Weekly Email Digest for Information Sharing Purposes October 14 - October 17, 2025

Contents
Arts
Disabled lives are NOT disposable - watch LIFE AFTER and spread the word!
Interview with Jenel Shaw, Executive Director ArtsAccessibility Network Manitoba (AANM)
Nerve to Write | Call for Submissions
Communications
We need your help to broaden access to the broadcasting system
Health
World Health Organization | Championing disability inclusion in health systems and medical education: Dr Satendra Singh
Health of military personnel, veterans, public safety personnel and their loved ones: CIHRMV opens its annual forum in Ottawa
Education
Upcoming Education Session: Addressing Anti-Indigenous Racism Virtual Session
Human Rights
Equitable AI Dialogues | How to ensure diversity and disability in the world of AI
Podcast: Reimagining Disabled Futures | DAWN Canada
International
Barbados | How Parliament Can Engage Civil Society On Disability Inclusion
Newsletters
Community Legal Education Ontario
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
SFU Public Square 

Arts

Disabled lives are NOT disposable - watch LIFE AFTER and spread the word!

Click on the following link: Disabled lives are NOT disposable - watch LIFE AFTER and spread the word!

Interview with Jenel Shaw, Executive Director ArtsAccessibility Network Manitoba (AANM)

“Accessibility doesn’t help only a few groups; it helps the entire community” — Jenel Shaw

Click on the following link: "Accessibility doesn’t help only a few groups; it helps the entire community" -- Jenel Shaw | PANL

Nerve to Write | Call for Submissions

Nerve to Write, an online journal publishing poetry, nonfiction, fiction, hybrid work, and art by disabled, chronically ill, and neurodivergent writers, is accepting submissions from September 1 to November 1, 2025. Click on the following link: Submit | Nerve to Write.

Communications

We need your help to broaden access to the broadcasting system

The CRTC is launching a public consultation to help ensure that broadcasters, including online streaming services, make their content more accessible for persons with disabilities.

The CRTC has heard that some content is hard to access for persons who are blind or partially sighted, and is working to identify, remove and prevent these barriers.

To that end, the CRTC is inviting comments on whether it should update certain rules so that everyone can find and enjoy the content they want on television and online without barriers.

We invite you to provide your comments on:

• whether online services should be required to make sure people with disabilities can find and use their content on their own;
• whether the CRTC should have specific rules for certain online services instead of one set of rules for all; and
• when any new requirements should be implemented.

We encourage you to participate and ask that you share this letter with your network.

The CRTC is accepting comments until December 15, 2025. You can comment by:

filling out the online form;

writing to the Secretary General, CRTC, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0N2;

sending a fax to 819-994-0218; or

filing a link to a sign language video using the online form.

Those who wish to request accommodations to participate, or require assistance with submitting their comments, should contact the CRTC’s Public Hearings group at hearing@crtc.gc.ca. 

If you would like to receive news about future or ongoing CRTC processes, please subscribe to our e-mail updates.

Sincerely,
Outreach and Engagement
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Government of Canada
https://www.crtc.gc.ca 

Health

World Health Organization | Championing disability inclusion in health systems and medical education: Dr Satendra Singh

Click on the following link: Championing disability inclusion in health systems and medical education: Dr Satendra Singh

Health of military personnel, veterans, public safety personnel and their loved ones: CIHRMV opens its annual forum in Ottawa

For Immediate Release

October 16, 2025

Collaboration, innovation and knowledge at the heart of improving military, Veteran, family and public safety health: CIMVHR opens annual forum in Ottawa

(OTTAWA) – Hundreds of researchers, policymakers, practitioners and partners will gather In Ottawa, Oct. 20-22 to advance the health and wellbeing of military personnel, Veterans, public safety personnel and their families as part of the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) 2025 Forum.

“The wellbeing of Canada’s military members, veterans and their families depends on how well we understand their experiences and how we respond with compassion and evidence,” said Dr. Nicholas Held, Interim Scientific Director at CIMVHR. “The partnerships represented at CIMVHR’s Forum – between researchers, governments, health care providers and community organizations – are exactly what Canada needs to ensure the right supports are in place at every stage of service and transition.”

The Forum includes more than 200 presentations and discussions highlighting cutting-edge research, policy innovation and best practices from Canada and around the world. The forum speakers will address the importance of research-informed policy, particularly as Canada faces evolving challenges in military health, veteran care and the growing demands on public safety personnel.

The opening keynote panel, Collaborating Perspectives: Showcasing the Role of Research in Shaping the Future for Military, Veteran, Public Safety and Family Health, will feature a discussion among international government representatives on how evidence-based research informs policies, programs and supports.

The Forum will also focus on current issues and offers a special presentation Monday October 20:Psychological and Physical Assistance for Ukrainians in Times of War by Dr. Oksana Syvak. This session is highly sought after and bringing in delegates including Romeo Dallaire, L-G Retired and Andrii Plakhotniuk, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada.

