Accessibility advisory panel

Peter has a key leadership role in Canada Post’s ESG strategic vision to deliver sustainable and responsible growth and value. This includes championing accessibility across the company and integrating an accessibility lens within the broader corporate strategy. Canada Post is committed to playing a leading role on the environment and key social issues facing the country, including accessibility. In his role, Peter supports the company’s objective to elevate the impact of ESG and integrate it into all areas of the business. This effort builds ESG value-based principles into planning, decision making and execution across the Corporation, and ensures that accessibility is factored into all programs and services at the outset.

Meenu Sikand is the executive lead of equity, diversity and inclusion at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the co-chair of the inaugural IDEA Task Force (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility), which is part of Holland Bloorview’s action plan to address systemic racism within and outside of the hospital. She is also the founder and CEO of Accessibility for All, a non-profit organization that works to identify, address and meet the needs of marginalized communities. Previously, Meenu worked within corporate, government, non-profit and academic sectors.

Meenu’s volunteer roles underscore her commitment to diversity and to creating enabling conditions that facilitate inclusion. She is an active member of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Diversity Advisory Council and the Disability without Poverty Leadership team. Meenu has been appointed as a member of the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council of Ontario by the Minister of Seniors and Accessibility and is one of the founding members of Race and Disability Canada (RAD).

In 2020, Meenu was the first South-Asian Woman to be inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. She also received an award from the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) as Senior Executive of the Year.

Dr. Jewelles Smith's extensive background in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) positions her as a valuable expert in addressing systemic ableism and gender bias. With over seventeen years of experience and a background as a trained human rights monitor, Dr. Smith employs a cross-disciplinary, intersectional approach to analyze and unravel discrimination in policy, legislation, and practice.

Her commitment to a trauma-informed, equity-centered approach is a notable aspect of her work. Dr. Smith brings compassion and plain language to complex issues, making human rights work more accessible and practical. Her skills as a qualitative researcher, writer, educator, and public speaker contribute to her effectiveness in driving change.

Smith operates her consulting company, Procne Navigation.

Liza Arnason BA, MA in Sociology and Equity Studies in Education at OISE, is the Owner and Principal of Arnason Consulting, Chair of the UCalgary Black Alumni Network, the founder and Chair of the Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities, and above all a mom, grandma, and mentor.

Liza's commitment to the principles of "nothing without us" and "for us, by us”, has always been the cornerstone of her work as an educator, administrator, and community advocate. Her depth of knowledge and expertise is informed by her lived experiences, research and policy initiatives, and work experience over 30 years. Liza draws on critical pedagogy including Black Feminism, disability justice, and critical race theories to inform community-based research and policy change initiatives.  She brings the lived experiences of those intersectional experiences of race, gender, and disability to the “table”, identifying nuances, gaps, and disparities within systems, structures, and research.  Through collective leadership across Canada, Liz continues to design and advocate for new models and systems that will affect real change.

Prior to joining service d’interprétation visuelle et tactile (SIVET), Cynthia Benoit served as the CEO of CB Linguistic Services and chaired the Board of Directors of the Canadian Video Relay Service (VRS) Administrator, a non-profit organization mandated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

With an MBA and her professional experience, Cynthia Benoit brings a diverse range of expertise to SIVET. Her background in community, research, and business sectors enables her to make a positive impact on SIVET's primary mission of providing quality interpretation services to Deaf, Deafblind, hard of hearing, and hearing customers.

Cynthia Benoit has been recognized for her contributions, receiving awards such as the Forty Under 40 of the Year 2021, jointly presented by the Ottawa Board Trade and the Ottawa Business Journal, as well as the University MBA of the Year 2023 award, awarded by the Quebec MBA Association.

Desiree Isaac Pictou is a proud Mi’kmaw woman from Ugpi’ganjig First Nation, NB, and Listuguj First Nation, QC. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick in May 2022. Currently, she serves as the Social Media & Communications Intern at the Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation and is an esteemed member of Wheelchair Basketball Canada’s (WBC) Senior Women’s National Team (SWNT).

