Reflections

David Phillips, Climatologist Emeritus with Environment Canada, who has given Canadians the weather word for over fifty years, seemed to be retired for only a day at most! He shares stories and memories of his experiences with Kelly MacDonald. Chris Murphy, On-air Meteorologist with The Weather Network, shares secrets on how weather personalities navigate giving us the forecast while using the rig...

Joeita Gupta speaks to university students, professors, and advocates about their experiences transitioning to post-secondary education. Ava Henderson, a blind student studying in British Columbia, shares what her post-secondary experience has been like so far and has ideas on what universities can do to give students with or without disabilities the optimal post-secondary support. What services a...

Kelly MacDonald grew up believing graffiti on the walls was the sign of a broken neighborhood. Today, our attitudes about painting on bricks have changed. Denise Love, a tour guide for Museum London, takes us on our own tour to check out the local alley art in London, Ontario. Alejandro Zuluaga and Melanie Schambach are two artists who spearheaded a multi-media creation in a well-known underpass....

Anxiety feels like one of the defining experiences of modern life. Whether it's money, relationships, work, health or simply walking into a crowded supermarket, millions of people know exactly what it feels like to be anxious. Has anxiety always existed? Or is it something that's become more common in recent years? Beth Deer explores the history, psychology, and science behind anxiety, and whether...

Joeita Gupta speaks to professionals with disabilities about their experiences transitioning into new and uncharted territory as they changed careers. Michelle McQuigge was an esteemed journalist with The Canadian Press for over a decade when she decided to tackle a new career: becoming the CEO of Balance for Blind Adults.  Through Michelle’s journey, we learn what it takes to switch careers, what...

If you're blind or partially sighted, the white cane or guide dog remain the undisputed pillars to independent travel. That being said, cutting edge research at major universities aims to shake up the orientation and mobility landscape with new, high-tech travel tools. The research is still ongoing, but the discussion is fascinating, so Grant Hardy went exploring. Shiqi Zhang, Associate Professor...

Whether it's a hobby, professional work, or the pleasure of creating with your hands, arts and crafts groups bring people together to share and admire your own work and the work of others. Vanessa Leu and Kali Talmon-Longden wanted to create a kind, inclusive, accessible community of crafters in Toronto, and thus GTA Craft Club was born! Meeting once a month in East Toronto, the GTA Craft Club aim...

Kelly MacDonald has always wondered what goes on behind the food truck window after receiving his order, and he went on a mission to find out if the secrets are all in the sauce and the recipes. Liam Brannigan, owner of Brannigan's Fish & Chips, shares how to make his mother's fish and chips the right way—and why it's such a hit with his customers. Jorge Verdugo of JORGE’S No. 1 TACOS and Hassan M...

We all believe we know what is important to each of us, especially when it comes to our housing needs. Is it affordable housing? Is it support systems that promote independence? Kelly MacDonald explores what defines accessible housing around Canada and examines the challenges making it difficult to move forward with making homes more accessible. Lori Holloway, CEO of Ontario Community Support Asso...

How do we educate people about eye health? How do we prevent vision loss, and how can we better support Canadians already living with it? These are all questions that MP Judy Sgro is asking to be solved in Canada’s first-ever National Strategy for Eye care, that was tabled in government on June 3rd, 2026. Jennifer Jones, CEO of Fighting Blindness Canada, is part of a coalition of organizations who...

Daily commutes can be quite stressful, and that stress is heightened for blind and low-vision commuters when transportation is inaccessible and wayfinding is unintuitive. Kelly MacDonald explores what’s out there to help the community with these challenges. Some of us, like Jason Fayre, are working to make public transportation easier to navigate. Jason has zeroed in on the Greater Toronto Area’s...

Whether you're a seasoned mountain climber or rarely venture out of the city, you're bound to be excited by the uniqueness of Braille Mountain Initiative, an organization that takes blind and partially sighted participants into the backcountry. Grant Hardy has the story. Tyson Rettie founded the organization. He chats about how they got started, as well as the unforgettable summer hiking and winte...

When Siobhan Kilburn started to lose her sight, she assumed she would rely on a white cane to help her navigate her surroundings. That was until she attended an event at Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) and realized how worth the 18-month wait for her new furry friend Ian would be.  There’s a common misconception that guide dogs just get handed out by national or local organizations, but Beth Deer w...

The anticipation for the 2026 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships to begin is at a fever pitch, but what about the long journey to create an inclusive and accessible environment for players and fans visiting Ottawa? Kelly MacDonald finds out how the city has been preparing. Wendy Gittens, CEO of Wheelchair Basketball Canada, guides us through the steps it took to get here, demonstrating what...

The Canadian Governments' Lawful Access Bill, Bill C-22, proposed to create a pathway for law enforcement to investigate individuals using technology for criminal activities. But businesses and civil rights groups alike are pushing back on what could end up being an unchecked overreach of government surveillance powers, while harming the security of our apps and devices. Grant Hardy breaks down th...

Getting an autism diagnosis can be incredibly challenging, especially for women later in life. Before she had the labels to understand her experiences, Vanessa Leu struggled with daily shutdowns and meltdowns without knowing why. The 21-year-old disabled artist, advocate, and AMI Apprentice takes us along on her journey of accepting her late autism diagnosis while confronting the internalized able...

After moving into her new home, Joeita Gupta was ready to tackle a new project: gardening! But as a self-proclaimed “black thumb,” Joeita turned to the experts to help her figure out how she can make gardening accessible. Co-facilitators of the CNIB’s garden program, John Bell and Scott Racine, were first to pick up the call. John and Scott shared how they identify plants by smell, taste, and touc...

The Accessible Canada Act has been described as landmark legislation with a single, ambitious goal: a barrier-free Canada by January 1, 2040. It takes a proactive approach. Instead of waiting for people with disabilities to ask for barriers to be removed, organizations must start finding, removing, and preventing them. To do that, three offices were created, each with a distinct role. Joeita Gupta...

Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Maryse Carmichael said “Flying over the parliament buildings was an experience of a lifetime.” She would know, being the first female pilot to be part of Canada's Snowbirds. Over his lifetime, Kelly MacDonald has taken in several airshows featuring the Snowbirds, and like many, has delighted in their performances. The aerobatics group that gave Canadians something to smi...

On June 6, 2026, Fighting Blindness Canada hosted their annual Move for Sight fundraiser, with in-person events taking place across the country. Joeita Gupta learns more about the event and its impact. Move for Sight Ambassador Ava Henderson is amongst the 1.2 million Canadians who lives with vision loss so significant, it cannot be corrected with glasses. Ava shared her optimism for the future, a...

Dawn LeFevre and Andrew Gough know a bit about discrimination, especially directed at their service animals. Despite them both being in law enforcement throughout their lives, a place where you and I might believe has a world of understanding, that isn't always the case. Kelly MacDonald explores this topic. Katy Viccary explains her life journey dealing with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,...

A new accessible fishing boat project is making a splash in the disability community! Grant Hardy has the story. Launched in 2025 as part of the Rick Hansen Foundation's Accessible Outdoors Program, the Everyone Everywhere boat aims to make fishing and fisheries research accessible while serving as a powerful model to follow. Matthew Shaw, Head of Accessibility Practice and Innovation at the Rick...

June is National Deafblindness Awareness month, and Joeita Gupta is sharing some conversations she recently had with people from the community to understand what is known as the most isolating disability.  Jamie is one of the almost 600,000 Canadians who identify as deafblind, she is a mother to two boys, and is joined by her faithful companion Holly, her black lab golden retriever guide dog.  Pen...

How does losing your parent at a young, formative age affect the rest of your life?  Beth Deer lost her father during the COVID-19 pandemic, and invited family friend Kayla to share her story about losing her father too.   As these women move through their lives, start their families, and grapple with such huge loss at a young age, they’ve courageously shared how the loss of their fathers has impa...

It's rare as a wheelchair user in Toronto that Vanessa Leu gets to be in a space where accessibility is truly put at the forefront. The Access to Success (ATS) Innovation Hub in Downtown Toronto is designed for people with disabilities to find community and thrive in a welcoming, inclusive workspace. Vanessa and her guests take us through the project. Varun Chandak is the Founder of the Access to...