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200076 gala'20 - 20_Layout 1 20-01-27 2:37 PM Page 1 FEBRUARY 2020 MAGAZINE 200076 gala'20 - 20_Layout 1 20-01-27 2:37 PM Page 2 Deloitte is a proud supporter of the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons, and celebrates its 36th annual Great Valentine Gala. www.deloitte.ca k'HORLWWH//3DQGDɝOLDWHGHQWLWLHV 200076 gala'20 - 20_Layout 1 20-01-27 2:37 PM Page 3 ZÜxtà itÄxÇà|ÇxZtÄt IN THIS ISSUE WhyNot. Magazine / FEBRUARY 2020 Published by the Canadian Foundation A Gala Welcome for Physically Disabled Persons, 4 6 Garamond Court, Suite 265, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1Z5 Telephone (416) 760-7351 A Gala Celebration Fax (416) 760-9405 6 Welcome to the 36th annual Great Valentine Gala E-Mail: [email protected] in support of Canadians who live with disability Web: www.cfpdp.com facebook.com/cffpdp twitter.com/cffpdp The 2020 King Clancy Awards 10 Publisher: Deb Lewis The CFPDP honours Editor: Patrick Allossery Laura Dottori-Attanasio and Penny Hartin Publication Coordinator: Rob Ham Design & Production: Craig Allen Leading by Example Printing: Thompson Printing, Paris, Ontario 12 Announcing our Corporate Award winners: The reproduction of articles from WhyNot. Manulife and Ryerson University Magazine, with the exception of copyright material, is welcome provided the source is acknowledged. Additional copies of WhyNot. A Seat at the Table Magazine are available from the Publisher at An update on the CFPDP’s effort to create 14 a cost of $3.00 each plus shipping and handling. boardroom opportunities for Canadians with disabilities A Gala Salute 15 Meet Tamara Gordon, this year’s Canadian Foundation for Physically Honourable David C. Onley Award winner Disabled Persons, a charitable organization founded in 1985, assists people with physical disabilities to live fuller lives. Its mission is to create awareness in the public, business communities and government of the abilities of persons with disabilities and their needs in the areas of housing, employment, education, accessibility, sports and recreation and research. In the past 36 years, the Foundation has raised substantial funds, which it has distributed to a wide variety of organizations and events. These ThirtySix include the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame, the Eternal Flame of Hope, the Rotary Cheshire Home, the Canadian Helen Keller Awards Luncheon, the annual Great Valentine Gala, the King Clancy Awards, the Corporate Awards, a Seat at the Table, the WhyNot Marathon, the first Canadian GalaYears Marathon for the Paralympics, Jeff Adams’ CN Tower climb, Rolling Rampage Wheelchair 10K Road Race and Rolling Rampage on the Hill. February 2020 WhyNot. 3 200076 gala'20 - 20_Layout 1 20-01-27 2:37 PM Page 4 M E As Honorary Patron of the Canadian It’s my great honor and privilege to join you Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons, this evening as an Honourary Co-Chair of the I extend the warmest of greetings on the 36th annual Great Valentine Gala. occasion of this 36th annual Great Valentine Through the years, the Canadian Foundation Gala. I am with you in spirit as you celebrate for Physically Disabled Persons has used funds winners of the King Clancy Awards and raised by the Gala to help countless individuals S Corporate Awards. with physical disability live better, more This evening’s honourees have secured real dignified lives. progress in promoting accessibility and inclusion Among its many initiatives, the CFPDP has across this country. Together they are succeeding built accessible housing for Canada’s deafblind in building a more just, sustainable, and resilient community, supplied vital services to those future—a world that works for everyone. To with disabilities at the community level and them, I say: Congratulations and enjoy this helped create awareness and support for our S moment. May you persist in your efforts to country’s Paralympic athletes. create a more inclusive Ontario. We all have Still, the need remains urgent for some of much to learn from you. our most vulnerable citizens. This comes with my best wishes for a Across Canada, more than four million memorable time together. people live with a disability. And as our The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell population expands and ages, this number will A Lieutenant Governor of Ontario steadily grow – leading to more challenges and increased need. Unquestionably, it is daunting to think of the work we must do as a society to ensure that all Canadians can live their lives with dignity and hope. But there is a reason that Canada is recog- nized around the world for its big-heartedness, G sense of fairness and acceptance of others. I believe that, with your generous support, we can collectively overcome the obstacles that arise, and Canada will continue to evolve into a more inclusive and equitable society. Please accept my wishes for an enjoyable gala. E The Honourable Peter MacKay S Partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP 4 WhyNot. February 2020 200076 gala'20 - 20_Layout 1 20-01-27 2:38 PM Page 5 As a proud supporter of the Canadian Foundation Greetings and welcome to our 36th annual I wish to offer a heartfelt welcome to everyone for Physically Disabled Persons (CFPDP), it gives Great Valentine Gala. attending the Canadian Foundation for Physically me great pleasure to join you as Honourary Since it’s inception, this special evening Disabled Person’s 36th annual Great Valentine Co-Chair of the foundation’s 36th annual Great has provided us all with a chance once a year to Gala. It’s a huge honour to serve as chair of this Valentine Gala. pause our busy lives and show appreciation to enduring fundraising event, which plays such a An estimated four million Canadians currently those outstanding individuals who, through their vital role in enhancing the lives of people living live with a physical, psychiatric or developmental remarkable achievements and contributions, help with disabilities. disability, and as the population ages, this improve the lives of people living with disability. In particular, I want to thank our donors for number will only grow larger. This year, we’re proud to name Tamara their extraordinary generosity and loyalty to our For more than three and a half decades, the Gordon as the recipient of our David C. Onley shared cause. Great Valentine Gala has provided vital funding Award, which recognizes extraordinary service The money raised each year through this Gala for CFPDP’s mission of raising awareness of the to Canadians with disabilities. Tamara, who was directly funds the CFPDP’s many praiseworthy needs of those in the disability community and confined to a wheelchair after a skiing accident, endeavours, from high-profile awareness- delivering programs and services that directly founded the Tamara Gordon Foundation, which building initiatives like Rolling Rampage to its improve their daily lives. provides financial assistance to physically longstanding financial assistance to the Canadian In addition, the gala also serves as a high- disabled students pursuing a post-secondary Helen Keller Centre to exciting new social- profile platform for celebrating the remarkable education. change programs like A Seat at the Table, achievements and contributions of Canadians There are two recipients of our cherished which encourages and assists corporations with disabilities. Significantly, this puts the King Clancy Award, which recognizes outstanding in the recruitment of candidates with physical spotlight on the idea of capabilities, rather than personal achievements and contributions to our disabilities to board positions. disabilities, and helps create public support for cause: Penny Hartin, former CEO of the World Your support is essential to the CFPDP’s ability the removal of barriers that prevent people from Blind Union and a longtime senior manager at to continue its important work on behalf the reaching their potential. the CNIB, and Laura Dottori-Attanasio, an extraor- disability community. Many barriers have been Without question, every Canadian deserves to dinary fundraiser and exemplary volunteer. removed, but much more needs to be done to be treated with respect and fairness. With your Finally, our Corporate Award goes to two create a world of equal access and opportunity. generous support, the foundation will continue to worthy organizations, Manulife and Ryerson Thank you in advance for your contributions make a real difference in the lives of people with University, in recognition of their exemplary again this year. disabilities. efforts to support the needs of people with I want to express my gratitude to everyone On behalf of my colleagues at Paramount physical disabilities. who helped make this evening possible. The Fine Foods, I want to thank The Honourable Vim Please join me in congratulating our 2020 list includes the CFPDP’s many hardworking Kochhar and everyone at the CFPDP, including its awards recipients and thanking them for their volunteers and patrons, the foundation’s staff many hardworking volunteers and partners, for valuable accomplishments and service. and its wide network of supportive partners. their dedication and focus on this noble cause. On behalf of everyone at the foundation, Thank you and enjoy the evening. Dr. Mohamad Fakih thank you to our patrons, volunteers and many George Przybylowski CEO, Paramount Fine Foods supportive partners. I wish you a wonderful Chair, The Great Valentine Gala evening. The Honourable Vim Kochhar Chair, Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons February 2020 WhyNot. 5 200076 gala'20 - 20_Layout 1 20-01-27 2:38 PM Page 6 As we celebrate our 36th year, the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons continues to evolve and take on new challenges in its ongoing mission to improve the IN SUPPORT OF 2020 Emcee, lives of Canadians with Suhana Meharchand physical disabilities When we held our first Gala back in 1985, For proof, look no further than the federal our ambition was to build a community of like- government’s grant of royal assent last year to the minded individuals and organizations dedicated Accessible Canada Act.