DIALECTSPRING 2016

VULNERABLE PERSONS STANDARD | NORTHERN UPDATE | COMMUNITY GARDEN INITIATIVE | A DIALECT RETROSPECTIVE

M A G A Z I N E O F T H E S A S K A T C H E W A N A S S O C I A T I O N F O R C O M M U N I T Y L I V I N G

Y E A R S60

MEET THE ORIGINAL INCLUSION HEROES

THE SACL CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF

INCLUSIONINCLUSION

S A C L

4 CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

NORTHERN REFLECTIONSDirector of Community Engagement (North-ern Partnerships for Inclusion), Megan Wells, shares reflections from her time in the North.

MEET: GARY TINKERMegan Wells talks to Gary Tinker about his Federation and path for services in the North.

60 YEARS IN THE MAKINGJune Avivi and Mary Vinish Baxter share sto-ries about the history of the SACL, what we’ve accomplished in 60 years, and the road ahead.

DIALECT: A RETROSPECTIVECommunications & Marketing Manager, Travis Neufeld, explores the history of the Dialect and talks with previous Dialect editor Karin Melberg Schwier.

FUN WITH FRIENDS!A Lumsden mom starts a new and exciting community youth program.

UPDATE: EMMY BARRThe Queen of Caramel continues her reign.

THE POWER OF THE GARDENCommunity Inclusion Consultant, Dallas Tetarenko, talks about an innovative new SACL project to create a community through gardening.

SPRING CLEANING: CLOTHING DRIVES

FEATURES

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VULNERABLE PERSONS STANDARD

CONTENTS S P R I N G2 0 1 6

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06 NORTHERN REFLECTIONSDirector of Community Engagement (Northern Partnerships for Inclusion), Megan Wells, shares reflections from her time in the North.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 5

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - GLORIA MAHUSSIER & KEVIN MCTAVISHOver the past sixty years, the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living (SACL) has played a major role in supporting individuals with an intellectual disability through its advocacy and its strong commitment to families and partnerships. The strength of the community living movement in Saskatchewan today has grown from deep roots in family, self-advocacy leadership, strong community, government partnerships and, over the de-cades, champions and leaders committed to creating change and working together. It has been, and continues to be, a hub for discourse and discussion on affairs that affect those the SACL supports. The SACL’s commitment to building inclusion resonates deeply and is felt throughout the province.

We are excited to be part of an Association celebrating a movement towards inclusion for transformative social change for people with intellectual disabilities. The Saskatchewan Association for Community Living’s dedication to supporting, connecting, and educating our province has changed lives and has helped to make Saskatchewan a better place. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff, we would like to thank our members and volunteers for all they do. Let’s celebrate 60 years of supporting individuals with intellec-tual disabilities.

THE SASKATCHEWAN ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING (SACL) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SACL’S VISIONAll individuals are valued, supported, and included in all as-pects of life.

SACL’S MISSIONIs to ensure that citizens of Saskatchewan who have intellectual disabilities are valued, supported, and included members of society and have opportunities and choices in all aspects of life.

Canadian Publications Mail Agreement No. 40063438

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

Saskatchewan Association For Community Living3031 Louise StreetSaskatoon, SKS7J 3L1

SACL BOARD OF DIRECTORS SACL PROVINCIAL OFFICE3031 Louise StreetSaskatoon, SK, S7J 3L1

Phone: (306) 955-3344Email: sacl@sacl.orgWebsite: www.sacl.org

PHOTO CREDITS

DESIGN & LAYOUT BY:Travis Neufeld

Northern Reflections: Megan Wells

Emmy Barr: Penny Barr

Community Living: Travis Neufeld

Dialect is published by the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living. The Dialect is funded in part by the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association.

Dialect is owned and published by the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living (SACL). The publisher, authors, and contributors reserve their rights in regards of copyright of their work. All articles, stories, interviews and other materials in Dialect are the copyright of Dia-lect, or are reproduced with permission from other copyright owners. All rights reserved. No articles, stories, interviews and other materials may otherwise by copies, modified, published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior permission of the SACL. No person, orga-nization, or party should rely or on any way act upon any part of the contents of this publication whether that information is sourced from a website, magazine or related product without first obtaining the advice of a fully qualified person. The publisher, editors, contributors and related parties shall have no responsibility for any actions or omission by any other contributor, con-sultant, editor, or related party. The information published in the magazine is believed to be true and accurate but the SACL cannot accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may occur or make any warranty for the published materials.

June AviviCindy BartokCindy BusseJuanita BuyakiBluesette CampbellDianne ChristiansonDoug ConnTina FriesenAnn GagnonKellan Gulka-TiechkoNytosha KoberGloria MahussierMike MahussierGreg PloszTracy PattersonSusan QuiringJanice RutherfordKim SandagerLaunel ScottTed & Loretta SchugmannTami SmithWilda WallaceMargaret Woods

CELEBRATING 60 YEARSThis year marks the SACL’s 60th year in operation. Over the past 6 decades, the Saskatchewan Asso-ciation for Community Living has been support-ing people with intellectual disabilities all over the province. Please join us in celebrating this amazing milestone and incredible achievement.

6 NAME OF ARTICLE

Northern ReflectionSNO

RTHE

RN PA

RTNERSHIPs FOR INCLUSION

Est. 2014

Megan Wells breaks new ground forSACL’s Northern Partnerships for Inclusion

NORTHERN REFLECTIONS 7

have always marveled at the maj-esty of Northern Saskatchewan, the vastness of trees, stunning lakes and bursts of color. Time slows down in the North, and often becomes irrelevant; plants grow slowly, animals eat at their ordained pace and weather pat-

