Writer. Advocate. First Responder.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Halldor now calls the West Coast his home. While practicing law for 35 years, Halldor spent much of his time advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. Now “retired and loving it,” he turns his attention primarily to writing and assisting with Emergency Planning, another passion of his. A licensed first responder, from its inception in 2013 until its recent disbandment, Halldor was a member of and policy advisor for Vancouver Fire Rescue’s Neighbourhood Emergency Assistance Team, a member of Vancouver’s Emergency Community Telecommunications Organization, and continues to assist with emergency planning on Salt Spring Island, BC. His greatest love, however, is his son, Elliot.
Writer
Halldor has written three books to date, the newest being (June, 2025), Who You Gonna Call? Emergency Medical Services in Winnipeg, Canada and Beyond. Most recent articles include publications in The Globe and Mail, and in the anthology, Emerge. Halldor is a graduate of SFU’s The Writer’s Studio, and is working on a humorous memoir entitled: So What If I Walk Funny? Wait Till You Hear Me Speak!
Lawyer
A graduate of Queen’s University, Halldor practiced Law for 35 years, primarily in the realm of disability trusts, for which he was recognized as an expert by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. In 2016, he was awarded a Doctor of Laws by the University of the Fraser Valley for work in promoting people with disabilities in the legal profession. He is the former Chair of the Law Society of BC, Disability Advisory Committee, and was a member of the National Equality Committee of the Canadian Bar Association, among many, many other volunteer positions and seats on boards.
First Responder
As a licensed First Responder, Halldor is passionate about emergency response, and currently is an Emergency Radio Operator for the Vancouver Emergency Community Telecommunications Organization (VECTOR), volunteers with the Salt Spring Island Emergency Program, and is the Safety Coordinator for the Cottages on Saltspring.
Athlete
As a member of the Canadian National Disabled Cycling Team, Halldor competed in the 1988 Seoul Paralympics, and the 1992 Paralympics in Barcelona, winning gold and setting a world record in the 1500 trike sprint in Seoul. He was inducted into the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sport Hall of Fame in 2009, and the Manitoba Sport Hall of Fame in 2022.