In the Community

About MLPD

Together we can create an accessible and inclusive province for all Manitobans.

In the Community

About MLPD

Together we can create an accessible and inclusive province for all Manitobans.

MLPD works locally, provincially and nationally by contributing to other community initiatives and organizations like the Council for Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) and the Canadian CED Network (CCEDNet).

MLPD is dedicated to making a fully accessible province where people with disabilities are provided the same rights and freedoms.

The Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities (MLPD) was founded in 1974 in the era of the civil rights movement. Originally known as the Manitoba League of the Physically Handicapped (MLPH), MLPD began as a consumer-controlled organization with the goal of influencing the quality of services for people living with disabilities in the province of Manitoba. To learn more about MLPD’s past, in the form of oral history scroll below.

MLPD is dedicated to making a fully accessible province where people with disabilities are provided the same rights and freedoms.

The Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities (MLPD) was founded in 1974 in the era of the civil rights movement. Originally known as the Manitoba League of the Physically Handicapped (MLPH), MLPD began as a consumer-controlled organization with the goal of influencing the quality of services for people living with disabilities in the province of Manitoba. To learn more about MLPD’s past, in the form of oral history scroll below.

Oral History

Founded in 1974 upon strategies and lessons learned from the civil rights movement, MLPD was originally known as the Manitoba League of the Physically Handicapped (MLPH). MLPD began as a consumer-controlled organization with the goal of influencing the quality of services for people with disabilities in Manitoba.

Advocating for accessible transportation was one of the first major issues the organization tackled in the 1970s, as people with disabilities needed reliable transportation to participate more fully in the community. These efforts paid off, as MLPD was instrumental in creating the Handi-Transit service in Winnipeg.

Members worked hard to ensure that people with disabilities had a voice in the services and supports they need to live in the community. MLPD activists lobbied for an active role in altering the policies of the Society of Manitobans with Disabilities (now known as Manitoba Possible) to include consultation with people with disabilities. MLPD continues to work with provincial and municipal governments to advocate for effective representation of people with disabilities.

The MLPD Oral History Project is a collaboration between the MLPD, The University of Winnipeg Oral History Centre, and The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (now known as Eviance).

The goal of this project is to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of some of our original members who lobbied for the rights and removal of barriers for people with disabilities in Manitoba. It will also preserve our history in a way that can be shared and studied.

Founded in 1974 upon strategies and lessons learned from the civil rights movement, MLPD was originally known as the Manitoba League of the Physically Handicapped (MLPH). MLPD began as a consumer-controlled organization with the goal of influencing the quality of services for people with disabilities in Manitoba.
Advocating for accessible transportation was one of the first major issues the organization tackled in the 1970s, as people with disabilities needed reliable transportation to participate more fully in the community. These efforts paid off, as MLPD was instrumental in creating the Handi-Transit service in Winnipeg.

Members worked hard to ensure that people with disabilities had a voice in the services and supports they need to live in the community. MLPD activists lobbied for an active role in altering the policies of the Society of Manitobans with Disabilities (now known as Manitoba Possible) to include consultation with people with disabilities. MLPD continues to work with provincial and municipal governments to advocate for effective representation of people with disabilities.

The MLPD Oral History Project is a collaboration between the MLPD, The University of Winnipeg Oral History Centre, and The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (now known as Eviance).

The goal of this project is to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of some of our original members who lobbied for the rights and removal of barriers for people with disabilities in Manitoba. It will also preserve our history in a way that can be shared and studied.

The goal of this project is to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of some of our original members who lobbied for the rights and removal of barriers for people with disabilities in Manitoba.

Interviews

A Call to Action: Jim Derksen

A Call to Action: Jim Derksen

Length: 43 secs

Jim Derksen was the first Executive Director of the Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office. He was also a Provincial Coordinator of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. Jim Derksen talks about his challenge to the MLPD membership to get out and speak about disability issues.