terns flow through it all. Saskatchewan may not have a reputation for encompassing di-verse landscapes, but the further you travel north and diverge from major highways, the more you will be exposed to a kaleido-scope of scenery. When the SACL identified its readiness to initiate a demonstration project in the North, I was a part of the discussions that shaped the framework. From past attempts at supporting individuals with intellectually diverse abilities in Northern Saskatchewan, we knew we couldn’t sustain individual ad-vocacy supports; rather we needed to focus on systemic supports to ensure we were making a meaningful, significant impact. The North is a huge area and it was difficult to know where to start. The SACL decided on Pinehouse, La Ronge, and Creighton and their surrounding districts as the focus of the initiative. These commu-nities are vastly different, giving the SACL opportunity for community-based research that provides a basis of understanding. The SACL then approached funding partners with vested interests in the North, includ-ing the NPI’s founding partner, Cameco, and consulted with over 45 agencies and organizations to see what was currently be-ing offered to people with diverse abilities in the communities. The Northern Partner-ships for Inclusion (NPI) was born - a title

that indicates our intent to collaborate and include everyone. At the time of the NPI’s creation, many professionals/organizations were also trying to support northern people with diverse needs. Our project was appeal-ing to them, since we shared a mutual goal

of creating more capacity in the community to support people with intellectual disabil-ities. Our major partners include Commu-nity Living Service Delivery (CLSD) which has been advancing support options for people and Northern Human Services Part-nership (NHSP), which promotes collab-oration between human service agencies in northern Saskatchewan. Taking a page from SACL’s leadership as a member of the Disability Income Support Coalition (DISC), the SACL team has positioned itself as a part of group of key stakeholders working together in the North to achieve a common goal.

PINEHOUSEPeople in northern communities seem to have a way of including people and accept-ing them as they are. Having discussed in-clusion for nearly a decade through SACL programming, I was delighted to see the

lack of labels affixed to people. On one hand, it is refreshing to see the organic pat-tern of inclusion, but I share in the belief that communities will benefit from under-standing and anticipating the diverse needs people may have. A cornerstone of the

Northern Partnerships for Inclusion is to provide education and awareness of intel-lectual disabilities, to ensure there are ways in which people are more engaged with the movement. To date, networking in the North is one of my favorite duties as an SACL employ-ee, due largely to the fact that it brought about a deeply personal and profound un-derstanding of community. At the begin-ning of the NPI, we humbly went to elders and respected people in each area to discuss the project we were proposing. We received blessings and support from all. After a few conversations, we were directed to peo-ple who were leading disability issues in the North. Gary Tinker of Pinehouse was someone who quickly emerged as someone we needed to reach out to. In the fall of 2014, I was honoured to share a meal with Gary. We exchanged con-tact information with each other and con-

IMEGAN WELLSDirector of Community Engagment, NPI

People in northern communities seem to have a way of including people and accepting them as they are. Having discussed inclusion for nearly a decade through SACL programming, I was delight-ed to see the lack of labels affixed to people.

N O R T H E R N PA R T N E R S H I P S F O R I N C L U S I O N

Megan Wells breaks new ground forSACL’s Northern Partnerships for Inclusion

8 NORTHERN REFLECTIONS

tinued a friendship with weekly phone calls and regular visits. When the fires forced thousands of people from their homes this past summer, my daughter and I drove to Regina to meet with Gary, his family and other people from Pinehouse. While there, I learned from Evraz Place employees (where an emergency residence was formed for evacuees), that Pinehouse leaders were meeting morning and evening to communicate and ensure they were do-ing all they could to support each other, stay informed and be organized. That’s the Pinehouse I’ve come to know.

LA RONGELa Ronge is the largest community in north-ern Saskatchewan and is the main service centre for many vul-nerable and transient people with vast needs. La Ronge has seen the development of a day program through a lo-cal non-profit, North-Sask Special Needs (NSN). The day pro-gram opened in 2015, and there is a lot of excitement about what it will mean for peo-ple supported there. One of NSN’s other initiatives is Scattered Site Outreach Program - a drop-in center that provides outreach ser-vices, meals and pro-gramming to support people who experi-ence high levels of poverty, homelessness or have addictions.

COMMUNITY GARDENOne of my favorite stories from La Ronge is of the Community Garden. Previous-ly hidden in an enclosed area behind the center, the ‘Garden of Hope’ now exists in the community, available to all thanks to a donation made by the Town of La Ronge. When I spoke with Jeanne Langhorne, the woman who initiated the garden, she said her motivation was that she simply wanted everyone to taste the freshness of a garden

tomato - to pick it from the vine and bite right into it. I am curiously comfortable in La Ronge, a fascinating place populated by so many remarkable people who are adeptly dedicated to building community.

CREIGHTONTurning on the Hanson Lake Road at Smeaton, cell coverage completely disap-pears for the 3 hour journey to the com-munity of Creighton. A part of the Pre-cambrian Shield, the area is rugged and exceptionally unique. The town marks the end of the highway and is nestled along-side the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border

and runs adjacent to the city of Flin Flon, Manitoba. Creighton’s remoteness is apparent in many ways; particularly demonstrated by an unfortunate history of a lack of services and supports. Since starting NPI, we’ve been working to navigate the complexity of Creighton, working through Manitoba and Saskatchewan funding jurisdictions, and Federal and Provincial funding streams. In Creighton and all over the North, there is a strong sense of what it means to take care of one another. Dianne Christian-sen, an SACL board member from Creigh-ton said in a meeting recently, ‘That’s what

we do in the North - we haven’t been able to get supports, so we adapt and simply take care of our own. What choice do we have?”

THE SHARING CIRCLEIn one of the communities we collaborate with, we held a Sharing Circle; people were invited to share how they have been impacted by diverse abilities. The outcome was breathtaking. Support for things like respite for their adult children is a new concept, previously unheard of in the re-gion. There were two parents who shared their story. This was the first time they have ever shared their insight in public.

Through years of sup-porting people in all the southern sections of Saskatchewan, in-cluding remote and ru-ral communities, I was admittedly unprepared for the response we heard when we started the conversation about what little supports people have been of-fered. The reality was just as surprising as it was perplexing and difficult to hear.

ALL ROADS LEAD NORTHThere is much to do. I’m still in my infancy of understanding the dynamics and I of-ten shake my head at my own naivety. The

North is more than just a beautiful space; Northern Saskatchewan is home to beau-tiful people who have endured widespread disease, the humiliation and violence of res-idential schools, the culture of poverty, drug and alcohol exposure, suicide rates that soar to 3-4 times the provincial average, lack of food security and adequate housing - the list goes on. The issues are complex and there are no easy answers to the socio-eco-nomic marginalization that happens. But good things are also happening in the North and perhaps we should look to that as a focal point, as we remember the history that brought us to this place.

