Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network

Staying Connected Call (Weekly Zoom Call)
2023-09-20 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-09-27 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-10-04 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-10-18 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-10-25 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-11-01 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-11-08 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-11-15 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) and 7 more dates
You’re invited to gather with long-time and new friends, learn about current advocacy opportunities, connect with others during fun sharing activities, and exchange ideas.
Please join the conversation, either by video or phone, and visit with other families looking to connect with families like YOU!
Email hello@plan.ca for the link!

Annual General Meeting
2023-09-25 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Vancouver)
Save this date for the PLAN Annual General Meeting

Cancelled for this Week - Staying Connected Call
2023-10-11 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver)
This week’s Staying Connected call is cancelled.
See you next week!

What could the Canada Disability Benefit mean for poverty and food insecurity?
2023-10-11 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Toronto)
Join us for a panel discussion with leading advocates from the disability community about the forthcoming Canada Disability Benefit.
This is an opportunity to engage, share perspectives, and connect with folks who are passionate about ending poverty and food insecurity among people with disabilities in Canada, including people with lived experience, community advocates, and Members of Parliament (MPs). All are welcome!
Guests will have time to socialize and informally discuss the learnings from the panel over light refreshments.
Daily Bread Food Bank is committed to ensuring our events are accessible to all members of the community. The venue has fully accessible seating and washrooms, and an ASL Interpretation will be provided. If you require any accommodations or have questions about the event’s accessibility, please let us know when you register OR reaching out to research@dailybread.ca
Doors open at 6:15PM, panel starts at 6:30PM, and the event will end at 8:30PM.
Transit & parking information can be found below.

Panel Moderator:
Amanda MacKenzie – National Director of Public Affairs, March of Dimes Canada
Amanda MacKenzie joined March of Dimes Canada in August, 2020 with a varied background in advocacy, public affairs and government and stakeholder relations. At March of Dimes Canada, Amanda has led the development of a full-service Public Affairs and advocacy program, raising March of Dimes Canada’s profile as both and with federal, provincial/territorial and municipal governments and stakeholders, with a focus on advocating with and for Canadians with disabilities on income security and independence at home and community. Amanda’s professional experience is coupled by a deep personal connection to March of Dimes Canada’s mission, as she was legal guardian for her little brother, Graham, who lived with intellectual and physical disabilities. Prior to joining March of Dimes Canada, Amanda built and led grassroots advocacy and multifaceted public affairs programs at the Ontario Dental Association and The Arthritis Society. Amanda began her career in Ontario provincial politics as a policy advisor to then-Minister of Natural Resources, followed by working on the development of supports for small- and medium-size enterprises, Ontario trades workers, and municipal recovery in the office of Premier Dalton McGuinty. Amanda is a Toronto native whose son, Grant, is an apprentice carpenter in Calgary. Amanda, her partner and two bonus young teens live in central Toronto, accompanied by their boisterous dogs, Sprocket and Pippa.

