Laurie Beachell was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony on Thursday, June 13, “in recognition of his transformative leadership in advancing the equality rights of Canadians with disabilities.” Beachell is committed to creating more inclusive, accessible communities and improving the status of Canadians with disabilities.
For more than 30 years, he served as the National Coordinator of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), where he coordinated advocacy, law reform, public education, litigation and international development initiatives. He retired in 2015.
In 2006, Beachell was appointed to the Expert Panel on Financial Security for Children with Severe Disabilities to recommend new federal tax measures. The report that resulted, “A New Beginning,” recommended creating a Registered Disability Savings Plan.
Beachell was also appointed to the Technical Advisory Committee on Tax Fairness for Persons with Disabilities. He helped produce a report that represented people with disabilities, health practitioners, human rights groups and tax experts from across Canada. The recommendations recognized that people with learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, mental health concerns, and developmental disabilities have not had equal benefits under the disability tax credit.
Beachell has made numerous presentations to parliamentary committees, MPs, government officials and regulatory bodies on removing barriers to full and equal citizenship of Canadians with disabilities.
He represented the disability community on the Content Advisory Committee at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. He also coordinated CCD’s 10-year long effort to develop the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He is a recipient of the Patrick Worth Award from People First of Canada and the National President’s Award from the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Currently, he assists Bakerlaw, a private accessible justice law firm, maintain effective communication with clients concerning charter litigation. Beachell and his wife, Judy McKelvey, reside on the family farm in Rosser, Manitoba.