MEET: GARY TINKER 9

ary Tinker was born in the Northern Village of Pinehouse, located in the boreal forest of Northern Saskatchewan. He was di-

agnosed with cerebral palsy and moved in with a foster family 520 kms away in Saskatoon at the age of two. He fondly remembers being introduced to his father, Jerry Tinker, when he was five. He took Gary to La Ronge by taxi and then made a phone call. Later, the two boarded a small Cessna float plane, and headed off into the sky. The plane landed on the shores of Pinehouse. Gary had never seen anything like it - there were no bathrooms, there was no running water and there was seeming-ly nothing for miles. He was soon reac-quainted with his mother, Alice, and his 17 siblings. Before long, he sat for supper and ate bannock and duck soup as the family spoke in a language he did not know. Gary didn’t understand his native Cree language at first, but quickly began learning. Soon he was eating fish, wild rabbits and moose and playing in the bush with many friends and adventuring with others as they pulled him around by wagon. His father dedicated

himself to exercising Gary’s legs and even built a modified wheelchair. Gary adapt-ed to the northern terrain by crawling. He had scraped knees and happily went where everyone else went. “Life was really good then. I felt I was coming alive,” he recalls of that time. When Gary was 7 or 8, he was taken

back to Saskatoon because there was no option for him to get a proper education in Pinehouse with supports, and for access to medical services. He spent the next few

years in Saskatoon, seeing his family every year or so. There were no phones in Pine-house, and he felt isolated from his com-munity. He vividly recalls April of 1981 after Easter holidays, being put on a plane to head back to Saskatoon. “I didn’t want to leave. I knew in my heart that something was off.” He was 13 and it was the last time he was to see his father, as he passed away a few weeks later. In May, Gary returned to Pinehouse for a ceremony honouring his father. It was a permanent move. “I didn’t want to be away from my com-munity anymore. My Dad had done all he could to make sure I had a connection to this place.” At the age of 17, Gary was sitting qui-etly on a rock overlooking Pinehouse Lake and had an epiphany. “I became really im-patient, thinking of my future. I worried there would never be anything for me, and I decided I needed to take things into my own hands. I had fire in my belly.” There was a new council governing Pinehouse, in-cluding Lawrence Yew, a former MLA, and Greg Ross, the new mayor of Pinehouse. Gary proposed a movement for people with disabilities in the North and as a way

MEET: GARY TINKERAN INCLUSION HERO FROM PINEHOUSESHARES HIS STORY

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“SACL is the first group of people I’ve seen to come to Pinehouse and truly engage with people in the north. I appreciate it, because you

understood that you needed to come up to really

see how we live.”

BY MEGAN WELLS

10 MEET: GARY TINKER

to raise awareness for this new movement, he decided to walk from La Ronge to Re-gina. He weighed 71 lbs. “There were no services or supports for disabilities in the North. Some argue that there still aren’t, though there have been a few small advancements,” Gary explained as he recounted his motivation for planning what the village started calling the “Gary Tinker Walk.” Lawrence Yew and Greg Ross supported Gary but laid out a stip-ulation that Gary must see a specialist to ensure he was capable of fulfilling this feat. The doctor was concerned about Gary’s ability to sustain such an grueling journey, so he made Gary agree to a contract that if he didn’t gain any weight, he couldn’t con-tinue the walk. There would be checkpoints along the way to ensure his health was sta-ble enough to continue. On August 1st, 1989, after a ceremo-ny and a prayer, he left La Ronge with a group of approximately 60 well-wishing supporters. Gary started down the high-way, thinking, “Holy Mackerel, what have I got myself into? I looked down the stretch of highway, thinking of every step I would have to take. I paused and wondered if I could do it. There were so many people around me, cheering me on and I just kept going. It was a really touching moment.” After three weeks, he and the six people accompanying him saw Weyakwin on the horizon. Gary was walking faster than any-one had predicted; he reached Weyakwin three days sooner than projected. The doc-tor weighed him at the first checkpoint and was surprised by Gary’s six pound weight gain. “I found a hunger as I walked,” he explained. He reached Prince Albert with a strike of confidence. He felt his strength growing with every step. He continued on to Saskatoon, where he found budding me-

dia attention. It was clear that his effort was picking up steam. As he approached Regina, the final leg of his journey, he kept his eyes fixed on the horizon and his feet at steady pace. “I didn’t quite know how to feel by the time I reached Regina. We were overjoyed, but there were mixed emotions. It was a magic moment, it was surreal. We struggled for it and we did it together. We sat at the Leg-islative buildings and rejoiced. There was a reception that evening of 1500 people to celebrate the walk.” The next morning, Gary received calls from people all across Canada. He was also offered a complimentary flight back to Pinehouse, for him and his entourage. Upon his return, he spent the night with his family to celebrate. The pubic receptions continued shortly after that, taking place in Pinehouse, then La Ronge and Prince Al-bert. As a result of his incredible achieve-ment, the provincial government dedicated funding to initiate The Gary Tinker Federa-tion - a pioneering non-profit organization that advocates for people with disabilities in the North. The focus of the Federation was to provide education and training for individuals with disabilities. In the first year of its operation, the Federation was able to provide support for 12 people. Over the years, the Federation has grown substantially. “Now we’ve supported thou-sands of people in the North. I wanted to bring everyone together - everyone should have equal rights to support. There are trea-ty people on my board, there are metis and white people on my board. It is in my heart that people can be together as one, and I see people with disabilities included in com-munity. I want everyone to have a place.” From providing funding and support-

ing people with employment options to providing peer support groups, vocational opportunities and networking, the Federa-tion is continuing to make a difference in the North. Gary now lives in a comfortable, modest home in Pinehouse. He is a foster parent and always advocates for anyone needing support. “The North is very unique. We have our own set of barriers. To stay up North, to live in remote areas has its own host of issues and sometimes people are not aware of how isolating it can be to have a disability in a community up here. There is a perception that northern communities are receiving a lot of money, but these are mis-conceptions. No one should have to move away from their loved ones, their traditions, their language and culture. Moving away nearly broke my spirit. It is hurtful when people move away from their families - we want people to be able to have opportuni-ties here.” Meeting with Gary is always a memo-rable experience. With a witty disposition and a kind face, he is always willing to take on new initiatives and advance options for Pinehouse and the North. “SACL is the first group of people I’ve seen to come to Pinehouse and truly engage with people in the North. I appreciate it, because you understood that you needed to come up to really see how we live. You can’t assume things about how we live or what we need, you need to come up here to see it. I will tell you something about my community… my own personal experience is that we have the best leadership. Everyone asks for my per-spective as a leader for disability issues and we continue to talk about breaking down barriers. We appreciate partnerships and will continue to do great things together with you guys.”

