2024
Penny Bennett
Builder
Penny Bennett is a leader in Canada’s blind and deafblind community and is known nationwide as a strong, tireless advocate. She has spent decades building awareness and breaking down societal barriers for people with disabilities. This includes advocating for the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2015 and serving in leadership roles with numerous national, provincial and local community and disability organizations. Bennett has been involved in countless committees and boards, including Chair of CNIB Deafblind Community Services, member of the Municipal Accessibility Awareness Committee for the City of Kingston, Ontario, and Co-Chair of the National Deafblind Awareness Month Working Group, among other notable roles. She has contributed to the creation of a self-advocacy guide for the deafblind community and advocates for equitable access to intervenor services so that all Canadians who are deafblind can thrive.
Tim Rose
Achiever
Tim Rose is a business leader, changemaker, advocate, role model and entrepreneur who works passionately to advance accessibility, inclusion and diversity initiatives. Rose believes his disability has given him a perspective and lens on the world that very few get to have, and he approaches everything with positivity and humour. After graduating with a master’s degree in human rights law focusing on disability policy, Rose has spent 15 years spanning the disability and corporate sectors, from nonprofit work to employment consulting, mentoring and beyond. Since 2017, Rose has been a proud team member at CIBC, holding roles including regulatory compliance, community investment and as the lead for client experience accessibility for the 27% of Canadians who identify as having a disability. In this role, he works to make banking more inclusive for all Canadians.
Francis Roussel
Athlete
Francis Roussel is a remarkable athlete who won 21 medals in 28 world championship events, including five gold, ten silver and six bronze. Competing against top swimmers in the world, his phenomenal performances spanned three Deaflympics. He won seven medals at each of three consecutive games, including Sofia 1993, Copenhagen 1997 and Rome 2001. Roussel broke numerous records in a total of 22 event categories during his career and has nine Canadian records that remain unmatched as of June 2024. These categories include the 400 metre (m) individual medley, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle and 1,500m freestyle. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Roussel supports the development of sports within the Deaf community through his involvement and board service with the Canadian Deaf Sports Association.
2023
Chantal Benoit
Athlete
Chantal Benoit is widely recognized as the greatest female wheelchair basketball player in history. She achieved remarkable success over more than two decades with the national team program. As a seven-time Paralympian, Benoit won three gold medals and a bronze. She is also a four-time world champion. Benoit’s dominance on the court earned her the nickname the “Michael Jordan of women’s wheelchair basketball.” Her contributions to the sport and advocacy for inclusivity led to her appointment to the Order of Canada. As well, Benoit received the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation Gold Medal Triad Award for her impact on the sport’s growth. Benoit remains active in the wheelchair basketball community through the Vaughan City Lashers program in Ontario. Her legacy as a player and ambassador continues to inspire athletes and promote inclusivity and excellence.
Rt. Hon. Stephen J. Harper
Builder
The Right Honourable Stephen J. Harper dedicated significant efforts and resources towards improving the lives of people with disabilities. As Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister, he empowered a team in cabinet and through Federal appointments that would help make life better for the disability community. The Harper government initiated and implemented many policies that support persons with disabilities. This includes introducing the Registered Disability Savings Plan in 2008. Additionally, the Harper government enhanced the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities to help individuals prepare for, obtain and maintain employment and funded programs to improve the accessibility of public spaces and workplaces. His government also helped advance the Paralympic movement. Initiatives included financing for the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, ongoing annual funding for the Canadian Paralympic Committee and support for the Special Olympics.
Michelle Stilwell
Achiever
Michelle Stilwell is a remarkable individual who has succeeded in multiple domains. A six-time gold medallist in wheelchair basketball and athletics, she is the only female Paralympic athlete to win gold in two separate summer sport events. Stilwell is also a nine-time world champion and multiple world record holder in the 100m, 200m and 800m races. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Stilwell has excelled in politics and business. She served two terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia (2013 to 2020) and was the Minister for Social Development and Social Innovation (2015 to 2017). Stilwell is an active member of multiple national and international boards. As well, for 15 years, she oversaw all operational aspects of an international public speaking company.
2022
Josh Dueck
Achiever
Josh Dueck is a two-time Paralympian and influential leader of sport. He began Para alpine skiing just one year after a 2004 accident on the slopes changed his life. Dueck won silver in the men’s sitting slalom race during his Paralympic debut at Vancouver 2010. At Sochi 2014, he won his second Paralympic silver, this time in the downhill. Days later, Dueck took gold in the super combined and was named flagbearer for the closing ceremonies. He also had repeated success on the World Cup circuit and multiple world championships podium finishes. Since his retirement, Dueck has continued advancing the Paralympic movement, including leading the 2022 Canadian Paralympic Team to Beijing as Chef de Mission. He is an ambassador for several organizations and a mentor to others who have had life-altering injuries.