The Case for an Organization of Persons with Disabilities:
Clare Simpson

Length: 1 minute 44 seconds

Clare Simpson is currently an employee of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities. She has been active in the disability rights community since the mid-seventies and involved with the program “In The Company of Friends” for 18 years.

Clare Simpson talks about the need for people with disabilities in Manitoba to have a voice which lead to the formation of the MLPD.

Disability Activism in Rural Manitoba: Derek Legge

Disability Activism in Rural Manitoba: Derek Legge

Length: 2 minutes 49 seconds

Derek Legge originally became involved with the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities in 1975, where he started the first branch of the MLPD in Brandon, MB. After moving back home to Winnipeg in 1977, he began working in the area of employment and disability, eventually becoming an Intake Officer at the Manitoba Human Rights Commission in 1987 until retirement in 2004. He received the CCD Award in 2003 for initiating a number of access-promoting projects over the years.

Derek Legge talks about his reasons for getting involved in starting the first branch of the MLPD in Brandon, MB.

Getting Involved: Paula Keirstead

Getting Involved: Paula Keirstead

Length: 44 seconds

Paula Keirstead is an individual and systemic rights advocate primarily in the areas of disability, women’s issues and poverty and has addressed these issues at the local, provincial, national and international levels. Presently she works at Legal Aid Manitoba as a Community Advocate with the Poverty Law Unit.

Paula Keirstead talks about how getting involved in the MLPD made her more comfortable with the fact she had a disability.

Becoming Provincial Coordinator: Dave Martin

Becoming Provincial Coordinator: Dave Martin

Length: 29 seconds

Dave Martin is the Senior Advisor on Disability Issues with the Province of Manitoba. From 1983 to 2000, he was the Provincial Coordinator of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities.

Dave Martin talks about becoming the provincial coordinator of the MLPD.

Getting Involved: Doreen Demas

Length: 1 minute

Doreen Demas is a member of the Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Global Network and the Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Caucus. Doreen Demas talks about her involvement with the MLPD.

The Struggle for Control: Jim Derksen
The Struggle for Control: Jim Derksen

The Struggle for Control: Jim Derksen

Length: 3 minutes 24 seconds

Jim Derksen was the first Executive Director of the Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office. He was also a Provincial Coordinator of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities.

The Quest for Accessible Transportation: Jim Derksen
The Quest for Accessible Transportation: Jim Derksen

The Quest for Accessible Transportation: Jim Derksen

Length: 2 minutes 28 seconds

Jim Derksen was the first Executive Director of the Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office. He was also a Provincial Coordinator of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. Jim speaks about the struggle to gain accessible transportation in Manitoba.

We thank the following individuals and organizations for participating in this important project.

Acknowledgements

Steering Committee

  • Mary Horodyski, Archival Studies Student at University of Manitoba
  • Heather Bidzinski, Head of Collections at Canadian Museum for Human Rights
  • Sharon Reilly, Past Oral History Program Coordinator at Canadian Museum for Human Rights. (Retired)
  • Nolan Reilly, Co-Director of Oral History Centre, University of Winnipeg
  • April D’Aubin, Executive Secretary of Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities
  • Kent Davies, Audio Technician at Oral History Centre, University of Winnipeg
  • Kimberly Moore, Program Coordinator at Oral History Centre, University of Winnipeg
  • Susan L. Hardie, Executive Director at Canadian Centre on Disability Studies

Interview Transcription Completed By:

  • Joana Ambira
  • Quinton Sanderson
  • Cassie Bodnar
  • Evan Wicklund
  • Kathy Cote
  • Emily Ternette
  • Courtney Eagle
  • Alexandria Kazmerik

Supervision Provided By:

  • Michelle Owen
  • Susan L. Hardie

A Very Special Thank You to the Following Contributors:

  • Allen Mankewich, Canadian Center on Disability Studies
  • Jennifer Sande, Provincial Coordinator, Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities

Acknowledgement of Funders

  • Manitoba Tourism, Culture, Heritage, Sport and Consumer Protection, Heritage Grant Programs
  • Allan Simpson Memorial Fund
  • University of Winnipeg Oral History Centre
  • Canadian Centre on Disability Studies