“To stay up North, to live in remote areas has its own host of issues and some-times people are not aware of how isolating it can be to have a disability in a community up here... No one should have to move away from their loved ones, their traditions, their language and culture.”

60 YEARS IN THE MAKING 11

6 0 Y E A R S

t was was sixty years ago when one of SACL’s original founders, Dr. John Dolan, put an advertisement in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix ask-ing persons who were concerned about education for their special needs family member to contact him. During the mid-fifties, John

and his wife Lena had adopted a young girl with a disability. A self described “plain old farmer” from Girvin, John Dolan saw that his daughter (Norma) wasn’t getting a fair shake. He wanted Norma to have access to education, but there simply weren’t any op-portunities for her in the Girvin commu-nity and surrounding area. Putting her best interests ahead of their own, John and Lena promptly packed up the farm and moved to Saskatoon. Once there, John met with fourteen sets of parents who replied to the ad to discuss the challenges they faced. The group began developing an organization that would focus its efforts on making the world a better place for individuals with in-tellectual disabilities in Saskatchewan. This was the beginning of what we now know as the Saskatchewan Association for Com-munity Living. By all accounts, the devel-opment and formation of the Association

was no easy feat. John Dolan, along with Mrs. Gerbreg DeGroot (proprietor of a school for those with disabilities in Regi-na), Dr. A.J. Beddie (Medical Superinten-dent of what is now Valley View Centre), persons within the Department of Educa-tion, parents, and volunteers all had to push and lobby in order find support and get the Association on its feet.

JUNE AVIVIJune Avivi, longtime SACL board mem-ber and Valley View Centre Family Group chair, describes her memories of the early days. “It was very much a fly-by-night op-eration at that time. A lot of people put in sweat, blood, and tears,” June recalls. “There were a lot of parlour meetings. I remember the first meeting I went to. We went to a Christmas social at the art building on the exhibition grounds and I said ‘let’s try to fade into the woodwork and see what we can learn.’” Little did she know at the time, but she would later become one of the As-sociation’s most enduring stewards. June had first learned about the orga-nization when John Dolan showed up at her parents’ house. Her brother had brain damage from encephalitis and her parents

had reached out to Dolan to find out more about options for support. He visited the house, where June remembers them dis-cussing education options, a cause that resonated personally for him. Later in her twenties, when June’s son David was born with an intellectual disability, she became directly involved with the Association. “It started out with a tiny office in the Canada Building - it was in a closet. Grad-ually it grew from there,” June remembers. “Parents were getting together at informal family networks to discuss how to find ser-vices for their children. In those days, it was very much who you knew that got things done. It was very much tapping someone on the shoulder who then tapped someone else on the shoulder.” From the outset, John Dolan described the Association as an organization that doesn’t provide services itself but instead provides a “bugging service” that persuades governments, agencies, and professionals that they also share in the responsibility to provide for those with intellectual dis-abilities. As the Association progressed, however, it became clear that they needed to create some of their own initiatives that would provide support for education and

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recreational activities. “We began to think that people need a workshop and families need respite,” says June. Together, the Asso-ciation developed a recreational workshop, and named it the John Dolan School. It was an early form of day programming that served as the foundation for both today’s John Dolan School and Cosmo Industries. “We rented the basement of the YWCA Opportunity Shop. You could only access it from the back of the building and down a steep flight of stairs. It was a big dark base-ment with no windows,” says June.

MARY VINISH BAXTERMary Vinish Baxter, principal of the John Dolan School for 30 years, also recalls this early period of the Association. “Their kids weren’t allowed to go to school and teach-ers didn’t know what to do with them so they had to create a school of their own. When the school started, they had about six or eight students.” In 1958, shortly after the school’s creation, Mary had applied to be a teacher and was hired simply because she played the piano. “When I first started teaching, I was petrified. I had no idea about teaching children with disabilities.” Despite her early apprehensions, Mary would later

go on to take classes in special education and become big part in the school and the Association’s development. Once the school was established, John Dolan was able to get it funding from the government and support from the Board of Education and Teacher’s Federation. From here, the Association gained a rep-utation and legitimacy and soon grew into a larger entity with branches located all over the province. A national organization that supported individuals with intellectual disabilities (now CACL), came into being around 1958 and also partnered with the

Association. Mary’s husband, Dick Baxter, worked in the Saskatchewan government as a Di-rector of Services for the Mentally Handi-capped and often speaks of the days when John Dolan would lobby the government for funds. Because of Dick’s position, he was often a go-between for the treasury and the Association. “Dick said that when the Treasury saw John Dolan and Al An-derson [former SACL Executive Director] coming, they would start quaking in their boots,” says Mary. “They had to pound on desks and not go home until they got what the wanted. They had to be strong

back then.” It was efforts like these, and the charge to make the world a better place that has made SACL what it is today. In a short period of time, the Association had grown from humble beginnings, into a respected entity that would go on to be-come the driving force for supporting those with intellectual disabilities from all over the province. Over the next few decades, John Dolan and all of the other parents and volunteers would continue to grow the or-ganization and guide it through the years. Even now, sixty years after Dolan placed that ad, the SACL is a vibrant organization

filled with people who are passionate about creating a better life for those with intellec-tual disabilities and ever conscious of the legacy created by those early pioneers. “I would never have dreamt that the As-sociation would be dealing with the things that we are now doing. The strength of the organization in those days was its volun-teer core, and now the strength of the or-ganization is its tremendous staff. But if is wasn’t for those families in the early days, we wouldn’t have what we have now,” says June. “We’ve grown a great deal and come far, but we also had failures along the way and that’s important to know. We have to

Cover: John Dolan visits a student from The John Dolan School

60 YEARS IN THE MAKING 13

remember our failures and not repeat them. There are lessons to be learned in losing be-cause you’re not always going to win.” For Mary, she still looks back at her time as the head of the John Dolan school with fondness and pride. “I loved my job. I liked working at the school so much that I didn’t want to quit. I still get a hug when I see some of my old students. You see kids who just grew.” Mary retired from the school in 1986 and went on to continue her work in the disability world as a board member of Elmwood Lodge and part of a rhythm band at Cosmo.

