We Advocate

By Gordon & Annie VanderLeek

Listen to a podcast, please open Podcast Republic app. Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.


Category: How To

Open in Apple Podcasts


Open RSS feed


Open Website


Rate for this podcast

Subscribers: 0
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 14

Description

We Advocate is a podcast about empowerment, advocacy, and understanding the systems that affect Albertans with disabilities. Hosted by Gordon VanderLeek, a Calgary wills and estates lawyer, and Annie VanderLeek, a disability advocate, the show explores the intersection of law, policy, and lived experience for people with disabilities and their families.


Each episode breaks down complex topics — from AISH and the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) to support programs both provincial and federal, guardianship & trusteeship for those with disabilities, issues on capacity, and general planning opportunities— in plain language that helps listeners make sense of their rights and options.


With insight, empathy, and a dash of candid conversation, Gordon and Annie share their experiences from both sides of the advocacy table — legal and personal — helping listeners stay informed, prepared, and empowered to navigate life with confidence.


If you care about disability rights, inclusion, legal issues and social policy reform in Alberta and beyond, We Advocate is your trusted voice for clarity and change.


Episode Date
014. Measuring the Impact of ADAP – Why Data, Stories, and Research Matter
Apr 01, 2026
013. Why Alberta Needs Strong Accessibility Legislation
Mar 18, 2026
012. Reimagining Disability Supports in Alberta: What Does Real Reform Look Like?
Feb 18, 2026
011. The Disability Tax Credit (Part 2): Why It’s a Gateway Benefit
Jan 28, 2026
010. The Disability Tax Credit (Part 1): What It Is, Who Qualifies, and Why It Matters
Jan 14, 2026
009. Looking Back at 2025 And What Comes Next for Disability Supports in Alberta
Dec 31, 2025
008. Myth-Busting AISH: Is It Really “Easy to Get”?
Dec 17, 2025
007. Bill 12 – What It Really Means for AISH & ADAP
Dec 10, 2025
006. Speaking Out on ADAP: A Conversation with MLA Marie Renaud & Advocate Zachary Weeks
Dec 03, 2025
005. Understanding the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) – and Alberta’s Clawback
Nov 20, 2025
004. ADAP, ‘Empowerment,’ and the Math: A Conversation with Dr. Gillian Petit
Nov 07, 2025
002. Who Actually Qualifies for ADAP?
Oct 29, 2025
003. Money and Work Under ADAP
Oct 29, 2025
001. Understanding Alberta’s New Disability Assistance Program (ADAP)
Oct 23, 2025