The Pulse

Approximately 20% of children in Canada will experience a mental illness, and supporting the caregivers, guardians, and parents of these children is crucial. To recognize Mental Health Week, the Ontario Caregiver Organization and Parents’ Lifeline have partnered to host a free webinar that will offer parents some resources, tips, and strategies for supporting their child with a mental illness. Catherin Shea from Parents’ Lifeline, and Amy Coupal, the CEO of Ontario Caregiver Organization, are joining Grant Hardy on The Pulse to share the details of this webinar and talk about the mental health crisis that Canadian youth are facing. 

...

A new report by Community Living Ontario details the disturbing treatment of students with disabilities in Ontario schools. The report, titled “Crisis in the Classroom,” provides an analysis of the Ontario School Inclusion Survey. The report’s author Shawn Pegg breaks down some of the findings with host Grant Hardy.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish...

The State of Mobile App Accessibility (SOMAA) report shares the findings from a study that analyzed the accessibility of 50 popular apps across five key industries – Food and Delivery, Payments, Streaming Media, Fitness, and Shopping. The report was conducted by ArcTouch, Fable, with advising from Joe Devon. 

Joe and Ben Ogilvie, the Head of Accessibility at ArcTouch, join Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about the report. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broa...

Heather Feather is an Award-Winning Children’s Artist and Accessibility Advocate, and this month she released a new single “Happy for You” and announced a new album coming this summer called “Together.”

Heather is a presenting member of the Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities and creates music for children that explores themes of disability and inclusivity. Heather is an artist living with multiple sclerosis, and she joins the show today to talk more about her music.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company th...

On today’s episode of The Pulse, host Grant Hardy dives into a couple of discussions. First, he chats with Arne Andres, the director of community engagement at Click&Push Accessibility. The organization has been making strides in accessible navigation for people who use mobility devices. Later in the show, Grant chats with Dugald Maudsley from Elections Canada about the upcoming federal election on April 28, 2025. Dugald describes some of the resources and tools available for Canadians to cast their vote ahead of the polls as well as on election day. Check out the Pulse on YouTube! About AMI AMI is a...

On April 8, all parties were called for a debate on accessibility issues in Canada ahead of the next federal election.

Host Grant Hardy reviews some of the big takeaways with David Lepofsky, the chair of the AODA Alliance.

Plus, we're featuring an older conversation with David Lepofsky about the importance of all candidate debates, and how minority governments can still impose change. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and...

The Federal Court of Appeal, in Air Canada versus Timothy Rose et al., upheld a decision ordering Air Canada to accommodate persons with disabilities who use mobility devices. The Court’s precedent-setting decision was released last month and marks a significant turning point in a fight for airline accessibility that began over eight years ago.

ARCH Disability Law Centre, along with Legal Aid Ontario’s Clinic Resource Office, represented Tim to defend the Canadian Transportation Agency’s decision that it would not cause Air Canada undue hardship to substitute an aircraft.

Host Grant Hard reflects on the...

The development of the Trico Communities Accessible Arts Centre in Calgary is finally becoming a reality!

The National accessArts Centre has been seeking approvals for the past five years to revitalize the old Scouts Hall building where their Visual Arts programs and administrative offices are situated.

Host Grant Hardy learns more about the facility from Jung-Suk Ryu, the president and CEO of the National accessArts Centre.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through...

Hose Grant Hardy interview Rabia Khedr, the National Director of Disability without Poverty. 

When Prime Minister Mark Carney was sworn in, he slimmed down the cabinet and removed roles that were specific to people with disabilities and women and gender rights. Rabia and Grant discuss the importance of these roles in the cabinet. 

Find Disability Without Poverty online: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca 

Disability Without Poverty (DWP) began when advocates across the country came together to work on eliminating disability poverty. Their work was immediately focussed on the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) introduced in the...

