“If you speak the truth you are unstoppable. If you step out you will galvanize a country. Regardless of your name, gender, skin color or topic, if you step up you put a powerful face to a universal expression – to a slumbering giant – to the millions of Canadians struggling with their family care-giving responsibilities.” – Al Etmanski, President and Founder of PLAN.
This is an excerpt from a speech given by Al Etmanski, President and Founder of PLAN, to the Canadian Caregivers Coalition in Ottawa on June 19, 2008. I thought it was important to post this speech because it is a really amazing oration that provides an interesting background into the importance of the Registered Disability Savings Plan and the paradigm shift that it is creating within the traditional welfare systems in most of the provinces.
Along with this interesting look into the background of the RDSP, it discusses the role of change-makers and the importance of “audacity” in enacting lasting and positive change and the need for “intentional, strategic and and consciously bold” actions by Canadian innovators. If you have a moment I would really encourage you to take a look at the whole speech.
For the speech in its entirety visit the PLAN Institute website at http://www.planinstitute.ca/userfiles/Audacity.pdf