Lorin MacDonald
Builder
Lorin MacDonald is a passionate human rights lawyer and disability advocate, widely respected for her unwavering commitment to public awareness and positive change. MacDonald was lead organizer of a forum encouraging Ontario’s government to enact stronger disability legislation. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) was introduced six weeks later and became law in June 2005. Also passionate about communications inclusion, she created HearVue, a social enterprise educating about the benefits of captioning at live and virtual events. Since that time, MacDonald has shown that captioning helps diverse audiences while introducing it at universities, Superior Courts and social justice tribunals. Thanks to her efforts, live theatre captioning is now standard at several Ontario venues. MacDonald has also been a volunteer for many organizations since her teens.
Greg Westlake
Athleter
Greg Westlake is an outstanding athlete and one of the world’s best Para ice hockey players. Now retired, he represented Canada proudly over an impressive career spanning a decade and a half. Westlake won gold during his Paralympic debut in 2006, then added silver and bronze medals in subsequent Games. He was captain of Canada’s Para ice hockey team (2010-2019) and a flagbearer for the opening ceremonies at Beijing 2022. Westlake is also a nine-time world championship team member with three world titles. Off the ice, he is a dedicated leader, role model and volunteer. Westlake gives back as a Board member of Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, representative of the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund, spokesperson for Jumpstart’s “Play Finds a Way” project and mentor to children with a similar disability..
2021
Vivian Berkeley
Athlete
Vivian Berkeley is a two-time World Blind Lawn Bowling Champion who is recognized as the greatest Canadian athlete of all time in her category (B1 blind lawn bowler). After proudly carrying the Paralympic Torch on its way to Atlanta, this world-class competitor went on to win silver at the 1996 Paralympic Games. Berkeley’s successful 21-year career also includes a 2002 bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. These distinctions highlight only part of her incredible career achievements, with 60 total medals won, including 17 at the international level, 21 national golds (defended for 16 straight years), as well as 22 straight provincial golds. Additionally, Berkeley has helped to build her sport for people who are blind and living with vision loss in Canada and abroad.
Frank Folino
Achiever
Frank Folino has been an enduring leader and advocate for the Deaf community. Born Deaf himself, he currently serves as President for Canadian Association of the Deaf-Association des Sourds du Canada (CAD-ASC). In this role, he carries out community outreach and advocacy initiatives to promote the rights of Deaf Canadians from coast to coast who use American Sign Language (ASL)/English and langue des signes Québécoise (LSQ)/French. Among his notable successes, Folino was a passionate advocate to include Sign language in the landmark Accessible Canada Act. Additionally, he was an interim board member for Administrator of Video Relay Services and currently serves as an advisor to several government, non-profit and human rights organizations in his role as CAD-ASC President. Folino has also received awards recognizing his volunteer service.
Hon. Carla Qualtrough
Builder
Honourable Carla Qualtrough is a successful lawyer, committed volunteer and Paralympic swimmer who is dedicated to advancing issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Currently serving as Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, she was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Delta, BC in 2015. Professionally, she has practiced human rights law at the federal and provincial levels and chaired the Minister’s Council on Employment and Accessibility in British Columbia. She has been of significant service through sport and volunteerism, including with the International Paralympic Committee and for the Toronto 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games. Visually impaired since birth, her athletic achievements include three Paralympic and four World Championship medals. She has also been named one of Canada’s Most Influential Women in Sport numerous times.
2020
Tim Cormode
Builder
Tim has been involved in youth work and the non-profit sector for almost 30 years. As an outdoor enthusiast and previous camp counsellor supporting young adults with disabilities, he saw an opportunity to combine nature with adventure to help people of varying abilities build confidence, make connections, and achieve their dreams. Tim founded “Power To Be” with that idea and a small government grant in 1998. It has since grown to reach more than 8,000 children, youth, and families, empowering them to learn new skills and reach their full potential through a variety of adapted outdoor activities. In keeping with his passions, Tim’s recent activities have included climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and travelling to support Haiti relief.
Martha Sandoval Gustafson
Athlete
Martha competed for Mexico at the 1976 and 1980 Paralympic Games, winning 12 medals. After moving to Canada, she wore the maple leaf at the 1984 and 1988 Games. Competing in athletics, swimming, and table tennis, she increased her medal count to 19, including 12 gold and seven silver. This achievement ranks her as Canada’s second most-decorated Paralympian. She remains an active parasport athlete and has 200+ medals from international, national, and provincial events. Now in her late 60s, she still competes in athletics and swimming and has even tried two distinctly Canadian sports – curling and wheelchair rugby. She boils success down to a simple philosophy, “Compete against yourself and always try to do your best.
Meenu Sikand
Achiever
An award-winning disability rights advocate, transformative leader, and champion of accessibility and inclusivity, Meenu has made an incredible impact professionally and as a volunteer. Currently serving as the first-ever executive lead for equity, diversity and inclusion at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Meenu is also the founder of “Accessibility for All,” a non-profit organization that works to identify, address and meet the needs of marginalized communities. She is a sought-after speaker who has travelled the world providing education on disability-related topics ranging from mental health and cultural competencies to parenting and race. A devoted volunteer, Meenu has served as a board director for Punjabi Community Health Services, the Center for Independent Living and ARCH, among others.