Dan was born in August 1951, and grew up in Sydney Mines, Cape Breton where he graduated as class president, from Sydney Mines High School in 1969. During high school he was very active in army cadets and hockey. He has been a high level quadriplegic (C4-C5) since 1970, the result of a motor vehicle accident. Dan was working towards a science degree at university at the time of injury. After a lengthy stay (2 1/2 years) at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre, he completed studies in Business and Information Technology at the former Halifax Vocational School on Bell Rd. He was employed with the Province of Nova Scotia for 30 years in that field. His most recent position was Director, Corporate Information Technology Operations, Technology & Science Secretariat. He recently completed a two-year educational leave, attending Henson College, where he took three diploma programs; the Not for Profit Sector Leadership Program, the Negotiation and Conflict Management Program and the Adult Education Program.

Now retired(woohoo!!!), Mr. MacLellan owned and operated a small medical supply and equipment business for a six year period ending in 1990 and was Vice President of 'Vital Transit Ltd.' (1993-1998), the first company in Nova Scotia offering wheelchair accessible taxis in the Halifax Metro area. He also conducts Cost of Future Care and Needs analyses for law firms representing persons who have recently acquired spinal cord injuries through a traumatic injury.

Mr. MacLellan is the past and founding chairperson of the Independent Living Resource Centre – HRM (1992-2004), a non-profit disabled persons consumer group promoting the concepts of integration and independent living. At the national level Mr. MacLellan is a past Chairperson of the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (1994-2003) and past Vice-Chairperson of the Foundation for Independent Living (1997-1998). He was an active member of the Canadian Paraplegic Association since (1970-1994), serving on their Board of Directors several times in various capacities including Vice Chairperson and Treasurer. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Homes for Independent Living (Nova Scotia), the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association (Nova Scotia Division), the Disabled Individual's Alliance and Halifax’s Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities. Mr. MacLellan is a past and founding chairperson of the Sail Able Association of Nova Scotia (1989-1996), a non-profit organization promoting sailing and marine oriented activities in the disabled community.

He designed, planned and supervised the construction of his own barrier-free home in Halifax county in 1976, a summer residence in Lunenburg county in 1991 and in 1998 a barrier-free, owner occupied, 4-unit building in Halifax=s north end. He uses a power wheelchair for mobility, has owned several especially equipped vans in the past thirty years including a van which was equipped with the world's first commercially available computerised joystick driving system.

Dan has 3 brothers and 3 sisters living in Nova Scotia. Dan is divorced. Dan really enjoys spending quality time with his nephews and nieces. His hobbies are his pets, his backyard garden and greenhouse, bridge, reading and the Internet.

December 2007