For June, she worked with the Associa-tion in a number of different capacities and eventually took on the role as co-chair of the Valley View Centre Family Group (a position which she still holds today). As a part of a coalition between the SACL, the Saskatchewan government, and the Fam-ily Group, June has played a huge role in the ongoing closure of Valley View Cen-tre. Her role, as the representative of fam-ily members who live in Valley View is to ensure that the transition of residents out of the facility and into the community happens in a considerate, appropriate, and person-centred way. “How do we design

TRAVIS NEUFELDCommunications & Marketing Manager

and what do we design for a transition for people of all needs and ages? It was like trying solve two-hundred puzzles without knowing what the pieces are, so you had to first design the puzzle pieces. The respon-sibility is tremendous,” says June.

THE ROAD AHEADWhile families remain the strongest ad-vocates for their family members, SACL knows that they can’t do it alone. Looking towards the future, June sees the SACL continuing its work developing safe homes in the community, opportunities

for people to be meaningfully employed, and offering a diverse variety of commu-nity-based supports. “We have to remem-ber that the range of people we support should dictate the services we provide. SACL needs to be the smorgasbord of all smorgasbords. We need to serve the entire spectrum.” She also sees communications with the public as key to SACL’s future success. “The role of SACL in the future, in terms of communications, is to raise awareness for people with intellectual dis-abilities.” It’s been an incredible journey for the Association over these past sixty years.

So much has happened, and so many souls have come and gone that it would take a entire book just capture it all. With any an-niversary, it’s important to take a step back and reflect on the progress made thus far in order to navigate the road ahead. Learning from those who pioneered the inclusion movement and forged the Association six-ty years ago is an essential process. Through their eyes, we get a small glimpse of the Association as a whole; how it started, how it changed, and how it turned into what it is today. We can learn from all of the past failures and missteps, while celebrating all

of the change and growth that has emerged as a result. It is through this perspective that the SACL can continue to move forward and reach for the future that those early pi-oneers like John Dolan wished they would one day see. As June says, “We’re hoping for utopia and maybe that’s ok. We can wish on the stars and get pretty close to them. If our goals are not slightly out of our reach at all times, we have nowhere to go.”

John Dolan’s Original Advertisement in the StarPhoenix - December 27th, 1954

14 DIALECT

Reflecting on 60 years of the SACL’smost enduring publication

DIALECT

ince 1957, in one way or another, the SACL has had a way of sharing its news, events and success stories with its members.

Over the years, the publication has come in many shapes and sizes and has held many names. Originally, the publication was mailed out as a tri-folded, type-written newsletter. Later, during the mid-seventies, the document eventually developed into a publication called “Dialogue” which then shortly evolved into “Dialect.” From here, Dialect continued to be regularly produced throughout the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, and right up until today.

Over those years, it underwent a num-ber of writers, editors, and committees - all of whom added their own style to it. Take one glance at a stack of Dialects and it’s like looking at the sedimentary layers of an ex-posed rock wall. Throughout each era, Dia-lect has had its own look, tone, and format - each clearly built firmly upon the last. While it may not be obvious, or at top of mind while reading it, Dialect is part of an important legacy. Many non-profits reg-ularly put out publications to their donors and members, but not many have had the incredible life-span of Dialect. Looking back through its issues, the entire history of the SACL can be tracked through the

eyes of those who lived it. The Dialect is so much more than just a publication, it’s a vibrant and living memory of the SACL. Flipping through articles past, you can find stories about everything from the SACL’s many name changes to the creation of Community Living, the amendments to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, and the first announcement regarding the closure of Valley View Centre. KARIN MELBERG SCHWIERNone of this, however, would have been made possible without the stewardship of Karin Melberg Schwier, Dialect edi-tor-in-chief for 27 years (1982-2008). Kar-

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BY TRAVIS NEUFELD

DIALECT 15

in’s approach to Dialect grew its readership, developed it a reputation for integrity, and even won it a few awards. Talking with Karin, she recalls the early days of Dialect and how it became what it is today. “Dialect would carry not only Associ-ation news of interest to our membership, but would become an education tool for members, the public, and those out there who didn’t know yet they would turn to us for information and support. I believed Dialect could be a change agent,” says Karin. “As the Association itself struggled with contentious issues like name change, institution closure, our position on special schools and sheltered workshops, I tried to maintain a clear vision of inclusion.” During her time as editor, Dialect went from a small newsletter copied in-house, to a commercially produced news-magazine with about 6,000 readers. Coming from a newspaper background, Karin also intro-duced a diverse variety of new types of con-tent. According to Karin, one of the most important additions to Dialect over the years was the personal stories. “People with intellectual disabilities talk-ed frankly about their life experiences, what happened to them in institutions, what it felt like to be without supports, what they wanted in life” Karin recalls. “The experi-ences of parents, siblings, extended family and friends, and people with intellectual disabilities themselves were the best tools for helping people to understand and ap-preciate the need for inclusion in all aspects of life. I believed we could be better under-stood, that people would be more captivat-

“Knowing where we’ve come from – and why – keeps us moving toward better lives for people. If parents and people with in-tellectual disabilities are the heart of the Association, Dialect is its memory.”

