BURNABY, BC--(Marketwired - June 20, 2016) - Dr. Gary Birch, Executive Director of the Neil Squire Society has been invited by The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, to participate in the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Digital Economy: Innovation, Growth and Social Prosperity. The Ministerial meeting takes place from June 21-23, 2016 in Cancun, Mexico.
Minister Bains is one of five Vice-Chairs supporting Mexico as Chair. The OECD meeting provides an opportunity to gather with domestic and international colleagues to reinforce the importance of digital transformation, internet openness, and cyber resilience for economic growth and innovation.
Dr. Birch, Executive Director of the Neil Squire Society, is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and a recognized global expert on the impact of assistive technology for people with disabilities. He leads the work of the Society's R&D group and is currently a member of no less than 14 active committees that have mandates from social inclusion to active professional standards organizations. This work goes towards helping governments, professional bodies and other agencies in their understanding of the needs of people with disabilities. Dr. Birch's input is sought at every level and every sector in our economy and covers such areas as tax measures for people with disabilities; Elections Canada; federal labour market advisory boards; the BC Ministers Council on Employment and Accessibility; the BC Centre for Employment Excellence Steering Committee and many more.
Technology is a key part of Neil Squire Society's mission statement, and is integrated throughout their programming. Their R&D group has built a strong international reputation for their work in creating technologies and solutions to enable people with disabilities to achieve their potential in educational, vocational and personal pursuits. The R&D group pro-actively facilitates the development of technologies, both mainstream and specialized, that enable persons with disabilities to fully access opportunities in our society.
The mission of the OECD is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. The OECD provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems. The 2016 Ministerial meeting builds on two previous OECD Ministerial meetings on the digital economy and will mark another pivotal point in the evolution of the digital economy, one in which the economy is in fact becoming fully digital.
About Neil Squire Society
Neil Squire Society is the only not-for-profit organization in Canada that for over 32 years has used technology, knowledge and passion to empower Canadians with disabilities. The Society has developed innovative programs and services and some of the world's leading edge assistive technology for people with disabilities. More than 35,000 people with disabilities in Canada have benefited from the work of the Society. With over seventy-five staff, Neil Squire Society has offices and provides services to Canadians in Vancouver, Regina, Ottawa, and Fredericton, as well as to many small communities across Canada via distance education.
Distribution of this press release was generously donated by Marketwired.
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Contact Information:
For further information, please contact:
Suzanne Wiens
604.473.9363
suzannew@neilsquire.ca
