Thursday, December 3, 2026

9:00am - 4:00pm Eastern Time

Le Palais des congrès de Gatineau, Québec

50 Boulevard maisonneuve, 3rd floor, Deschênes room

Hosted by Inclusion Canada & People First of Canada

This year’s policy forum will explore what it takes to eliminate poverty and build financial stability for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

Format: This in-person event will include a series of panels and interactive question & answer periods. Panels include perspectives of lived experience from people with an intellectual disability and families, as well as research and policy expertise. To help us provide an accessible event, please indicate your accommodation needs and dietary restrictions when you register.

Event Pricing

Inclusion Canada and People First of Canada want all our events to be inclusive and accessible. We want to remove barriers so everybody can attend and take part.

To do this, we have different prices on our tickets. This lets people to pay what they can. But it also lets people pay more. This can cover some of the cost for another person to attend. This is one way we can help to make things more equal. This is one way we can address the financial barriers that people with disabilities face.

Please look at these options and pick the one that meets your needs.

Standard Ticket $125 + tax – This option covers the standard cost for you to attend the event.

Pay It Forward Ticket $150 + tax – This option covers your cost to attend and helps others to attend.

Equal Access Ticket $0 – This ticket is for people who cannot afford to pay for a ticket. Please email forum@inclusioncanada.ca for this type of ticket.

Ticket prices include lunch.

Agenda

This agenda will be updated as additional speakers are confirmed

9:00 Welcome

• Grandmother Irene Compton

9:05am Opening Remarks

• Moira Wilson, President, Inclusion Canada

• Donna Brown, President, People First of Canada

9:20pm Morning Keynote

• Heather Schofield, CEO, Canadian Tax Observatory

9:40am Panel 1 The cost of being left out: When legal capacity barriers get in the way of financial security During this session, we will talk about legal capacity barriers. Legal capacity is making choices about your own life and having those choices legally recognized and respected. We will explore how these barriers contribute to financial insecurity for people with an intellectual disability.

• Moderator: Anna MacQuarrie, Vice-President, Inclusion Nova Scotia

• Ben Rowley, President, People First of Alberta

• Mike Brunetto, Parent Ontario

• Kurt Goddard, Executive Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Inclusion Canada

• Michael Hall, Lawyer, New Brunswick Office of the Attorney General

• Inspirational Agitator: The Honourable Carla Qualtrough
  

10:40am Break

11:00am Panel 2 Unlocking the federal toolbox: What works and what needs to change

During this session, we will talk about existing federal tools like the Disability Tax Credit, the Registered Disability Savings Plan, and the Canada Disability Benefit. We will explore how they can be used or improved to eliminate poverty.

• Moderator: Kory Earle, Provincial/Territorial Coordinator, People First of Canada

• Chris Rowley, 2^nd Vice President, People First of Canada

• Monica Schroeder, National Projects Coordinator, People First of Canada

• Chris Gilmor, Parent, Ontario

• Jeff Ferguson, Executive Director, Knowledge & Strategy, Inclusion Canada

• Tara Levandier, Executive Director, Operations & Social Impact, Inclusion Canada

• Natasha Rende, Director of Programs, Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Directorate, Employment and Social Development.

• Inspirational Agitator: The Honourable Carla Qualtrough

12:00pm Lunch

1:00pm Afternoon Keynote

• John Cox, People First Nova Scotia and former member of the National Advisory Council on Poverty

1:15pm Panel 3 Income Support and Work: From surviving to thriving During this session, we will talk about income support and employment and how they are equally important. We will explore how they often work together to create the foundation for financial stability.

• Co-Moderator: Dewlyn Lobo, Past President, People First of Canada

• Co-Moderator: Frank Fagan, Assistant National Director, Ready, Willing & Able

• Jonathan Bouchard, Francophone Representative outside of Quebec, People First of Canada

• Robin Acton, Parent, Alberta

• Dr. Gary Bloch, Unity Health Toronto

• Paul Thompson, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development

• Inspirational Agitator: The Honourable Carla Qualtrough

2:15pm Break

2:35pm Panel 4 Making it happen: People, programs, and plain language

During this session, we will talk about what it takes to make financial programs work. We will explore the importance of applying a disability lens early and often.  We will talk about the role of navigators. We will explain the difference between accessibility and inclusion. We will discuss the role of plain language and accessible communication.

• Moderator: Catherine Rodgers, Director of Communication, People First of Canada

• Heidi Hutchison, President, People First of Manitoba

• Heather Lambert, Barrier-Free Benefit Navigator, Western Region

• Carmen Melgarejo, Parent, British Columbia

• Inspirational Agitator: The Honourable Carla Qualtrough

3:35pm Summary and Closing

• Shelley Fletcher, Executive Director, People First of Canada

• Cheri Reddin, Director General, Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Directorate, Employment and Social Development Canada

• Krista Carr, CEO, Inclusion Canada

  
  

Additional Information: The forum will be held primarily in English. Simultaneous French interpretation and English and French CART will be provided.

Important: ASL and LSQ will be available upon request. Please identify that you require ASL or LSQ when you register, and no later than 5pm Eastern Time on November 18, 2026. ASL and LSQ interpreters are in high demand. It's important to us that community members have access to interpreters in their daily lives for things like medical appointments, education, and legal processes. Understanding that access to interpretation is a valuable and limited resource, we will book interpretation only when a need for it is identified.

For questions about this event, please contact: forum@inclusioncanada.ca