This report is dedicated to the memory of our friend and colleague David Onley.
It is difficult to put into words the legacy David left behind. Some of us remember him as one of the first Canadian on-air TV personalities with a visible disability, or the first lieutenant-governor of Ontario with a visible disability.
To those of us at U of T Scarborough, we also knew him as a warm and welcoming personality who always made time for students and colleagues.
Throughout his life, David remained a passionate advocate for disability rights and accessibility. In his 2018 review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, he wrote a scathing report that the province was failing people with disabilities and was nowhere near its goal of achieving full accessibility.
David’s accomplishments in working towards a more inclusive and accessible world are too long to list, but we also want to acknowledge his contribution as a member of the planning committee for the second National Dialogues.
We hope these conversations can, in some small way, help continue his legacy.
—2022 National Dialogues and Action Planning Committee