Paralympic torch relay runs through Toronto today
CTV.ca - March 5, 2010
Still on an emotional high from last month's Olympics, Toronto is getting into the Paralympic spirit as the Paralympic torch winds through the city today. The flame will make its way through Toronto and stop for a community celebration at Nathan Phillips Square... Mark Demontis, a blind man who rollerbladed from Toronto to Vancouver last summer, will skate with the torch into Nathan Phillips Square. Shayne Smith, a wheelchair basketball player, will light the cauldron. READ MORE...

Blind Canadian Skier [Brian McKeever] won't race, team says.
CBC.ca - February 27, 2010
Canadian cross-country ski coaches decided late Friday not to start legally blind skier Brian McKeever on Sunday in the 50-kilometre mass-start classic race at the Vancouver Olympics, a team spokesman says. McKeever, who has limited peripheral vision, is the first Canadian Paralympic athlete to be chosen for a Canadian Olympic team. His participation was trumpeted as historic by team officials when he was named to the cross-country squad and McKeever drew worldwide attention. READ MORE...

Brian McKeever intent on fun as first Paralympian in Winter Olympics -
The multiple medal winners of Vancouver, the glamour pusses of the alpine hills, the Lindsey Vonns and Bode Millers, have taken the glory and sponsors' dollars but the chances are a Canadian cross-country skier with modest ambition might sneak in at the last minute and take the unofficial title, "athlete of the 2010 winter Olympics".  On Sunday Brian McKeever, the first athlete to compete in both the Winter Olympic and the Paralympic games, will get his chance to measure himself against the world's best in the men's 50km cross-country skiing. He isn't likely to win gold but given he has less than 10% of his vision the significance of the moment lies not in where he finishes, only that he competes. READ MORE...

A Gold Inspiration - Alexandre and Frédéric Bilodeau
Whenever Alexandre Bilodeau had a tough time during training, he'd think of his older brother Frédéric, 28, who was born with cerebral palsy and whom doctors said wouldn't walk after the age of 10.
The older Bilodeau proved them wrong and not only walks but skis, taking on some of the toughest slopes at St. Sauveur, Que., not far from the family home near Montreal. READ MORE...

BT Viewers Aid Mom After Disabled Son's Walker Stolen
The mother of two children with disabilities suffered a devastating blow on Friday morning when a heartless thief stole the walker her son needs to get around. READ MORE...  

TIM HORTONS’ FRANCHISE OWNERS RECEIVE BUSINESS TAKES ACTION 2010 INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

OTTAWA, February 2, 2010 — The Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services and MPP for Ottawa-Vanier presented CME’s Business Takes Action Innovation Award to an inspiring employer, Scarborough’s Megleen Inc. during CME’s Roadmap to Recovery Summit. This esteemed award recognizes employers in Canada for recruiting, retaining, retraining and promoting people with disabilities.  Valarie and Mark Wafer of Megleen Inc. own and operate seven Tim Hortons stores in Toronto and have employed more than 50 people with intellectual disabilities for more than 15 years. READ MORE...

JMBox Consulting Services Newsletter:  "Customer Service Standards - Are you ready?" 
If you were not aware of this responsibility, or have been putting it off, the task, is not as daunting as it may seem.  There are resources out there to help you implement the standards.  The Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services has a very useful website, www.AccessON.ca, which will provide you with the information and many of the tools that you will need to ensure that you will be in compliance.  Another organization, funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services but set up as a project of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters is Business Takes Action (www.businesstakesaction.ca).  BTA's aim is to promote "... the benefits of hiring, retraining and promoting qualified persons with disabilities to meet employers' skills shortages."  Membership, which is free, gives you access to workshops, guidebooks, accessibility checklists and much more. READ MORE...         

Business Takes Action: "Share the Vision" Second Annual Symposium Held at Famous PEOPLE Players Theatre                Thursday October 1, 2009 brought together over eighty guests including the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur the Minister of Community and Social Services attended Business Takes Action second annual symposium to assist employers make their workplaces more accessible and create opportunities for people with disabilities.  READ MORE...

10/20 CHALLENGE: 10 per cent by 2020 new hires are persons with disabilities 
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters is challenging members and the business community at large to source 10 per cent of new hires from the disabled community by the year 2020. Read more... Read more...

90 Participants Join Forces Under One Roof
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, October 15, 2007
On Friday October 12, 2007 over 90 employers, key stakeholders and partners joined forces under one roof at The Centre of Health and Safety Innovation, IAPA for the Business Takes Action: Employment of Persons with Disabilities Launch.
 

 Disability Defined: OR Express-CME
13.5% of Ontarians have a Disability
25.5% are unemployed
Yet the labour shortage is on the rise
It's time to face the facts! Read more...

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
August 31, 2007
In accordance with the 20/20 vision of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), the Business Takes Action initiative addresses the skills challenges in our economy by leveraging the diversity in our labour market. Read more...

Employment of Persons with Disabilities
In accordance with the 20/20 vision of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, the Business Takes Action initiative addresses the skills challenges in our economy by leveraging the diversity in our labour market. We have issued a challenge that by the year 2020, 10% of new hires are to be comprised of qualified persons with disabilities. Read more...

National Seafood Sector Council
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) & 10/20 Challenge
10% of new hires are expected to be persons with disabilities by the year 2020. Read more...

Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council
September 17, 2007
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters has issued a challenge to Canadian employers that should help to alleviate some of the labour shortages that are becoming an increasing feature of our economy. By the year 2020, the CME hopes that 10 percent of all new hires will be persons with disabilities that are qualified to take on the responsibilities they're assigned. By opening up the labour market to disabled individuals, Canadian firms will benefit from the skills of an often-overlooked group. Read more...

Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and in partnership with the Ministry of Community and Social Services, addresses the skills challenges in our economy by leveraging the diversity in our labour market. 
Read more...

September 28, 2007
Do You Have A Skills Shortage? The Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters in partnership with the Ministry of Community and Social Services will be launching an initiative that addresses the skills challenges in our economy by leveraging the diversity in our labour market. Lieutenant Governor Speaks at Business Takes Action: Employment of Persons with Disabilities. Read more...  

Plant Magazine Fall 2007
Stay ahead of the curve and be recognized as a leader of human capital innovation.  Read more...

Volume 2/Issue 9/September 2007
IAPA
On October 12, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) will issue a challenge to all businesses that, by the year 2020, 10 percent of new hires be persons with disabilities. Read more... Read more...

Mississauga News
Campaign Promotes Hiring Persons with Disabilities
October 10, 2007 - Ontario's new Lieutenant-Governor will be in Mississauga Friday when the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) launches a campaign to promote hiring people who have disabilities. Read more...

Canadian NewsWire
Advisory - Lieutenant Governor Speaks at Business Takes Action: Employment of Persons with Disabilities
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 10 / 2007
The Honourable David C. Onley,
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario will be speaking at the launch of the Business takes Action: Employment of Persons with Disabilities about accessibility and his role as the Queen's Representative. Read more...

NationTalk
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 10 - The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario will be speaking at the launch of the Business Takes Action: Employment of Persons with Disabilities about accessibility and his role as the Queen's Representative. Read more... ten20action web site is launched by IgniteWebSolutions
10/11/2007
http://www.ignitewebsolutions.com/news/ten20action_web_site_is_launched/8/ 

Work Related Learning and Labour Market Inclusion: Published in Abilites Magazine Fall 2007
By Alex Stephens, Work and Learning Knowledge Centre, with comments from Business Takes Action
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, one of the two organizations leading the WLKC, recently announced its Business Takes Action initiative, which is challenging Ontario businesses to meet the target of achieving 10 per cent of all new hires being people with disabilities by the year 2020.  Read more...

People with disabilities a labour solution: Association challenges firms to ignore myths, increase hiring of untapped resource
By Shannon Klie
Canadian HR Reporter,
November 5, 2007
http://www.hrreporter.com/
"We're going through a time when there's a lot of shortages in certain skill sets and there will be a huge exodus from the workforce over the next 10 years," said Ian Howcroft. "We're going to have to look to non-traditional sources of workers, including persons with disabilities, internationally trained workers, Aboriginal persons to meet the needs of future employers and businesses." Read full article  

International Day of Disabled Persons
The Brampton News
November 16, 2007
Brampton - Peel Regional Council has proclaimed Dec. 3 as the International Day of Disabled Persons (IDDP) in the Region of Peel at yesterday's Regional Council meeting. Read more...

Work-related Learning & Labour Market Inclusion By Alex Stephens
This article is the third in a series commissioned by the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) on issues related to disabilities and to the themes of its five Knowledge Centres

Winter, 2007