Interviewees:

  • Jim Derksen
  • Paula Keirstead
  • Doreen Demas
  • Derek Legge
  • Dave Martin
  • Josie Concepcion
  • Clare Simpson
  • Emilly Ternette
  • Brian Stewart

Provincial Council

Jennifer Breddam

Chair of MLPD

Jennifer is a social justice advocate at heart and endeavours to incorporate the values of inclusivity, equity, and authenticity into her life and work. Since 2020, Jenn has been pursuing a bachelor’s degree in labour studies with an Indigenous studies minor at the University of Manitoba. She will graduate in 2024 and aspires to pursue higher education within the human rights field. Before returning to university, Jenn built a successful career as a human resource and labour relations professional. She is passionate about her field, with a particular interest in the intersection of human rights and the world of work.

When she isn’t studying or spending time with loved ones, Jenn supports her community through volunteerism. Beyond her role as Chair of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities (MLDP) Provincial Council, Jenn is a board member of the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties (MARL), President of the University of Manitoba Labour Studies Students’ Association, as well as several other meaningful causes close to her heart. Additionally, Jenn is a Burns Leadership Institute Fellow and has studied multilateral diplomacy leadership at the United Nations in Geneva. She has maintained a GPA above 4.0 since returning to the UofM and has achieved recognition on the Faculty of Arts Dean’s honour list each year. Jenn is humbled by the many awards and scholarships she has received as a result of her hard work in class and within her community.

First Vice-Chair of the MLPD

Joelle graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba in 1993 and received her Call to The Bar in 1994. She was a lawyer at Irwin Law Office in Dauphin, Manitoba until retiring from the practice of law in 2018. Joelle was active in the community serving as a director of Dauphin’s Countryfest, The Law Society of Manitoba, the Dauphin Skating Club, the Parkland Humane Society and the Parkland Crisis Center. Joelle has lived with Multiple Sclerosis since 1997 and faces mobility challenges. She uses a scooter and walker and has limited use of her hands.

Following their retirement, Joelle and her husband Brad Collett launched the consulting firm “BC Advisory Group”. Joelle advises both private and public sector organizations on accessibility issues focusing on practical improvements to the built environment.

Second Vice-Chair of the MLPD

Through out his career Alan’s goal has been to foster and celebrate organizational and societal diverse and inclusive workplaces with a sense of belonging; he has been committed in his organizational and academic work to build teams that reflect a wide variety of skills, perspectives and backgrounds and feel free to express their opinions, this includes his work with whistleblowing. Believing in his research on whistleblowing which only strengthens organizations to be better in their service to all customers and to society, whether in the private or public sectors.

Alan holds a BA from the U of W, a Masters of Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto and a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall, York University.

Alan’s conflict resolution work is what separates him from most leaders. Both as an academic and practitioner of conflict resolution models of testing practicality apply to some of the most difficult disputes in the country.

Provincial Council Member of the MLPD

Erin Honke is a student in her final semester of a Bachelor of Psychology at the University of Winnipeg. She loves young children and has spent the past 7 years working as a nanny.

After earning her undergrad, she will be getting a Master’s degree to become a licensed therapist. She has always had a desire to help others, and when she struggled with her own mental health challenges while coping with her chronic pain condition, she discovered how helpful therapy programs can be. This is one of the reasons she is passionate about MLPD.

She has been living with chronic pain for the last 10 years which has impacted her quality of life. However, she is energized, motivated, intelligent, and eager to learn.

For the last few months, she has been serving on MLPD’s Fundraising Committee. She has been attending committee meetings and completed her first grant application. In her four years at university, she has remained an honour roll student while also balancing work and volunteer positions, most recently acting as the organizer for multiple fundraisers for Save a Dog Network. She believes her education and psychology training, which included disability studies courses, allows her to connect with people in our community quite easily.

