This coming September we will celebrate our 55th
Annual General Meeting as an incorporated ‘Community Living’ organization.
We are one of a few that began soon after the formation of
our provincial body, Community Living Ontario in 1953! There are now 112 local
Community Living Organizations and affiliates that make up its membership.
I just returned from Community Living Ontario’s 56th
Annual General Meeting and Conference held this year in Kingston.
The overriding theme of this years conference was ‘Inspiring
Possibilities’, but the under current was the ongoing celebration of the recent
closure of institutions in Ontario. The Minister of Community & Social
Services , Honorable Madeleine Meilleur was on hand to formally thank all Community
Living organizations across Ontario for their role in helping government to
bring about this momentous achievement.
The primary focus of the Community Living Ontario is
advocacy and organizational support to its membership. In the past few years
the repeal of the ‘Homes for Retarded Person’s Act’ and the refining of its
replacement ; ‘ the Social Inclusion Act, were a direct result of Community
Living Ontario and other Provincial partners.
In particular over the past 10 years, Community Living
Ontario has been providing leadership in the area of ‘Communications &
Marketing’. Earlier this year, after
consulting with its membership and with the support of a Marketing Firm it was
decided to ‘re-brand’ our appearance, and thus resulted in the recent change to
our corporate colors, logo and catch phrase.
This refreshed membership common front is vital to marketing
our cause to the world outside our doors. Government has noted to us that our
common cause was so unified and complete that it forced them to stand up and
listen! This ‘common front’ advocacy has been critical in governments support
of many of our issues, such as improved salaries and innovative funding
initiatives across our sector.
Happy 56th Community Living Ontario!