- Karin Melberg Schwier

ed and get what inclusion was all about, if we offered our message by breaking down any barriers between ‘us’ and ‘them’ with real stories about real people.” Still today, articles featuring those who want to share their story about intellectual disabilities are at the core of Dialect. Dialect remains to be one of SACL’s best ways of preserving its own history. Through Dialect, one can visit all of the many incred-ible moments in the SACL’s past, reflect on all of the changes the organization has undergone, and celebrate all of the progress the organization has made for individuals with intellectual disabilities over the past 60 years. Further, Dialect also tells the story of the issues and challenges that individuals with intellectual disabilities and their fam-ilies faced over the past six decades. “Sto-ries about the Association’s work provide a rich documentary of the changes, not only for SACL, but for the universal movement toward inclusion around the world,” says Karin. “Knowing where we’ve come from – and why – keeps us moving toward better lives for people. If parents and people with intellectual disabilities are the heart of the Association, Dialect is its memory.” While Dialect has had and incredible past, it also has a bright and exciting future. In recent issues, the publication has moved beyond just print and into the digital realm, once again growing its readership and mak-ing its stories more accessible to people all of Saskatchewan and beyond. For a look at some scanned article selections from each era of Dialect, visit our issuu page at www.issuu.com/thesacl.

FROM THE ARCHIVESFebruary1961 (#16)A typewritten newsletter from the Saskatche-wan Asso-ciation for Retarded Children.

June1995This “Special Isssue on Education” features stories about Inclusive Ed-ucation and individuals in Northern Sask.

September1981One of the original founders and leaders of the SACL is celebrated in this early 80’s issue.

16 VULNERABLE PERSONS STANDARD

n February 6th, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down its decision in Carter v Canada (Attorney General), a landmark ruling that will make physician-as-sisted death legal in Canada.

In its judgement, the court found that “Sections 241(b) and s. 14 of the Crimi-nal Code unjustifiably infringe s. 7 of the Charter and are of no force or effect to the extent that they prohibit physician-assist-

ed death for a competent adult person who (1) clearly consents to the termination of life and (2) has a grievous and irremedia-ble medical condition (including an illness, disease or disability) that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individ-ual in the circumstances of his or her con-dition.” In the ruling, the court noted its duty to “balance competing values of great im-portance. On the one hand stands the au-tonomy and dignity of a competent adult

who seeks death as a response to a grievous and irremediable medical condition. On the other stands the sanctity of life and the need to protect the vulnerable.” After weighing the competing consid-erations of autonomy (or a person’s right to make their own decisions) and protection, the court concluded that “a permissive re-gime with properly designed and adminis-tered safeguards was capable of protecting vulnerable people from abuse and error.” This means that since physician-assisted

V U L N E R -A B L E P E R S O N SS T A N D -A R D

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P H Y S I C I A N A S S I S T E D D E AT H

VULNERABLE PERSONS STANDARD 17

death will now be allowed, protection for the vulnerable must be achieved through a system of safeguard measures that would be part of the new law. The court granted twelve months be-fore the change would come into force in order to allow levels of government to develop appropriate legislation. Since that time, the federal government has asked for, and received an additional four month suspension, meaning that the decision will become law on June 6th, 2016. A number of government consultations and reports that make recommendations regarding legisla-tion have been released, but no laws have yet been introduced. The Saskatchewan Association for Community Living (SACL) has been busy undertaking its own research and meeting with stakeholders within the province to offer our recommendations on appropriate safeguards to be included in legislation. On March 1st, 2016, the Canadian As-sociation for Community Living unveiled a Vulnerable Persons Standard, intended to be used as a guide for federal law re-form. The Standard was developed with the guidance and endorsement of an Ad-visory Council, which includes a number of physicians, ethicists, lawyers, legal scholars and representatives of vulnerable persons. It offers recommendations to protect vulner-able persons who are at risk of inducement, coercion, abuse and error in a system for physician-assisted death. Five key require-ments form the basis of the Standard, and each must be fulfilled before a person’s re-quest for physician-assisted death is grant-ed. The first of these requirements is the Equal Protection for Vulnerable Persons, which ensures that the right to equal pro-tection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination is preserved for all and that amendments to the Criminal Code con-cerning physician-assisted death must not perpetuate disadvantage or contribute to social vulnerability. This requirement would also include safeguards that would commit the government to publicly report the op-erational implementation of the Criminal Code and to promote and support inde-pendent research into the social impacts of Canada’s assisted death policies. As well, any adverse impacts of the law which di-rectly or indirectly cause harm or disad-

vantage to Canadians, or to Canada’s social fabric, would be required to be identified and addressed without delay. The second is an End-of-life Condition requirement that authorizes physician-as-sisted death only for end-of-life conditions for adults in a state of advanced weakening capacities with no chance of improvement and who have enduring and intolerable suffering as a result of a grievous and ir-remediable medical condition. In order to protect vulnerable persons from potential harm, the Standard recommends that two physicians independently assess the medi-cal condition as grievous and irremediable, with no chance of improvement, and at the end of life. The physicians who make these threshold assessments must have specific expertise in relation to the person’s medical condition as well as the range of appropri-ate care options. They must also have met with the patient and diligently explored their request. Thirdly, the Standard requires Volun-tary and Capable Consent. Voluntariness, non-ambivalence and decisional capacity would be mandatory in order to request and consent to an assisted death, including immediately prior to death. In evaluating each request, physicians would separately attest that the person has made the request independently, free of undue influence or coercion; has capacity to make the request; is informed and understands all alterna-tives; and, has been supported to pursue any acceptable alternatives, including palliative care. A physician would also be required to attest at the time when assistance is provid-ed that the person had the capacity to give consent, and that consent was voluntary and non-ambivalent. The fourth requirement in the Standard is the creation of an Assessment of Suffering and Vulnerability. Under this assessment, any request for physician-assisted death would require a careful exploration of the causes of a patient’s suffering as well as any inducements that may arise from psy-chosocial or non-medical conditions and circumstance. Just as it is with the second requirement, two physicians must, after consultation with members of the patient’s extended health care team, attest that the person’s subjective experience of enduring and intolerable suffering is the direct and substantial result of a grievous and irreme-

