About Us

The Disability Advocacy Network of Eastern Ontario (DANEO) is a network of people labelled with an intellectual/development impairment, their families, friends and allies.

We advocate for the rights of citizens labelled with an intellectual/developmental disability to have access to the same opportunities and choices as other Ontarians.

Our advocacy is based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which Canada is a signatory.

Mission

We promote these rights by:

Exploring issues impacting individuals with an intellectual impairment, their families, allies and support networksin our community
Sharing information and ideas among citizens labelled with an intellectual impairment, their families, allies and community organizations, service providers and decision-makers
Raising awareness within the general public on issues that affect people labelled with an intellectual disability
Building relationships with disability advocacy networks within Eastern Ontario and across the province
Representing individuals with an intellectual impairment, their families/networks on local and provincial committees, consultations, and working groups to improve supports and services
Increasing DANEO’s membership in to have a strong community voice in Eastern Ontario

Organizing Team

DANEO organizing team welcomes the participation of self-advocates, family members, friends and allies. We are all volunteers.

2022

Josée Varin – Self Advocate and Member of Personnes d’abord d’Ottawa
Veronique Diloretto – Self Advocate
Kathy Bell – Parent
Minda Bojin – Parent – DANEO Coordinator and website manager
Josée Boulanger – Family member & advocate – PhD Candidate in University of Ottawa Faculty of Health Sciences
Nancy Brodie – Parent
Gisèle Doyle – Parent and Affordable Housing Advocate
Kevin Thompson – Parent

What Social Inclusion Really Means

In 2006, the Ontario government said that its “fundamental vision is to support people to live as independently as possible in the community and to support the full inclusion of Ontarians with disabilities in all aspects of society”.

In 2008, the Ontario government passed the Services and Supports to Promote the Social Inclusion of Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act.

The 2008 Social Inclusion Act was written before Canada ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) so falls short of using the language of rights and obligations of government to provide the necessary supports for members of society labelled with intellectual disabilities.

The New Brunswick Association for Community Living identified the benefits of social inclusion.

Social inclusion means that people:

Experience a sense of belonging
Are accepted (for who they are) within their communities
Have valued roles in the community
Are actively participating in the community
Are involved in activities based on their personal preferences
Have social relationships with others whom they chose and share common interests
Have friends

The relationship between social inclusion and quality of life was the subject of a research paper by the University of New Brunswick Urban and Community Studies Institute.

Inclusion Canada is a national organization focussing on social inclusion of individuals with an intellectual disability. They recognize that building inclusive communities takes a collective approach – laws, policies, advocacy, individuals and families taking a stand on a day to day basis to define and reinforce inclusive practices.

We have some work to do in Ontario to ensure that our laws, policies, and support infrastructure for individuals with an impairment respect the UNCRPD and focus on social inclusion.