Monthly Archives: October 2018

In a powerful Open Letter sent to the Federal Government, An Extraordinary Lineup of Thirty-four Disability Organizations Unite to Press for Key Amendments to Bill C-81, the Proposed Accessible Canada Act

A major effort has just been unveiled by Canada’s disability community to get the Federal Government to amend Bill C-81, the Federal Government’s proposed Accessible Canada Act, to transform it into a strong and effective bill. Thirty-four disability organizations in Canada have united to jointly send the Federal Government an open letter, set out below. This letter, delivered to the Federal Government by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), identifies nine “significant concerns” with the bill, where the bill must be strengthened through amendments. The letter states:

Read more at
https://aoda.ca/in-a-powerful-open-letter-sent-to-the-federal-government-an-extraordinary-lineup-of-thirty-four-disability-organizations-unite-to-press-for-key-amendments-to-bill-c-81-the-proposed-accessible-canada/

It’s Been Revealed That Canadians Diagnosed With Mental Health Issues Are Put On A List That Is Shared With The FBI And US Border Patrol

In the past five years, Canada has made tremendous strides in the fight to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. The #BellLetsTalk campaign has been at the forefront, considering the campaign routinely grabs the world’s attention using a single hashtag to raise money for mental health initiatives.

While the stigma may not be as prevalent as it was a decade ago, what has recently been discovered when it comes to Canadians with mental illnesses trying to cross the border is the harsh reality that the stigma is still very much alive.

Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/its-been-revealed-that-canadians-diagnosed-with-mental-health-issues-are-put-on-a-list-that-is-shared-with-the-fbi-and-us-border-patrol/

Today is the 20th Anniversary of the Ontario Legislature’s Historic Unanimous Resolution, Calling for Ontario to Enact Strong and Effective Disability Accessibility Legislation

How Far Have 1.9 Million Ontarians with Disabilities Progressed Since that Day?

Read more at
https://aoda.ca/today-is-the-20th-anniversary-of-the-ontario-legislatures-historic-unanimous-resolution-calling-for-ontario-to-enact-strong-and-effective-disability-accessibility-legislation/

WPCampus is Pursuing an Independent Accessibility Audit of Gutenberg

Editors Note: As a member of the Accessibility Team that tested Gutenberg I can tell you at the time I tested it, it was garbage and totally inaccessible to me and my screen reader, if your company has any employees who use assistive devices, do not upgrade until they fix it .

Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/wpcampus-is-pursuing-an-independent-accessibility-audit-of-gutenberg/

Accessibility News October 27,2018 Update

Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/acnewsca

Inclusive Media and Design Inc is a proud supporter of Accessibility News.

Inclusive is ready to caption and video describe all your video for web, DVD, and computer desktop. They can also assist you in understanding and implementing Ontario’s AODA Integrated Standards’ media requirements. Consider having them check that any of your new web site content is compliant with an Accessibility Audit.

Visit http://www.inclusivemedia.ca to find out more.

The AODA Clock is Ticking

There are 6 years, 9 weeks, 4 days until a fully Accessible Ontario! Will you be compliant?

In this Issue

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynews.ca/accessibility-news-october-272018-update/

At Public Hearings, The AODA Alliance Urges Parliament’s Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to Strengthen the Weak Bill C-81, the Proposed Accessible Canada Act

and The Work of Two of Five Ontario Standards Development Committees Appear to Be Unfrozen While Three Others Inexplicably Still Remain Frozen

Read more at
https://aoda.ca/at-public-hearings-the-aoda-alliance-urges-parliaments-standing-committee-on-human-resources-skills-and-social-development-and-the-status-of-persons-with-disabilities-to-strengthen-the-weak-bill-c/

Trudeau Government’s Proposed Federal Law on Accessibility for People with Disabilities Falls Far Short and Must be Substantially Beefed Up, Disability Advocates to Tell Parliamentary Committee Today

ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ALLIANCE
NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 25, 2018 Ottawa: Bill C-81, a bill now before Parliament, which aims to ensure that Canada becomes accessible to over 5 million people with disabilities, must be amended to make it strong and effective, Parliament’s Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities will be told from 8 to 10 a.m. today at the Wellington Building, 197 Sparks Street, Ottawa. Among the presenters from 8 to 9 a.m. will be AODA Alliance Chair David Lepofsky, who led the campaign from 1994 to 2005 to get Ontario’s 2005 accessibility law passed, and now leads the campaign to get it effectively implemented.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynews.ca/trudeau-governments-proposed-federal-law-on-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities-falls-far-short-and-must-be-substantially-beefed-up-disability-advocates-to-tell-parliamentary-committee-today/

What are Accessible Formats?

The Information and Communications Standards under the AODA states that organizations must create, provide, and receive information in accessible formats. This requirement may leave people asking: what are accessible formats?

Accessible formats, sometimes called alternate formats, are ways of presenting printed, written, or visual material so that people who do not read print can access it. People who do not read print may:

Read more at
https://aoda.ca/what-are-accessible-formats/

Sydney Woman With Disabilities Said She Was Carried on Air Canada Jet

A Sydney woman said she recently took the jet as a start to an exciting vacation but because they had no proper means of boarding a passenger with disabilities she was carried aboard, which was humiliating and dangerous.

Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/sydney-woman-with-disabilities-said-she-was-carried-on-air-canada-jet/

The New York City Subway’s Accessibility Problem

Broken elevators, muffled announcements, a lack of Braille the transit system can be commuting chaos for riders with disabilities

With 472 stations in total, the New York City subway is one of the largest rapid transit systems in the world. It’s also one of the least accessible: Only 25 percent of the stations are designated wheelchair accessible, the lowest rate of wheelchair accessibility for any heavy rail system in the U.S.

Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/the-new-york-city-subways-accessibility-problem/