Ian Gregson
Encyclopedia
Ian Gregson is a disabled activist and author in British Columbia
, Canada
.
He was born in St Helens
, Lancashire
, England
on September 2, 1962. As a young boy his promising athletic career in track and field seemed to end on May 18, 1978 during his lunch hour at Ashton-in-Makerfield Grammar School (now The Byrchall High School), Ian was involved in an accident that resulted in the loss of his right leg above the knee. Undaunted by this physical setback Ian continued his involvement in track and field by taking up shot put and weight training. In September 1981, Ian emigrated to Canada with his family.
in Port Coquitlam. Shortly thereafter, Ian began to focus on competing in disability sport events and in 1983 became Canada's top amputee athlete. In 1984 and 1988 Ian represented Canada at the Paralympics, in 1986 after receiving a 4th place at the World Championships in Sweden he became the first athlete with a disability in Canada to receive a post secondary athletic scholarship. In 1987 Ian received the Chevron Canada Award for Post Secondary Sports. After retirement Ian became Chair of the BC Disability Games, overseeing several successful events in his tenure. In 1998 Ian published his first book "Irresistible Force" A History of Disability Sport in Canada, via Raincoast Books
in Vancouver.
. Ian was the first person in his family to receive a degree. Ian was also the first athlete with a disability in Canada to receive an athletic scholarship. In 2000 Ian returned to SFU to work for the Office of Research Services.
. As a result Ian gained a reputation as a writer who was not afraid to tackle uncomfortable issues.
and worked on federal NDP campaigns in early 90's
In 2001 ran for MLA in the British Columbia election in the constituency of Vancouver Hastings as Green Party
candidate - received 14.9% of the popular vote
Ran for MLA in 2005 in Vancouver Hastings and received 9% of the popular vote
Financial Agent for Vancouver East Green Party 2004-2007
President Vancouver Hastings Green Party Constituency 2004–2008
Ran in the 2008 Vancouver Civic election for the Work Less Party
received 10,000 votes
In 2011 Ian ran for De-Growth Vancouver
and received 7872 votes
In September 2006 Ian started Mr M and The All Nighters, a Northern Soul
tribute band, that plays classic Northern Soul. Strongly influenced by the music of his native Wigan
and the Wigan Casino
Mr M and The All Nighters plays locally around Vancouver
.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
He was born in St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on September 2, 1962. As a young boy his promising athletic career in track and field seemed to end on May 18, 1978 during his lunch hour at Ashton-in-Makerfield Grammar School (now The Byrchall High School), Ian was involved in an accident that resulted in the loss of his right leg above the knee. Undaunted by this physical setback Ian continued his involvement in track and field by taking up shot put and weight training. In September 1981, Ian emigrated to Canada with his family.
Paralympian
Ian first gained national media attention in the fall of 1982 after completing the first ever Terry Fox RunTerry Fox Run
The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held in numerous regions around the world in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox, and his Marathon of Hope, and to raise money for cancer research....
in Port Coquitlam. Shortly thereafter, Ian began to focus on competing in disability sport events and in 1983 became Canada's top amputee athlete. In 1984 and 1988 Ian represented Canada at the Paralympics, in 1986 after receiving a 4th place at the World Championships in Sweden he became the first athlete with a disability in Canada to receive a post secondary athletic scholarship. In 1987 Ian received the Chevron Canada Award for Post Secondary Sports. After retirement Ian became Chair of the BC Disability Games, overseeing several successful events in his tenure. In 1998 Ian published his first book "Irresistible Force" A History of Disability Sport in Canada, via Raincoast Books
Raincoast Books
Raincoast Books is a Canadian book distribution and wholesale company. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Raincoast was founded by Mark Stanton and Allan MacDougall in 1979 as a consignment wholesaler that shared overhead, warehouse space and staff with the pair's sales agency, Stanton &...
in Vancouver.
SFU
Whilst competing for Canada Ian returned to post-secondary education at VCC Langara and then later to receive his BA in Communications from Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
. Ian was the first person in his family to receive a degree. Ian was also the first athlete with a disability in Canada to receive an athletic scholarship. In 2000 Ian returned to SFU to work for the Office of Research Services.
Disability issues
Throughout the 90's Ian wrote for numerous magazines ranging from regular columns in Canada's leading disability and mainstream magazines. This included a controversial article on disability and sex in Larry Flynt's HustlerHustler Magazine v. Falwell
In Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 , the United States Supreme Court held, in a unanimous 8–0 decision , that the First Amendment's free-speech guarantee prohibits awarding damages to public figures to compensate for emotional distress intentionally inflicted upon them.Thus,...
. As a result Ian gained a reputation as a writer who was not afraid to tackle uncomfortable issues.
Politics
Introduced to politics via Svend RobinsonSvend Robinson
Svend Robinson is a former Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004, representing the suburban Vancouver-area constituency of Burnaby for the New Democratic Party...
and worked on federal NDP campaigns in early 90's
In 2001 ran for MLA in the British Columbia election in the constituency of Vancouver Hastings as Green Party
Green Party of British Columbia
The Green Party of British Columbia is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. It is led by former Esquimalt municipal councillor, university professor and businessperson Jane Sterk, she was elected by the party in 2007. Penticton realtor and columnist Julius Bloomfield serves as the deputy...
candidate - received 14.9% of the popular vote
Ran for MLA in 2005 in Vancouver Hastings and received 9% of the popular vote
Financial Agent for Vancouver East Green Party 2004-2007
President Vancouver Hastings Green Party Constituency 2004–2008
Ran in the 2008 Vancouver Civic election for the Work Less Party
Work Less Party
The Work Less Party was a Canadian federal political party that became eligible for registration with Elections Canada on October 1, 2007....
received 10,000 votes
In 2011 Ian ran for De-Growth Vancouver
De-growth
Degrowth is a political, economic, and social movement based on environmentalist, anti-consumerist and anti-capitalist ideas...
and received 7872 votes
Music
After taking up guitar whilst in hospital after his accident in 1978, Ian finally took the instrument seriously in 2000 and eventually joined East Vancouver's legendary "The Carnival Band".In September 2006 Ian started Mr M and The All Nighters, a Northern Soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
tribute band, that plays classic Northern Soul. Strongly influenced by the music of his native Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and the Wigan Casino
Wigan Casino
The Wigan Casino was a nightclub in Wigan, Lancashire, England. Operating between 1973 and 1981, it was known as a primary venue for northern soul music. It carried forward the legacy created by clubs such as the Twisted Wheel in Manchester and the Golden Torch in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent...
Mr M and The All Nighters plays locally around Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.