Desiree's life took a significant turn in August 2020 due to an accident that resulted in a below-the-knee and above-knee amputation. Embracing adaptive sports as a new avenue of movement, she began playing wheelchair basketball in March 2022. Her dedication and skill led to her selection for the WBC SWNT in November 2023, where she competed at the 2023 Santiago ParaPan American Games and the 2024 Paralympic Games. 

A passionate advocate and role model, Desiree is dedicated to inspiring Indigenous women and girls, as well as individuals living with disabilities across Turtle Island.

Dr. Susan Hardie (she/her) is the Executive Director of Eviance, a community-based knowledge hub on cross-disability issues that is inclusive of but not limited to mental health. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the School of Health Policy & Management in the Faculty of Health at York University. Susan served as a Senior Policy and Research Officer as a member of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Mental Health Strategy Team, that developed the first mental health strategy in Canada (2012), an evidence-based document that was informed by intersectionality and reflexivity. She has dedicated over thirty years to realizing transformative structural and system change in mental health and social justice with, and for, people with lived experiences of the mental health system and more broadly all people in Canada and globally.

Rheanna Robinson is an associate professor in the Faculty of Indigenous Studies at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Robinson is Métis a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation, and has expertise in the areas of Indigenous Education, Indigenous Disability Studies, Indigenous theory, methods, and community-based research. Dr. Robinson values the role of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) within institutes of higher learning and the world.

Gift Tshuma is a prominent activist in the field of disability rights, as well as a skilled music composer from Montreal. He earned a degree in Sociology with a minor in Law and Society from Concordia University, which paved the way for his career in advocating for accessibility and inclusion. Throughout his career spanning over a decade, Gift has been a passionate advocate for disability rights and accessibility issues in Montreal. As a co-founder of Accessibilize Montreal, a grassroots organization, he has spearheaded various initiatives to promote accessibility and inclusion. In recognition of his exceptional work, he was awarded CBC Quebec’s 2022 Black Changemaker Award. This prestigious award celebrates Black individuals in Quebec who are making significant contributions to their communities. Gift currently holds key positions at March of Dimes Canada, Centre For Sustainable Practice In The Arts and Blurring the Boundaries, where he actively engages in accessibility and inclusion. His wealth of experience spans across various sectors such as non-profit, health, public, technical, and service, as well as post-secondary education. Driven by his commitment to social justice and the empowerment of marginalized communities, Gift has become a renowned figure in his field.

Heather Walkus is the National Chair of The Council of Canadians with Disabilities.

Heather brings a lifelong personal understanding and expertise of the intersection of disability and identity in her work based on Disability Justice, Human Rights and Community Development principles. Heather has a background in community development, universal design, International Development, and community led research. 

Nicole Diakite has been the dedicated and forward-thinking Executive Director of Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasauqtiit Society (NDMS) in Nunavut since 2016. Nicole has a Master's Degree from Ryerson University and currently pursuing a PhD in Social Work at McMaster University, Nicole's academic pursuits are deeply intertwined with her passion for social justice. Nicole's doctoral research is an inspiring endeavor that seeks to shed light on the intricate intersections of disability and Indigeneity.

NDMS is the only cross-disability advocacy organization in Nunavut, and developed out of grassroots community-based action in 1999. NDMS vision is for all people with disabilities living in Nunavut to achieve independence, self-determination and full citizenship in their communities. To fulfill this vision, NDMS offers a diverse range of programs across the territory including accessible sports, cultural initiatives like sewing and on-the-land groups, and pre-employment programs. NDMS also conducts research. For example, NDMS is exploring accessibility standards in relation to Inuit Societal Values in hopes of influencing the standards to be more culturally inclusive. Furthermore, NDMS is actively engaged in a project dedicated to understanding disabled women and girls experiences with gender-based violence.