• About the Awards
• Award Categories
  • Gary McPherson Leadership Award
  • Awards of Excellence
• Eligibility Criteria
• Selection process
• Awards notification
• Nominations
• Awards ceremony

These guidelines are intended to provide information and answer questions about the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Awards nomination and selection process. More information and nomination forms are available from the Premier’s Council office:

• Call toll free 1-800-272-8841
• E-mail pcspd@gov.ab.ca
• Web www.seniors.alberta.ca/PremiersCouncil

About the Awards

The Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities Awards were created in 2002 to encourage and celebrate the support and commitment of individuals, organizations and governments for persons with disabilities. The awards recognize the dedication of those individuals and groups as they work toward creating communities where all citizens can participate fully.

The intent of the program is to publicly honour the efforts and accomplishments of individuals, groups, businesses and organizations to develop barrier-free environments in Alberta. Special recognition is given to individual Albertans who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in making positive, progressive and sustained change toward the full inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The Premier’s Council knows that those who affect change are often persons without disabilities. That’s why organizations and individuals recognized with an award may or may not be directly involved in disability programs or services. They will, however, have one thing in common – a commitment to the full inclusion of persons with disabilities as demonstrated by their actions.

Public recognition through the awards program raises awareness among Albertans about the need for and benefits of barrier-free, inclusive environments, and provides ideas, inspiration and encouragement to others.

Barrier-free environments are those that enable Albertans, regardless of abilities, to participate in everyday life. Barriers to inclusion may include physical or systemic structures and landscapes, transportation, communication, lack of personal supports, policies and laws, attitudes and behaviours. These barriers may exist at school, work, home or in the community.

The awards are presented annually and winners are formally recognized.

Award Categories

There are two types of awards: the Gary McPherson Leadership Award and the Awards of Excellence. An individual, team or organization may receive only one award each year.^*

Gary McPherson Leadership Award

Awarded to individual Albertans who have demonstrated outstanding leadership or achievement in enhancing or enriching the lives of persons with disabilities and who exemplify the qualities and values Dr. Gary McPherson held. There may be more than one winner each year.

Dr. McPherson passed away on May 8, 2010.

Dr. McPherson dedicated his lifetime to furthering the ideals of equality and citizenship for all Albertans. His values of hospitality, trust, tolerance, respect, courage and love brought people together for the benefit of individuals and society as a whole.

Dr. McPherson was instrumental in establishing the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities in 1988 and served as its first chair for 10 years. He had an extensive volunteer background, including 20 years in wheelchair sports administration. His influence continues to have a positive impact on provincial and national policy and programs affecting persons with disabilities.

Awards of Excellence

The Awards of Excellence may be presented for achievement in four categories. Individuals, teams and organizations are eligible to win. The categories are:

• Education
  Awarded to a person, team or organization that has made a significant contribution to a barrier-free and inclusive program, classroom or facility within a school or post-secondary institution.
• Employment
  Awarded to a person, team or organization that has made a significant contribution to a barrier-free, inclusive environment within the workplace.
• Community
  Awarded to a person, team or organization that has made a significant contribution to a barrier-free, inclusive environment within their community. This may be a neighbourhood, village, town, city, county, municipal district or region in Alberta.
• Public Awareness
  Awarded to a person, team or organization that has increased the public’s awareness of the benefits and value of a barrier-free, inclusive environment. This may be done through public relations, marketing, media, publicity, advertising, promotions or the arts.

Eligibility Criteria

Any individual, team or organization in Alberta may be nominated for an award except Premier’s Council members and their secretariat. To be eligible for an award:

• Nominees must be directly involved in an initiative, project or achievement that has helped to create a barrier-free, inclusive environment for persons with disabilities in Alberta. A barrier-free, inclusive environment is defined as one that any person can access and be a part of, regardless of abilities.
• The initiative, project or achievement must have a positive, sustained impact on persons with disabilities and the greater community.
• There must be some objective evaluation or measure of the initiative, project or achievement’s impact, value or benefit;
• An individual nominee must be an Alberta resident.
• A team or organization nominee must have a permanent, established presence in Alberta.

Selection process

A selection panel appointed by the Premier’s Council reviews the nominations and recommends award winners to the Premier’s Council. The Premier’s Council determines the award winners. Its decision is final and cannot be appealed.

Awards notification

The Premier’s Council will notify award winners that they have won. Award winners may be asked to consent to have their name, picture and award information used for promotion and publicity purposes.

Nominations

Any individual may nominate a person, team or organization for an award. Self-nominations are acceptable. A nominator must:

• Fill out a nomination form available online at www.seniors.alberta.ca/PremiersCouncil or by calling toll free 1-800-272-8841.
• Provide name(s) and full contact information for the nominee(s) and the nominator.
• Indicate the award category that the nomination is being made in.
• Provide sufficient detail of the nominated initiative, project or achievement. This should include a description of how the initiative, project or achievement developed or significantly enhanced a barrier-free, inclusive environment for persons with disabilities. This background information should be no more than 500 words.
• Provide a minimum of two letters supporting the nomination.
• Sign and send in the nomination form to the Premier’s Council. E-mail submissions are preferred, but nominations can be mailed or faxed.
• The personal information provided on this form is collected under the authority of section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. The information will be managed in accordance with the FOIP Act and is being collected for the purpose of determining suitability for a Gary McPherson Leadership Award or an Award of Excellence. If you have any questions about the collection of this information, you may contact the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities at 1-800-272-8841.

Awards ceremony

Both sets of awards are formally presented annually at public ceremonies. For information on this year’s activities, contact the Premier’s Council or visit the website at www.seniors.alberta.ca/PremiersCouncil.