disability advocacy. Yvonne Peters became a lawyer after these events, and devoted her career to human rights issues. David Lepofsky and Yvonne Peters did not meet each other or learn about each other’s efforts in support of the disability amendment until years later. David Lepofsky’s memoir: Swimming Up Niagara Falls! The Battle to Get Disability Rights Added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms” is Available online for free download at https://www.aodaalliance.org/whats-new/swimming-up-niagara-falls-the-battle-to-get-disability-rights-added-to-the-canadian-charter-of-rights-and-freedoms-by-aoda-alliance-chair-david-lepofsky-now-available-as-free-audio-book-ms-word/ in pdf, MS Word, e-pub formats and as a free audio book, or for purchase as a hard copy book from Amazon or as a Kindle e-book from Kindle. Watch David Lepofsky’s December 12, 1980 presentation to the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons ofCanada on the Constitution of Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBdYFUtAslc David Lepofsky’s January 29, 1981 Interview on CBC Radio This Country in the Morning re the Disability Amendment to the Charter of Rights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnqNpeGhWP0 David Lepofsky’s November 26, 1981 Interview on CBC Radio This Country in the Morning re the Disability Amendment to the Charter of Rights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcn6mZcJeLc September 16, 2024 Interview with AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky on TVO’s “The Agenda With Steve Paikin” on His Memoir About the Battle in 1980 to Get Disability Equality Rights Added to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rELGQu2ulSI About AMI AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca. Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+ Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online: - X /Twitter @AccessibleMedia - Instagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audio - Facebook at @AccessibleMediaInc - TikTok @AccessibleMediaInc - Email feedback@ami.ca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.