CEO of Inclusion Alberta, Trish Bowen, joined Grant Hardy on The Pulse for a wide-ranging discussion about Inclusion Alberta’s services, cuts to their funding by the Alberta government, and the importance of family-based services for individuals in the disability community. 

Visit Inclusion Alberta’s website here: www.inclusionalberta.org 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to...

Dr. Jutta Treviranus is the Director of OCAD U’s Inclusive Design Research Centre and an expert in AI and ethics on AI’s societal impact. Dr. Treviranus recently gave a keynote speech at the Zero Project Conference at the United Nations building in Vienna, Austria. She also met with the European Commission regarding Canada-EU harmonization regarding AI. 

In this interview with Grant Hardy, Dr. Treviranus speaks about how AI is implemented in an ethical way at OCAD University to protect the artists. Plus they talk about the US and U.K. refusing to sign the global pact...

On today’s special episode of The Pulse, we’re featuring a panel of AMI-audio hosts to talk about Orientation and Mobility Training. 

Host Grant Hardy invited Kelly MacDonald from Kelly and Company, and Alex Smyth from Para Sport Nation to talk about their experiences with O&M Training, where they feel they excelled in the training, practical uses of the skills they learned, and how the training could be improved. They also talked about stigmas, popular opinions on O&M, and navigating inaccessible spaces. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

Inclusion Canada appeared before the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities review Committee at the United Nations in Geneva. Krista Carr, the CEO of Inclusion Canada, joins Grant Hardy on The Pulse to explain the slow implementation of the CRPD in Canada, the effect of Track 2 MAiD, and her experience appearing in front of the committee in Geneva. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé i...

Nicole Provost founded the May Day Club to create a community for neurodivergent youth to join together. Through choir practices, talent shows, music production, and more, the youth in this club gain experience working with a team, find friends, and combat loneliness.

Nicole joins Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about the concept of the club, her experience with music, and the pride she has for the club’s success. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians wit...

Deborah Simon is the Chief Executive Officer of Ontario Community Support Association. She joined Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about the importance of people living independently as long as they can, home care’s effect on the workload in hospitals, and the importance of community in people’s lives. 

Learn more about the Ontario Community Support Association here: Ontario Community Support Association

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI...

Ben Fulton is a lawyer and active restorative justice advocate. In this episode of The Pulse, Ben explains what restorative justice is, cases where it is best implemented, and tells us a few stories of how participants of restorative justice methods have benefited from the concepts. 

Grant Hardy hosts The Pulse with new episodes twice a week! 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in Fre...

The 2025 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge was launched at this year’s Sundance Film Festival by Nic Novicki, an actor, comedian, producer and disability advocate. 

Nic spoke with the host of The Pulse Grant Hardy about the impact the Film Challenge has had in it’s 12 years of existence, the importance of disability representation in film, and what he’s had to do to create roles for himself in the industry! 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabili...

Shoko Kitano, the Executive Director of the Come to Work program at the CNIB joined Grant Hardy on The Pulse. They spoke about the development of the program, making large corporations more accessible, and the types of jobs that are available in the database.

Learn more about the Come to Work program here: https://cometowork.ca/

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in Fren...

Easter Seals Southern California released the “Reimagining Hollywood” report. The report covered topics like disability representation in film and TV, plus representation in the cast and crews of these projects. Nancy Weintraub is the Chief Advancement Officer of Easter Seals Southern California, and she joins host Grant Hardy on The Pulse to explain the report. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AM...

In anticipation of the upcoming Ontario Provincial Election, twelve agencies from across Ontario organized a political debate on February 19th, 2025. The debate allowed representatives from each major political part to address major issues that affect the disability community. 

David Lepofsky, chair of the AODA Alliance and one of the organizers of the debate joined host Grant Hardy and his special guest co-host Jacob Shymanski on The Pulse after the debate. David provided an update on what the party’s platforms are on major disability issues like ODSP, housing, and social services budget cuts. 

Plus, at the...