Provincial Council Member of the MLPD

Kevin is very interested in the well-being of those who live with a disability. He has had experience with the Manitoba Brain Injury Association as a board member and also as a member. While he was a board member, he saw the need for fundraising. He also helped raise awareness of the Brain Injury Association for those who have just suffered a brain injury. He is currently a student at the University of Winnipeg working towards his disability studies degree, with that degree he can be a community support worker for those in the disability community.

Provincial Council Member of the MLPD

Pat is a former Business Education Instructor and Work Experience Coordinator with Red River College. Her interest in disability issues stems from experience trying to access services for family members. She has served on the SSCY (Special Services for Children and Youth) working group and RCC board and helped to establish the Movement Centre of Manitoba (MCMI), working on fundraising and serving three terms as Board Chair.

Pat’s main concerns are currently about public accessibility, including education, and access to support for adults with physical disabilities who are mentally and socially capable of independent living but do not qualify for funding to make this possible.

MLPD Staff

Melissa Graham
Executive Director

Melissa is a lifelong disability justice advocate based out of Winnipeg. She has over a decade of frontline experience, working for the Self-Managed Attendant Services Program in Ontario and other organizations in the disability sector. Melissa also holds her Masters in Social Work from the University of Toronto, and was working towards her PhD before accepting her position with MLPD. She has a long history in disability policy and research focused on intersectionality, decolonization, social justice and accessibility.

Melissa is well-known for her activist background, particularly as the founder and lead organizer for the Toronto Disability Pride March. She organized this annual event for 11 years while building relationships with other disability grassroots organizations nationally and internationally, and contributing to research on disability movement organizing. She has successfully passed the torch to other organizers to continue the march. She carries what she has learned from this work into the collaborative, social justice work of MLPD.

Debby McLeod
Accessibility Coordinator

I just want to say how happy I am working with MLPD. I have worked for all of my adult life in the Health Care Industry. The last 20 years before retirement I worked as the Critical Equipment Specialist in the Adult Emergency Dept. at HSC, and in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

I am recently new to the Disabled community. In November of 2020, I lost my left leg from below the knee due to a serious bone infection.  I am finding new challenges and adventures every day with MLPD. I am constantly learning about the world of non-profit and funding. It takes me back to all the days of fundraising for my children for various sporting activities.

I look forward to continuing to learn with my new adventures in my new world and community. Thank -you for this opportunity.

Sheryl Peters
Projects Manager

Sheryl is a Winnipeg-based social researcher, non-profit programs coordinator, and artist. She has experienced life-long invisible disabilities. Her previous work focused on social equity, a social justice approach to autism and disability, health and well-being of women and older adults, person-centred health care, and decolonizing/community-based approaches to research and community work. Sheryl’s creative projects include digital video and community arts – most notably digital storytelling projects with Autistic people, their families and educators, and Indigenous women and girls.

Annual Reports

Founded in 1974 upon strategies and lessons learned from the civil rights movement, MLPD was originally known as the Manitoba League of the Physically Handicapped (MLPH). MLPD began as a consumer-controlled organization with the goal of influencing the quality of services for people with disabilities in Manitoba.
Advocating for accessible transportation was one of the first major issues the organization tackled in the 1970s, as people with disabilities needed reliable transportation to participate more fully in the community. These efforts paid off, as MLPD was instrumental in creating the Handi-Transit service in Winnipeg.

Members worked hard to ensure that people with disabilities had a voice in the services and supports they need to live in the community. MLPD activists lobbied for an active role in altering the policies of the Society of Manitobans with Disabilities (now known as Manitoba Possible) to include consultation with people with disabilities. MLPD continues to work with provincial and municipal governments to advocate for effective representation of people with disabilities.

The MLPD Oral History Project is a collaboration between the MLPD, The University of Winnipeg Oral History Centre, and The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (now known as Eviance).

The goal of this project is to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of some of our original members who lobbied for the rights and removal of barriers for people with disabilities in Manitoba. It will also preserve our history in a way that can be shared and studied.

2017-2018

Download PDF Report

2016-2017

Download PDF Report

2015-2016

Download PDF Report

2014-2015

Download PDF Report

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