diable medical condition. If psychosocial factors such as grief, loneliness, stigma, and shame or social conditions such as a lack of needed supports for the person and their caregivers are motivating the patient’s re-quest, these will be actively explored. Every effort must be made,through palliative care and other means, to alleviate their impact upon the person’s suffering. The last requirement of the Standard is an Arms-Length Authorization. Through this requirement, the request for physi-cian-assisted death would be subject to an expedited prior review and authorized by a judge or independent body with expertise in the fields of health care, ethics and law. The law, the eligibility assessment process, and mechanisms for arms-length prior review and authorization would be both transparent and consistent across Canada. Every request, along with all related clin-ical assessments, would be reviewed by a judge or an independent expert body with authority to approve or deny the request for exemption from the prohibitions on assist-ed death, or to request more information prior to making a determination. Reasons would be recorded and reported for each decision and legal provisions for exemption to the prohibitions on assisted death are in the Criminal Code to ensure pan-Canadi-an consistency, including: definitions, crite-ria for access, requirements of vulnerability assessments, and terms for independent prior review in each province or territory. The SACL has officially endorsed the Vulnerable Persons Standard and is current-ly working to bring together wide-ranging support in order to convince decision-mak-ers to have the Standard included in any physician-assisted death legislation. More information about the Standard can be found on its website at www.vps-npv.ca where you can also sign on to support it, and share it via Twitter and Facebook. This is a critically important issue for people with intellectual disabilities in Saskatche-wan, and the SACL encourages everyone to read and strongly consider supporting the Standard.

ALAINA HARRISONCommunity Inclusion Consultant - Regina

18 FUN WITH FRIENDS

rganized by Lumsden local Kara Bernardin, Fun with Friends is a new event that is helping connect children with intellectual disabil-

ities with other kids in the community. The event was inspired by Kara’s own son who is on the autism spectrum. She began thinking about starting an event after tak-ing part in Regina’s Special Olympics. Kara knew that she wanted something that was closer to home and more inclusive of the entire Lumsden community, but nothing was available. Rather than waiting for a program to arrive, Kara took it upon herself to start up her own program that paired kids with dis-abilities with other children. Kara describes the program as “an extension of our exist-ing Special Olympics group with an added component of the mentorship kids.” The goal was to create a fun activity for kids with intellectual disabilities and involve

them with the entire community so that children like her son could feel included and deepen their connection to their peers. Originally, Kara approached the local school about hosting events, but was unfor-tunately turned down. Kara and a few other members of the Lumsden community con-nected with the SACL’s Youth Coordina-tor, Carolyn Ganes, who directed them to a grant from Sask Sports and the subsequent rental of a large hall in Lumsden to host the event. At the most recent Fun with Friends, Kara organized an indoor carnival com-plete with face painting, group games, and a bouncy castle. Attendance was fantastic and even caught the attention of the local newspaper. It was an incredibly exciting night for the kids as they got to interact, play games, and make new friends. For Kara, the event has become a dream come true. She hopes that one day, the Fun with Friends event become as popular as

the local Lions group - who are constant-ly doing fundraising and holding events that teach its young members all about the power of community and the importance of leadership. Looking towards the future, Kara is seeking out options for potential partner-ship opportunities and new themes for the event. In particular, she’s thinking an ap-preciation night for all of the local RCMP and volunteer fireman would be an ideal fit. After the success of Fun with Friends, Kara suggests that parents from other com-munities look into starting similar oppor-tunities for their children. “If you don’t have any inclusive programs or events in your community, don’t be afraid to go out and create your own” says Kara.

FUN WITH FRIENDS!

TRAVIS NEUFELDCommunications & Marketing Manager

A NEW INCLUSIVE PROGRAM FOR KIDS IN LUMSDEN

Colette Aabol and her daughter Violet take part in the Fun with Friends carnival

Y O U T H

O

UPDATE: EMMY BARR 19

ince our last article about Emmy in the Winter 2015 edition of the Dialect, she has made significant prog-ress towards realizing her

dream of a caramel-selling storefront oper-ation. A year ago, Emmy had just finished competing in the Just Watch Me! video con-test, where she ended up coming in second place. Shortly after her win, a few Moose Jaw community leaders and business own-ers came together over an afternoon in or-der to raise the amount of money Emmy would have won is she had placed first in the contest ($1000). It was an incredible moment, not just for Emmy, but for inclu-sion as well. Emmy’s ability to advocate for herself and tell her own story keeps bringing sweet success her way. She shared her story in per-son as one of the SACL’s guest speakers at our annual Inclusion Breakfast in October 2015. The next day, Emmy received some very exciting news via a mysterious text - an order for a thousand caramels. Upon fol-low-up communications Emmy discovered that the anonymous message was from a contact at a notable Saskatchewan corpo-

ration who was looking to purchase cara-mels as Christmas gifts for their employ-ees. Thanks to her speech at the Inclusion Breakfast, Emmy had unknowingly made a connection that would later turn into her biggest sale yet. Once Emmy got over the excitement of the request, she had to face the challenge of making a huge amount of caramels in an very short period of time. In addition to large order, Emmy also had other orders pouring in from Saskatoon’s Impact Mar-keting, Moose Jaw’s annual hospital fund-raiser, a wedding in Weyburn, a few local craft sales, and more. In order to tackle all of the orders, Emmy had to increase the rental of her usual com-mercial kitchen to 2-3 times a week just to keep up with the demand. As well, Emmy had to hire new casual staff in order to get everything done. It was a challenge, but with the help of her good friend and pre-vious job coach Marianne Weber, she was more than able finish all of the orders and get them out on time. Now that all of business of the holiday season is over, Emmy is once again look-ing towards a future of finding the right

storefront and kitchen to expand her busi-ness and reign over all things caramel. While she’s doing that, she’s also develop-ing some new treats. It’s in the early stages at the moment, but Emmy working on a caramel-chocolate fusion delight perfectly called “The Emmy Bar.” Beyond that, Emmy has some orders for spring happenings, wedding requests, and community events on the horizon that are going to keep her busy throughout the next year.

I N C L U S I O N H E R O

UPDATE: EMMY BARRTHE QUEEN OF CARAMEL CONTINUES HER REIGN

Emmy and her employee Marianne prepare caramels

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Interested in ordering some caramel for your next event? Find Emmy on her Facebook page at “Queen of Caramel.”