Organizers say the Forum is a space where innovation meets empathy. “When researchers collaborate across disciplines and borders, we accelerate the discovery of solutions that directly benefit those who have dedicated their lives to serving others. Our role at CIMVHR is to ensure that this knowledge translates into meaningful action,” says Dr. Stéphanie Bélanger, Associate Scientific Director at CIMVHR

Since 2010, CIMVHR has built a network of 46 Canadian universities who have agreed to work together to address the health research requirements of the Canadian military, Veterans and their families. The institute acts as a conduit between the academic community and research funding organizations.

For media interviews:

Contact: Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
Email: lauren.hanlon@queensu.ca
Mobile: 613-276-6107
Website: https://cimvhrforum.ca/agenda/
Email: amy.doyle@queensu.ca
Mobile: 613-849-8163
Website: https://cimvhrforum.ca/agenda/

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FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

Monday October 20:  Researchers will showcase groundbreaking Canadian research that sheds light on pressing issues facing Veterans, military personnel and families:

• The Honourable Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence delivers opening remarks.
• Dr. Cheryl Forchuk (Western University) presents early findings from a national study on Canadian women Veterans experiencing homelessness, highlighting the urgent need for gender-informed supports.
• Dr. Jenny Jing Wen Liu (Sunnybrook Research Institute) explores at-risk profiles and resilience pathways as Veterans transition from military to civilian life.
• Dr. Alex DiBattista (Defence Research and Development Canada) presents innovative methods for uncovering brain injury through advanced biomarker analysis.

Tuesday, October 21: Researchers will present international studies, including:
• Dr. Nichola Fear (King’s College London) on mental health outcomes and alcohol misuse among UK Armed Forces over two decades.
• Cristina Stef (CIMVHR/Invictus Games Research Program) on the mental health and wellbeing impacts of participation in the 2025 Invictus Games, a topic gaining strong public interest worldwide.
Wednesday, October 22: Sessions will explore innovation and operational resilience, featuring:
• Dr. Andrew Beckett (McGill University) presenting on universal donor blood research to improve transfusion safety in combat zones.
• A keynote presentation, Thriving in the Cold: Medical Priorities to Enable Cold Weather Operational Resiliency for the Fighting Force in Canada’s High North and Arctic, by Maj Tristan M. Alie, MD, FRCPCand MCpl Laurent Belanger, focusing on research and lived experience in Arctic readiness.
• Deputy Minister Paul Ledwell will deliver closing remarks, reflecting on the week’s insights and future directions.

ABOUT CIMVHR

The Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) is a pan-Canadian network of more than 46 universities dedicated to advancing research that improves the health and wellbeing of Canadian military personnel, Veterans, public safety personnel and their families.

CIMVHR works in partnership with government departments, industry and community organizations to ensure that research evidence leads to meaningful improvements in policy, programs and care. The CIMVHR Forum continues to serve as Canada’s leading platform for translating research into real-world health improvements for those who serve the nation.

Education

Upcoming Education Session: Addressing Anti-Indigenous Racism Virtual Session

Join us for an important upcoming education session on Addressing Anti-Indigenous Racism with Randi Ray.

This session is a valuable opportunity for all educators and community members to deepen their understanding and discover practical ways to tackle anti-Indigenous racism in our schools and communities.

What will be covered:

-Practical tools for educators to address anti-Indigenous racism

- Strategies for interrupting racist comments and ensuring immediate action is taken

- Scenarios and discussions to practice the skills needed to create safer, more inclusive environments

Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Virtual session
To register, visit: https://forms.office.com/r/T38sYBV32w

Let’s come together to build more inclusive spaces for all. We hope to see you there!

Anishinabek Education System

Human Rights

Equitable AI Dialogues | How to ensure diversity and disability in the world of AI

Click on the following link: Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

Inclusion

Podcast: Reimagining Disabled Futures | DAWN Canada

Reimagining Disabled Futures explores how gender, disability, and economic inequality shape people’s lives. Each episode shares stories, ideas, and solutions for challenging systemic barriers and building more inclusive communities. From strengths-based approaches to sustainable livelihoods, we highlight ways to create lasting change and support economic security for marginalized groups.

Episode 1: What does living well mean? Click on the following link: Reimagining DisAbled Futures | Podcast on Spotify

International

Barbados | How Parliament Can Engage Civil Society On Disability Inclusion

Click on the following: Nation Update: Include those with disabilities - YouTube

Newsletters

Community Legal Education Ontario

Click on the following link: New and revised CLEO publications - October 17, 2025

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Click on the following link: Canadians with Disabilities are afraid of the healthcare system.

Click on the following link: 90,000 Canadians dead by euthanasia and counting

Click on the following link: Québec Constitution bill creates a "right" to be killed

Click on the following link: Euthanasia - Compassion or Neglect?

SFU Public Square

Click on the following link: Announcing the 2025 Sterling Prize Recipient