Join Grant Hardy on The Pulse this week for an important conversation about human trafficking, with Alicia Boothe and Natasha Hercules from Peel Children's Aid Society. Learn about what human trafficking is, how to spot it, and how to assist suspected victims. Plus, Natasha and Alicia provide advice for parents and caregivers to keep their kids safe on the internet. 

If you, or someone you know, is a victim of human trafficking and requires support, please call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

A...

The Rick Hansen Foundation has opened the nominations for the Difference Maker of the Year Awards!

Organized by the Rick Hansen Foundation School Program, these awards celebrate youth from ages five to eighteen who are making a positive change in their schools and communities for people with physical disabilities. 

Host of The Pulse, Grant Hardy, is speaking with Talina Papazian, last year’s awardee, and Teri Thorson, the manager of Rick Hansen Foundation School Program on today’s episode.

Find out how to nominate a local difference maker, the positive impact these awards have...

Grant Hardy speaks with accessibility consultant Zachary Weeks about the importance of advocacy work and Zachary's campaign Zac Sacs. Born from his mother's desire to make sure Zachary could go outside like his classmates, she created a Zac Sac out of an old sleeping bag that could fit over his power wheelchair. Zachary tells Grant how these covers have developed, and about the Zac Sac program.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv an...

Lori Fry is the Director of Public Relations and Fund Development at the 100 Mile House Chapter of the Canadian Council for the Blind. She joins Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about their upcoming programming to celebrate the Lions Club and their over 100 years of advocacy for the blind and low vision community. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. O...

Grant Hardy hosts The Pulse and speaks with Michell Jorgenson, the founder of ABLE United, on today’s episode. 

Michelle faced many challenges and barriers in environments where people weren’t accepting of her disability, and she looked at these challenges as an opportunity to gain confidence in herself. She became a Para-Judo athlete, and an entrepreneur.

Michelle and her partner co-founded ABLE United, a company that provides services in areas such as accessible event planning, accessibility consultation, and much more. Grant asks Michelle how she started her journey of true self-acceptance and asks what her e...

Host Grant Hardy is following up with chair of the AODA Alliance David Lepofsky! Grant and David spoke a couple of months ago ahead of the AODA Alliance’s 30th Anniversary celebrations at Queen’s Park in Toronto. David provides an update on how the event went and talks about the missed AODA January 2025 deadline.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AM...

Host Grant Hardy spoke with lead actors of the popular CTV crime-drama “Sight Unseen,” Dolly Lewis and Agam Darshi. Together they preview the show’s upcoming second season and discuss authentic and respectful disability representation in film and television. AMI Communications Specialist Greg David joins the conversation.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader...

Alex Howard is a host of The Dark Room podcast and is a self-described cinephile. He is all about the implementation of Audio Description for all movies and is an advocate for the blind and low vision community in the film and TV industry. 

He joins Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about compelling AD tracks, navigating sight loss and adapting his hobby of watching movies through his sight loss journey. 

Plus, Alex gives us a glimpse at some of his picks for Best Picture at the Oscars, and some other award-winning or nominated fi...

Host Grant Hardy is speaking with Vicky Levack, advocate for The Disability Rights Coalition of Nova Scotia, about how women with disabilities are more likely to experience homelessness caused by fleeing violent and abusive living situations that women without disabilities. Vicky shares some of her own experiences of taking part in a government program that helped her to leave an inadequate living environment. 

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in Engl...

The Pulse is continuing to cover the important impact made by a historic $30 million dollar donation from The Slaight Family Foundation to 11 of the leading organizations in disability advocacy and healthcare in Canada.

On this episode, host Grant Hardy is speaking with Sandra Hawken, President and CEO of the Holland Bloorview Foundation. Grant and Sandra have an interesting conversation about the development of Brain Computer Interface programs at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and what the funds from the donation will do to further improve the programming.