Featured Speakers:
Margaret Eaton – National CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association
Since January 2020, Margaret has served as National CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), the most extensive and established community mental health network in the country. In her time there, Margaret has championed universal mental health care and the role of community mental health organizations in delivering care to Canadians. Prior to her time at CMHA, Margaret held leadership roles in social service organizations, publishing and the performing arts. She has volunteered as a mentor and as a board member for many not-for-profit organizations in immigration, literacy and the arts. In 2012, she was awarded a Diamond Jubilee medal for contributions to literacy and culture. In 2021, Margaret was named one of the Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists.
Rabia Khedr – National Director, Disability Without Poverty
Rabia Khedr is dedicated to equity and justice for persons with disabilities, women, and diverse communities. Rabia most recently served as a Director on the Accessibility Standards Canada board and a Commissioner on the Ontario Human Rights Commission. She sits on the Minister’s Disability Advisory Group. She is the National Director of Disability Without Poverty and CEO of DEEN Support Services. A founder of Race and Disability Canada, she is also a board member of the Muslim Council of Peel and the Federation of Muslim Women. A motivational speaker and documentary commentator, Rabia draws on her lived experience of being blind and advocating for siblings with intellectual disabilities. Rabia has received numerous awards for her humanitarian services, including a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Metal and the Daniel G. Hill Human Rights award. Rabia holds a Bachelor of Arts (University of Toronto) and a Master of Arts (York University).
Jonathan Lai – Executive Director, Autism Alliance of Canada
Jonathan Lai (PhD) is the Executive Director at Autism Alliance of Canada. He also holds an Adjunct Faculty position in Health Services Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME) in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Previously, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at York University, examining predictors of changes in service use for people with developmental disabilities. He led a series of TEDx talks and other integrated knowledge translation projects. This was followed by a CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship at McGill University and the Centre for Innovation in Autism and Intellectual Disabilities, where he led the development of a program evaluation of a specialized medical-dental primary care clinic for people with developmental disabilities, led federal government engagement of evidence-use in policy dialogues, and reports at the United Nations Convention on research evidence used in rights-based approaches for children with disabilities in Canada. His graduate training in Neuroscience at Guelph and McMaster focused on gene-environment influences on the developing brain, funded consecutively by Ontario Mental Health Foundation and a CIHR Vanier Scholarship.
Trevor Manson – Secretary Co-Chair, ODSP Action Coalition
Born in Nova Scotia, Trevor Manson started playing drums at age 12 and by age 15 had started playing with other local musicians. In 1990 at age 22, he relocated to Toronto, playing in numerous bands over the next couple of decades, blessing him with the opportunity to travel to many parts of Canada collecting memories that will last a lifetime. Simultaneously, starting in 1995, Trevor spent over two decades in market research, working his way up to senior project and resource management roles until developing a debilitating neuromuscular condition that unceremoniously ended both careers. Following release from hospital when Trevor started learning about the draconian and mind-boggling rules associated with our so-called social ‘safety net’ in 2015-16 — particularly regarding ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) — he transferred his attention and skills to advocating for himself and others, and now participates in various grassroots advocacy groups as a co-chair with ODSP Action Coalition. Music is still an integral part of Trevor’s life as he still enjoys noodling on his electronic drum-kit in his 400sq ft. bachelor apartment, and he has a small but impressive collection of Hot Wheels.

Come for Coffee
2023-10-14 10:30 - 12:00, 2023-11-18 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | McGill Library 4595 Albert St, Burnaby, BC V5C 2G6, 4595 Albert St, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5C 2G6, Canada
After almost 3 years of online gatherings, we are so relieved to be able regularly to be together in-person as a PLAN community. We missed each other!
As a network of networks we understand how important it is to be present with one another to share experiences, ideas, and support for each other and are so pleased to be able to return to the tradition of gathering together!
We’d like to invite you to “Come for Coffee!”
All are welcome at this monthly gathering and we hope you will join in for a casual time for conversations and connections.
Please click here to RSVP and let us know that you are coming!

Family Network
2023-10-17 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-12-12 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Online Via Zoom
The Family Network monthly meetings are a way to connect with other family members to learn, share and have some laughs along the way.
The monthly Zoom meetings are co-hosted by Shelley Nessman and Claire Inkster.
We looking forward to connecting with you to create a yearly calendar that will be tailored to your interests and wishes.
Meetings will be held on Zoom on the 3rd Tuesday of every month (with a break in August for summer holidays) 6:30 to 8:00pm

Please click here for more information or to sign-up for the Family Network

Stetson Law - Special Needs Planning Conference
2023-10-18 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver)
Together with our partners from Golden State Pooled Trust, Rebecca will be at the Stetson Law – Special Needs Planning Conference.
Click here for more information

AdvoCon 2023: Dream a Little Dream with Me
2023-10-21 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver)
Shelley will be presenting a session at this year’s AdvocCon conference called: “Dream a little Dream with Me.”
When we are making plans for the future of our loved ones or ourselves, it is important to know why we have the goals we do! Our dreams can be big and small, long term or short term and can be used to energize our plans!
Come for an interactive session and explore your dreams for a good future. We will do some storytelling, drawing and listening to share with one another.
Click here for more information