TRAVIS NEUFELDCommunications & Marketing Manager

20 NAME OF ARTICLE

N E W I N I T I AT I V E

T H E P O W E R O F

The SACL & CHEP plan a newcommunity garden intiative for 2016

the garden

THE POWER OF THE GARDEN 21

Urban spaces within Saskatchewan are undergoing a transformation. Property that was nothing more than a collection of invasive weeds and refuse are now lush landscapes of fruits and vegetables that nourish hundreds of people. These are the new green spaces of our neighborhoods: the community gardens. At the request of ICAN (Individual and Collective Advocacy Network) members the SACL have been preparing the back yard of the SACL office in Saskatoon for the development of a Community Gar-den. In partnership with CHEP Good Food Inc. (an organization that works with children, families and communities to improve access to good food) the gar-den will provide an inclusive opportunity for individuals of varying abilities to work together to learn the basic skills of food production. “This garden will be unique in the city with respect to the engagement of mentor gardeners to provide guidance to individuals that have limited experience growing food,” said Michelle Cates, who will provide leadership to the project as a community member and experienced gar-dener. “I have been a member of the East-view Community Garden for six years and I absolutely love it. I have often found that during stressful times, the garden has been my sanctuary, a place where I can connect to my soul, to feel centered while focus-ing on the task at hand. It forces you to slow down, literally smell the flowers and get your hands dirty.” Michelle is quick to identify that the inclusive nature of com-munity garden is what attracts many peo-ple to participate. “It is wonderful to see the diversity of people that are active in the commu-nity gardens. My son, Ryan, loves to plant seeds, track the growth of plants, and harvest some crops (peas are his fa-

vorite!) But the lasting benefit for him has been his connection with other community members. He will often play with the pet companions of other gardeners and chat about his “enormous” butternut squash har-vest. The relationships and interactions are meaningful to him; I don’t believe those ex-periences would have occurred in any other environment,” said Michelle. She has often found that important lessons of life, death and love can be shared within the communal space, whether it is a celebration with a couple expecting their first child or grieving the loss of member who recently experienced the passing of

her husband. “The garden allows everyone to develop an extended family of support to cope with emotionally difficult and stress-ful times,” said Michelle. “I find that to be immensely comforting.” It is obvious that community gardens are a catalyst for the exchange of ideas, philos-ophies and knowledge that extends beyond a common interest in agriculture. Gord Androsoff, Community Gardens Coordi-nator for CHEP, often speaks about the spiritual impact that individuals experience within the natural garden space. “During

one summer, a teacher at Holy Cross High School contacted me about meeting at the Eastview garden on Louise Street with stu-dents from ‘Just Youth’. The topic theme for that fall was food sovereignty and we both felt the garden was a good place to meet. We talked about CHEP’s role around food security and how community gardens were structured in Saskatoon. We then began to talk about the people who participated in community gardens and their motivations for doing so (community, local food, exer-cise, food budgeting, etc.) The discussion turned to empathy and we had a lively 10-15 minute discussion about empathy and the importance of being able to step back from pre-judging a person’s situation and put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. It was fascinating how the garden venue on a beautiful early October afternoon was the place where such an interesting discussion occurred…with the students leading the conversation!” Community gardens are exciting and vibrant places where life is affirmed, shared, celebrated, and grieved. Fresh, nutritious produce is grown; self-sufficiency is taught; money is saved and food sources are se-cured. It is a special place that can fulfill the needs of a broad community of people, uni-fied to achieve a common goal. The power of the garden lies within those who foster inclusive relationships with their peers, neighbors and families for the collective learning and well-being of the community as a whole. The SACL will be launching the garden in Saskatoon this spring, and then look-ing for opportunities to expand it to other communities in the future.

DALLAS TETARENKOCOMMUNITY INCLUSION CONSULTANT - SELF ADVOCACY

The power of the garden lies within those who foster inclusive relationships with their peers, neighbors and families for the collective learning and well-being

of the community as a whole.

“Community gardens are exciting and vibrant places where life is affirmed, shared, celebrated, and grieved.”

22 SPRING CLEANING: CLOTHING DRIVES

ithin the past few months, Community Living has been promoting one of its most exciting and innovative initia-

tives: Clothing Drives. Community Living’s new Clothing Drive Coordinator, Tracey Macknak, has taken up the lead on this new effort through which Community Living aims to increase its ability to collect do-nations while simultaneously helping sup-port community groups, causes, and events throughout the province. This type of fundraiser can be used to raise funds for sports teams, music and art groups, graduation events, playground equipment, and travel to out-of-town tour-naments and competitions. The clothing drives can also be used to fundraise for oth-er charities, organizations, or individuals in and around the community. Tracey’s role is to find partners from around the province to host drives on behalf of Community Living. Through this partnership, the part-ner (sports team, school, etc.) would start a drive and work with the community to

collect as much gently used clothing as pos-sible. Once the drive is over, Community Living weighs all of the clothes collected during the drive, picks the donations up in one of their signature yellow trucks, and then shares the proceeds with the partner. In comparison to other types of fund-raisers, Community Living’s Clothing Drives are not only fun, but also a very quick and easy way to raise money. The drives also provide members of the com-munity the opportunity to give away stuff they don’t use in return for the gratification of supporting an important local cause and individuals with intellectual disabilities throughout the province. Since launching the initiative, Com-munity Living has already ran a number of successful drives, including one from a school in Grayson, SK. “For some, it was a very therapeutic process. We opened the door for the community to join in and they appreciated the chance to support our school and others. The schools that have ac-cepted are very excited and all want to try

to fill a truck. They are thrilled that they get easy money for cleaning their closets,” says Grayson School principal Chad Lechner. While the clothing drives are off to a great start, Tracey’s work has just begun. She’s only scratched the surface of what these drives will do for Community Living. 2016 is sure to bring an entire year of fan-tastic partnerships, drives, and events.

N E W I N I T I AT I V E

SPRING CLEANING: CLOTHING DRIVES

Interested in partnering with Community Living for your own fundraising event?

Contact Tracey by email at:TMacknak@communitylivingpickup.ca

Or by phone at:1-877-477-2171

W

TRAVIS NEUFELDCommunications & Marketing Manager

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