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

On Tuesday December 3rd, both Giving Tuesday and International Day of Persons with Disabilities, The Slaight Family Foundation announced a historic $30 million dollar donation to 11 of the leading organizations in disability advocacy and health care. Empowered Kids Ontario is one of those organizations. Jennifer Churchill, EKO’s CEO, joined Grant Hardy on The Pulse to talk about the significant impact this donation will have on the organization!

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI...

Tiffany Houston is CEO of Shine Foundation, a Canadian organization that works to fulfill the dreams of youth with disabilities.

Host Grant Hardy speaks with Tiffany about some of the Shine Dreams they are currently fulfilling, their response to the Canada Post Strike, and how the organization got started.

You can find more information on Shine Foundation at www.shinefoundation.ca and more information on their holiday fundraising campaign at www.shineholiday.ca

Check out the Pulse on YouTube!

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains...

Today on The Pulse, we’re featuring the Makers Making Change Holiday Hackathon! Last month in Burnaby, B.C., host Grant Hardy attended this event, hosted by Makers Making Change, a program offered through the Neil Squire Society in British Columbia. The event offered an opportunity for volunteers to adapt 250 toys to donate to kids with disabilities across Canada.

In this episode, Grant speaks with members of the Makers Making Change team, volunteers, students, and people who will benefit from the adapted toys too!

Grant’s first guest is Reed Schrad, the Web Product Owner at M...

On The Pulse, host Grant Hardy highlights important issues in the disability community. On today’s episode he speaks with Stephanie Pilon, Manager of Campaigns and Advocacy at the CNIB. Stephanie joins the show to share information on the CNIB’s Get on Board! Campaign, including what an accessible bus stop includes, the biggest barriers to public transit, and what you can do to help the CNIB achieve their goal of Safe and Accessible Journeys! 

For more information on the Get on Board! Campaign, or to participate in the Secret Rider Survey, visit www.cnib.ca

Hig...

Chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, David Lepofsky, joins host Grant Hardy to talk about the history of the AODA Alliance, and let’s us know what’s going on at their 30th Anniversary celebrations on November 25th in Toronto. 

The AODA Alliance has invited members from all major political parties to attend their event in Queen’s Park in Toronto, Ontario. Members of the disability community can visit www.aodaalliance.org to sign up for a 3 minute time slot to present a speech on accessibility barriers they’ve faced, and their lived experienc...

Grant Hardy hosts The Pulse, and speaks with Dilshad Kassam-Lallani, and Wesley Magee-Saxton from Holland Bloorview Kid’s Rehabilitation Hospital about the “Turning 18 isn’t so sweet: the critical gaps in health care for young adults with disabilities” report, part of their bigger advocacy campaign called “No Piece of Cake.” 

The report highlights the systemic change that is needed to support patients with disabilities through their transition from pediatric healthcare to the adult health care system. 

Dilshad Kassam-Lallani is a nurse practitioner in the Spina Bifida/Spinal Cord Injury Clinic at Holland Bloorview and sat on the advisor...

Joeita interviews Arthur Gwynne, operations manager at RAMPD, the Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities, about creating disability-inclusive spaces in the performing arts.

Highlights

RAMPD – 

Award-winning platform equipping the Music Industry with Disability inclusive solutions, programs, and a directory of peer-vetted music professionals and creato...

Joeita interviews Darryl Adams, Director of Accessibility at Intel, about his journey with accessible technology and his predictions about AI as a vehicle for disability inclusion. 

Highlights:

This week, Joeita interviews Kendall Soucie, director of the HEAL Lab at the University of Windsor, about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). 

Highlights

Guest Bio

Dr. Kendall Soucie is an assistant professor of psychology in the applied social psychology department at th...

We discuss the new Ojibwe-dubbed version of Star Wars: A New Hope with Maeengan Linklater, Operations Director of the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council, and Michael Kohn, Director of Distribution Operations for Lucasfilm. 

The interview discusses why projects like these are so important to the revitalization of Indigenous languages. 

Highlights: