Friend,

I have worked in the disability sector for more than 20 years, and I've seen both meaningful progress and persistent challenges. While accessibility and inclusion have advanced in many areas, attitudinal barriers remain among the most difficult obstacles to overcome. People with disabilities are too often underestimated, their abilities questioned before they have the opportunity to demonstrate their talents, skills, and potential.

Yet throughout my career, we have celebrated countless individuals with disabilities who are succeeding as professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, advocates, community leaders, and changemakers. Their achievements are proof that disability is not what holds people back. Rather, it is the assumptions, biases, and barriers that continue to limit opportunities.

Every October, on Disability Employment Month, I find myself thinking about stories like restaurant franchise owner Mark Wafer's, where one-third of employees were individuals with disabilities. The results spoke for themselves: lower turnover, lower absenteeism, better safety records, and higher productivity. And his business model isn't unique. Across sectors, employers continue to see the return on disability—the value of giving people the opportunity to contribute their talents, skills and perspectives.

I hope that this month reminds us all that when we focus on people's abilities and potential, instead of their limitations, everyone benefits.

Friend, I encourage you to reflect on how we can continue creating communities and workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, belong, and thrive. Thank you for being part of this important work.

With hope and gratitude,

Thony Jean-Baptiste

ABLE2 Director of Programs

"In the workplace, one in five Canadian workers experience some form of disability, and many of the most common disability types can be invisible. Pain-related disabilities lead at 62%, followed by flexibility at 40%, mobility at 39%, and mental health-related disabilities at 39%. A colleague who may appear fine in meetings may be managing chronic pain through every hour of the workday."

ABLE2 Executive Director Heather Lacey shares her insights on invisible disabilities, the attitudinal barriers that often accompany them, and how workplaces can create environments where employees feel safe asking for support without having to prove they deserve it. Read the full ED blog here.

National Post highlights how ABLE2's Reach Legal Referral Services helps people with disabilities connect with volunteer legal professionals for free, confidential consultations. The article explores the barriers many people face when navigating the justice system and why accessible legal information is essential to ensuring everyone can understand and exercise their rights.

Read the full article on the National Post here.

ABLE2’s Holiday Dinner and Dance is on December 6 at the Hellenic Event Centre! Join us for a heartwarming evening filled with festive cheer, delicious holiday fare, joyful dancing, and the spirit of togetherness with the ABLE2 community. 

Date: Sunday, December 6, 2026

Time: 5:30 to 9:30 pm (Pick-ups must be booked before 9:30 pm)

Venue: Hellenic Event Centre, 1315 Prince of Wales Dr., Ottawa, On K2C 1N2

Enjoy a holiday buffet dinner with a special menu prepared just for you. Please inform us of any dietary restrictions. Cash bar available for alcoholic beverages. 

Cost: $30/person

We accept all major credit cards through our online ticketing platform. Debit cards are not accepted. To pay by cash or e-transfer, contact Jessica at 613-761-9522 ext. 235 or events@able2.org.

Please let us know if you require accommodations or have any accessibility needs upon registering, and we will do our best to make sure you have a seamless and wonderful Holiday Dinner and Dance experience! View the full accessibility information here.

Registration closes on November 19, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. or when all spaces are filled.

If you have any questions or require assistance in registering, please contact us at events@able2.org. 

In respect of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we welcome you to join us for a webinar on 'When the Legal System Isn’t Built for You: Procedural barriers facing people with disabilities', as part of our GROW Education Series.

Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2026 – 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST via Zoom

Navigating the legal system can be complicated. For people with disabilities, court, tribunal and administrative processes can come with additional barriers and challenges that are not always understood or recognized. This session will be a practical legal education on where the process trips everyone up, and show where it breaks differently for people with disabilities.

Speaker: Lorin MacDonald, CM, OOnt, LSM, JD, is a human rights lawyer whose advocacy for accessibility and disability rights spans more than three decades. Living with profound hearing loss, she brings lived experience to litigation, policy, and education.

Learn more about the session and register here.

Disability is the most common ground for human rights complaints in Canada. (Canadian Human Rights Commission, 2022)

Yet every year, thousands of people with disabilities in Ottawa still face legal challenges in housing, employment, and human rights, without knowing where to start or who to ask. 



Through ABLE2’s Reach Legal Referral & Education Services, people with disabilities are connected to volunteer legal professionals who understand the unique challenges they face—giving them the knowledge to understand their rights, clarity on their options, and a path forward. 

This Giving Tuesday, empower people with disabilities to assert their rights and access the justice they deserve.

• BuildABLE is hosting Dance Party on the Hill on October 28 from 12-1:30 pm at the Parliament Hill grounds. This is a gathering of fun, community, and advocacy for continued work on the Canada Disability Benefit. More information here.
• The Ottawa Developmental Services Network (ODSN) is hosting Family Forum on November 14 at 7 Bayview Station Road from 8:30 am to 3 pm. This event is a unique opportunity to connect with families and dedicated organizations, learn from one another, and build lasting relationships. More information here.

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