PLAN Calgary - Personal Networks Workshop
2023-10-28 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver)
Shelley will be providing a workshop on Personal Networks for PLAN Calgary.
Click here for more information:
https://plancalgary.ca/events

Family Network
2023-11-21 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver)

PLAN Family Network
2023-11-21 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Online Via Zoom
Please join the PLAN Family Network on
Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.
for a Family Conversation on
“Connecting with Friends through Holiday and Cultural Observations”
Families who have experienced similar challenges are the best resources for one another – that’s why the PLAN Family Network hosts monthly family conversations!
At 6:30 pm on the third Tuesday of each month, during an online gathering facilitated by Shelley Nessman, families come together to engage in conversations, learn from one another, and provide mutual support as they discuss matters related to their lives and future planning.
The PLAN Family Network invites you to join the next Family Conversation on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm held on Zoom.
We hope you’ll come by and be a part of a conversation on, “Connecting with Friends through Holiday and Cultural Observations”, where you can share your story, learn together, and foster connections with other families.
Please kindly send your RSVP to Shelley Nessman at snessman@plan.ca
Details for joining by Zoom
Date Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Time 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Location Zoom
RSVP to snessman@plan.ca

Holiday Celebration
2023-12-03 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
You are invited to the
2023 PLAN Holiday Celebration
Date: Sunday, December 3, 2023
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Bonsor Recreation Center
Address: 6550 Bonsor Ave, Burnaby, BC V5H 3G4
The PLAN Holiday Celebration is a special annual event where we gather to reflect on the year that is coming to an end and look forward to all that lies ahead. We do this through a delicious meal, sharing stories and songs, being creative – and being together! We hope that you are able to join this year and invite you to bring along your families, friends and networks.
Here is the plan for the Holiday Celebration:
3:00pm-4:00pm – Getting in the Holiday Spirit
For those of you who like a little more time to chat and catch up with a smaller group of people, we will have a time of visiting before the dinner begins. There will be Holiday Carol singing, a Hot Chocolate Bar and a Card Making station for your enjoyment. This is an optional add-on to the Holiday Celebration, so some people may choose to come for 3:00pm, and others will arrive at 4:00pm. The choice is yours!
4:00pm-4:30pm – Stories of Celebration
This year, more than 15 PLAN Members have moved to a new home which makes “Home for the Holidays” a very fitting theme. As part of our Holiday Celebration you will have an opportunity to hear stories about “Home” and have a chance to share what having A Place to Call Home means to you.
4:30pm-6:00pm – Dinner
By popular request, this year we will be serving a full turkey dinner. Please bring your appetites and be ready for Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Vegetables and of course, cranberry sauce. Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-Free meals will also be available by request. (Please let us know if you would like a special diet meal when you RSVP.)
Accessibility wise, this venue has lots of parking, and is easy to get to from transit (give us a call if you want a hand trip-planning!) While the room is on the second floor, there are functional elevators, wide doors, and well equipped restrooms. The Holiday Celebration will be taking place in a large well ventilated room and quiet spaces will also be available. ASL interpretation will also be available upon request.
Please let us know if there are any questions that you have, or if there is anything that we can do to support your full participation.
While there is no charge for this special event, we do invite you to contribute by making a donation to PLAN. We will have a Donation Basket at the event, or you can donate online at www.plan.ca/donate.
Please respond to this invitation as soon as you can and definitely before November 24, 2023 to let us know if you are able to make it and the names of all people that will be attending with you.
Looking forward to seeing you and celebrating the holiday season together!

Come for Coffee
2023-12-09 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver)
After almost 3 years of online gatherings, we are so relieved to be able regularly to be together in-person as a PLAN community. We missed each other!
As a network of networks we understand how important it is to be present with one another to share experiences, ideas, and support for each other and are so pleased to be able to return to the tradition of gathering together!
We’d like to invite you to “Come for Coffee!”
All are welcome at this monthly gathering and we hope you will join in for a casual time for conversations and connections.
Please click here to RSVP and let us know that you are coming!

Location for this event will be announced soon!

PLAN Affiliate Partners Call
2024-01-10 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver)
