Dianne Rogers, Advocacy and Policy Manager at The Blind Foundation and Access Alliance Project Coordinator interviews visiting Accessibility Advocate David Lepofsky.
Lepofsky is an acclaimed Lawyer, Activist, and Academic who helped pass pivotal pieces of Canadian accessibility legislation; a disability amendment to the charter of rights, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005.
Lepofsky has been awarded some of his country’s highest honors. Those include investiture in the Order of Canada (1995), the Order of Ontario (2007), and the Terry Fox Hall of Fame (2003), honorary doctorates from Queen's University and the University of Western Ontario, and awards from other organizations including e.g. the City of Toronto, the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association Public Lawyers Section, the Advocates Society, the Ontario Crown Attorneys Association, the Ontario March of Dimes and Community Living Ontario.
He is the author of one law book, and the author or co-author of 30 law journal articles or book chapters on topics including constitutional law, criminal law, administrative law, human rights, and the rights of persons with disabilities. He has lectured on topics including these across Canada, and in the U.S., Israel, Ireland, Denmark and Belgium.
In this interview, David reflects on the successes in Canada and other jurisdictions and offers his thoughts on our campaign for the Accessibility for New Zealanders Act.