Assume We’re Coming: Accessible Design with Peter Tonge

What does a wheelchair fencer, criminal defence lawyer, datascientist, and accessibility auditor have in common? They're all Peter Tonge, and he's here to challenge how organizations think about disability inclusion.

In this episode, host Simon Jones sits down with Peter Tongeof Peter Tonge Consulting to explore what accessibility really means beyond the building code. Peter has been a wheelchair user since age four, worked as a data scientist at Statistics Canada, and earned his law degree at the University of Manitoba — all of which informs his uniquely practical approach to accessibility advocacy.

They cover why airlines damage wheelchairs on 25% of flightsyet somehow manage to transport racehorses safely, the real difference between legal compliance and cultural inclusion, how to make your website accessible for screen reader users, and what it actually takes to shift an organization's accessibility culture from checkbox to genuine commitment.

"An accessible future means assuming we're coming —not treating disability as an afterthought."

Guest Links

• Peter Tonge Consulting: petertongeconsulting.com
• Talking Rotary Podcast: talkingrotary.buzzsprout.com

Connect With Us

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HWP4o1yXo/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Instagram: instagram.com/accessiblefuture⁠

• Email: [e-mail]

Chapters:

00:00 Cold Open - Wheelchair Damage at 30,000 Feet

00:30 Welcome & Introduction to Peter Tonge

02:45 Wheelchair Rugby, Fencing & Sailing — Life Outside of Work

07:02 Growing Up as a Wheelchair User Since Age 4

10:09 From Statistics Canada to Law School

12:29 What Does an Accessible Future Look Like?

14:16 Airlines Transport Racehorses Safely — But Not My Wheelchair

20:48 Inside Peter Tonge Consulting

25:04 Gaps vs. Barriers — A Critical Distinction

35:22 Simon's Takeaways & Preview of the next Episode