Rural FASD Support Network of Eastern Ontario

11/17/2025

11/12/2025

11/10/2025

Register now! There's still time. And please share widely - this does not only apply to people living with FASD but any caregiver or person living with any disability.

Saturday, October 15 at 10:30am

NEW LOCATION: ConnectWell,
88 Cornelia St. W Unit A4, Smiths Falls

November’s Caregiver Meeting speaker will again be by Zoom. You can watch from your home or come to our new location and watch with the group.

Kenneth C. Pope, LLB, TEP, Special Needs & Disability Estate Planning will continue with what he started to speak on last month.

You must register for the webinar. Click the link below to do so.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yvziRhhQSJyL7zxxciUIUA

Description:
Here you’ll learn important information, including recent and upcoming changes regarding special needs & disability estate planning.

Topics Include:
- ODSP applications and benefits
- The Canada Disability Benefit
- Disability tax credits
- Caregiver tax credits
- RDSPs
- and Power Of Attorney documents.

Do you know of anyone else that might benefit from attending? Please feel free to pass this invitation along to anyone who you think might appreciate this information. During the webinar, Ken often takes questions from participants and offers specific advice so it's great opportunity to learn from others' nuanced experiences as well as having your own questions answered.

Join us on Saturday, November 15th at 10:30 AM EST for our Disabilities and Estate Planning Webinar. Here you’ll learn important information, including recent and upcoming changes regarding special needs & disability estate planning. Topics Include: - Power Of Attorney documents - Legal Guardiansh...

11/06/2025

November's Caregiver Meeting will be held on Saturday, November 15 and will again feature Kenneth Pope lawyer specializing in disabilities. It will be by Zoom - you can watch from home or watch from our new Caregiver Meeting location at 88 Cornelia St. W., Unit A4, Smiths Falls.

You must register for the webinar at the following link. Please share with anyone who might be interested.

Topics Include:
- ODSP applications and benefits
- The Canada Disability Benefit
- Disability tax credits
- Caregiver tax credits
- RDSPs
- and Power Of Attorney documents

Registration link:

Join us on Saturday, November 15th at 10:30 AM EST for our Disabilities and Estate Planning Webinar. Here you’ll learn important information, including recent and upcoming changes regarding special needs & disability estate planning. Topics Include: - Power Of Attorney documents - Legal Guardiansh...

10/27/2025

As part of the next FASD Parent Action Group of Southeastern Ontario meeting, you are invited to participate in a Digital Storytelling workshop. If you don’t want to make a story, you are still very welcome to attend the Parent Action Group meeting. Childcare and lunch will be provided. The time is the same as regular PAG meetings, 11am-4pm. The location is different – we will be at Queen’s Faculty of Education, 511 Union St., Kingston. There will be someone waiting for you inside the front door on Union St. to help you find the meeting. We will be there the whole time, but you are not expected to arrive right at 11 or stay for the whole time.

The digital stories will combine a photo and a voice-over story to make a short film. To see some examples of digital stories, please visit the website of our partner, Community Story Strategies. There is also an example here: http://www.communitystorystrategies.ca/project/tuhina/. Don’t worry if you’ve never made a digital story before. We will have supporters at the workshop to help you make your story every step of the way.

We would like you to tell a story about your experience as a person with FASD or a caregiver to a person with FASD. FASD is very common, but many people do not know much about it. We want to create films to help educate teachers and others about how best to support people with FASD and their families. Please bring some photos or artwork to use as a background and a laptop computer if you have one.

To sign up, please visit this link: https://queensu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eeOVlQYudnGVXX8. Please share with anyone who may be interested.

If you have any questions about the workshop, please email Lindsay Morcom at morcoml@queensu.ca or call 613-533-6000 ext. 77269.

Thank you

10/16/2025

October newsletter time!

10/09/2025

From CanFASD:

We are pleased to finally share an update on the National Framework for FASD!

As you may remember, a landmark bill about a plan to address FASD in Canada was introduced in the Senate of Canada in October 2022. After a very long wait, we were finally starting to see some progress on that bill earlier this year. But, unfortunately, the government prorogation in March halted any bills in progress, which basically sent us back to square one.

Now, we’re excited to share that during FASD Month, Senator Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia reintroduced Bill S-234: An Act respecting a national framework for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (formerly Bill S-253). The Bill advanced to Second Reading in the Senate last month.

During the debate, Senator Ravalia emphasized the significance of this legislation, stating:

“Let this be the moment where we say, “Yes, we see you, we hear you and we are ready to act.”

How you can help
Based on the progress of the last bill, it is likely that the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) will review Bill S-234. At this stage, your voice can make a real difference by reaching out to senators on this committee. They can recommend and shape amendments that strengthen the National FASD Framework.

When you reach out, briefly share why a National FASD Framework matters, highlight your personal or professional experience, and ask them to support Bill S-234 as it moves through committee.

It may also be a good opportunity for you to strengthen your relationship with your Member of Parliament. Let them know that a bill respecting a national framework for FASD has been introduced into the Senate and ask them to support this bill when it comes to the house. Talk about your experience with FASD and why federal government support is necessary.

We will continue to provide updates from Senate debates and opportunities to engage. Please reach out if you have questions or need materials to support your advocacy.

Thank you for your continued support in advancing a National FASD Framework.

Best wishes,
CanFASD team

09/18/2025

Our September Newsletter is out

08/04/2025

Join us Monday, August 25 for our Mental Health First Aid Training. This course helps you help those in distress and/or crisis. Discounts for non-profits. To register or for more information contact Judith at pc@ruralfasd.ca.
Opening minds