Activist Vick LeVack Honoured
Inclusion Nova Scotia
People with intellectual disabilities, families, and allies leading the way to build a just and inclusive society.
Story Source: The James McGregor Stewart Society | Contact Warren Reed for details -?[email protected] | The James McGregor Stewart Society
The James McGregor Stewart Society is honoured to announce that the winner of the 2022 award of $1000 is Vicky Levack, outspoken advocate for people with disabilities. The eighth recipient, Ms. Levack has an enviable record of leadership.
Institutionalized by the province for a decade, Levack won her bid to live in the community. "I’m going to get my freedom back, my independence, my autonomy and personhood back."
Levack remains concerned about the fate of hundreds of disabled Nova Scotians living in dozens of institutions that successive governments pledged to close.
“I’m getting out of this horrible nightmare but there are so many others living their own nightmare with no help in sight,” said Levack.
Levack believes that because she didn’t stop bringing attention to her situation and continuously fought for her freedom that she has the opportunity to move into the community now. She says that many of her friends living with disabilities are afraid to speak up.
“I deserve better. Not just me. We all deserve better. Many people I live with do not like it here but they feel that if they say anything that they will get less care,” she said.
We applaud Levack's success and true Nova Scotian fortitude and lament that 10 months after her victory she is still awaiting fulfillment of the Province's promise.
Ms. Levack follows a distinguished line of awardees.
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2015 Sarah Dube
2016 Clary Stubbert
2017 Gerry Post
2018 Paul Vienneau
2019 Jenn Powley
2020 Kendall Worth
2021 Hope McInnis
Her award honors James McGregor Stewart 1889-1955, who had polio as a youth. Son of a Pictou lawyer, grandson of a Cape Breton minister, and a principal of Stewart, McKelvey, the downtown Halifax law firm. In his time he was Nova Scotia’s premier corporate lawyer, and he wrote the rules for many of our most successful and long-lived companies. He was president of the Canadian Bar between the wars. He is one of fewer than 500 Canadians to be awarded the Commander of the British Empire for services to the Empire in WW II.
Levack's award will be presented on June 30, Stewart's birthday. The Award was established by friends of the Society through the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia, an organization that supports philanthropy across the province.