Accessibility News Archives 2008

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January

Human Rights Settlement Wins Hotel Visual Fire Alarms For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Guests

Date posted to site: January 31, 2008

TORONTO, Jan. 30 /CNW/ - The Ontario Human Rights Commission has reached a settlement between the Days Hotel and Conference Centre, Toronto Airport East and hotel guest Barbara Dodd. The settlement will see the establishment of new fire safety practices for the hotel and sets a positive example for the use of visual strobe light fire alarms for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing individuals in Ontario hotel accommodations as an important practice to be followed by the hospitality industry province-wide.

Mental Health Resources: Toll-Free Number Directory

Date posted to site: January 31, 2008

This toll-free number directory has been compiled by Glen Dewar, health promoter and web site content manager in the Health Promotion Program of Community Resource Connections of Toronto. This is a work in progress. The most recent version of this directory will be available on CRCT's web sitewww.crct.org.

See the full listings at http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/cwdo/resources/resources.php?resources=285.

Survey Warns Youth, Especially Females, Vulnerable To Deliberate Self-Harm

Date posted to site: January 30, 2008

VANCOUVER - A new study suggests a significant number of young people deliberately hurt themselves, not as an attempt at suicide but as a way of coping with mental stress.

Study co-author Dr. Mary K. Nixon said the survey of youth in Victoria is fairly limited but the results underscore the need for a wider national look at what she says is a little understood problem.

Cell Phone Reads To The Blind

Date posted to site: January 29, 2008

BALTIMORE (AP) - Chris Danielsen fidgets with the cell phone, holding it over a $20 bill. "Detecting orientation, processing United States currency image," the phone says in a flat monotone before Danielsen snaps a photo. A few seconds later, the phone says, "Twenty dollars."

Danielsen, a spokesman for the National Federation of the Blind, is holding the next generation of computerized aids for the blind and visually impaired.

The Nokia cell phone is loaded with software that turns text on photographed documents into speech. In addition to telling whether a bill is worth $1, $5, $10 or $20, it also allows users to read anything that is photographed, whether it's a restaurant menu, a phone book or a fax.

Canadian Council Of The Blind(CCB) offering free computer training for the blind

Date posted to site: January 29, 2008

Call the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) today to sign up for a free computer training course -- a course designed by the blind, for the blind!

Take a 10 day, hands-on course and learn how to e-mail your friends and surf the Internet.

David Lepofsky Appointed To The Order Of Ontario

Date posted to site: January 28, 2008

David Lepofsky, the Toronto lawyer whose fight through three governments to have the Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 put in place and then, to give it teeth, have it rewritten as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005, has been appointed to the Order of Ontario, our provinces highest honour. His latest success was to have stops called out on the TTC for those who are blind, as he is. This concept is being put into place in many cities across Canada. Lepofsky is a consistently strong, knowledgeable voice leading Ontarians with disabilities to a better life. The honour is well-earned and much deserved.

See http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/news/2007/n20071219.shtml.

Politicians Delivering On Promises

Date posted to site: January 28, 2008

Like a contractor who sticks to the estimate, a politician who keeps an election promise dwells somewhere in the realm of disbelief for most of us.

So it is with some trepidation that we are watching what could be a small miracle unfolding around the new law designed to help level the playing field for people with disabilities in Ontario.

Ontario College And University Students With Disabilities -- Voice Print

Date posted to site: January 25, 2008

Contact Examines If The Needs of Ontario's College And University Students With Disabilities Are Being Met This Sunday On VoicePrint

Five percent of the Ontario college and university population - approximately 32,000 students - identify themselves as disabled. Over the past 15 years, there has been six-fold increase in the number of students with disabilities on Ontario's campuses. But how are universities and colleges responding to this increase? What are some of the challenges in accommodating people with disabilities in the post-secondary education setting?

Health Workers Seek Answers; Nursing Home Staff Press Ontario For Minimum-Care Standards

Date posted to site: January 25, 2008

Leaders of a union that represents 12,000 Ontario nursing home workers visited Kingston yesterday to demand the provincial government fulfil its election promise to invoke minimum-care standards for residents.

The officials with the Service Employees International Union stopped in front of a west-end nursing home to deliver their message through a curbside news conference to Health and Long Term Care Minister George Smitherman as part of a provincewide campaign.

Participation And Activity Limitation Survey)PALS) 2006

Date posted to site: January 24, 2008

An estimated 4.4 million Canadians-one out of every seven in the population-reported having a disability in 2006, an increase of over three-quarters of a million people in five years, according to a new report.

The report was based on data from the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS). Data showed that the number of people who reported a disability increased 21.2% from 3.6 million in 2001, the last time the survey was conducted.

In 2001, 12.4% of the population reported a disability. By 2006, this rate had increased to 14.3%.

Employee Mental Health: A Quiet Crisis For The Workplace

Date posted to site: January 23, 2008

VANCOUVER, Jan. 22 /CNW/ - Mental health conditions are depleting the human capital of Canadian companies. This is the conclusion of a major research review commissioned in 2007 by Wilson Banwell PROACT Human Solutions and undertaken by Dr. Mark Attridge, a leading writer/researcher in the area of mental health and its impact on the workplace.

"Many companies face a quiet crisis - comprehensive measurements now reveal that the cost of lost productivity and absence from mental health conditions is three to four times larger than the amount of dollars lost from healthcare and disability claims for these same conditions," the report states.

The Business Beyond Chronic Illness

Date posted to site: January 22, 2008

By Trish Robichaud

Are you tired of living a life driven by chronic illness or disability? Have you been forced out of the "working population" by your health or your employer?

When I lost my job and my career due to my illness, I vowed to never again feel guilty for being too sick to work. I decided that I had to work for myself so that I could manage my work to accommodate my health.

Arthritis Consumer Experts(ACE) Launches National Report Card, Revealing Two-tier health care in Canada

Date posted to site: January 22, 2008

STORY SUMMARY: Disparities in Access Give Rise to Possible Human Rights Violations

(Ottawa, ON) - Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) today unveiled their national report card, comparing and grading provinces across Canada on how well their residents are able to access medically necessary arthritis treatments.

"The report card came about because of the huge disparity in what is available to people with arthritis across the country," said Cheryl Koehn, President of ACE. "Arthritis is arthritis. When it's bad, it's bad. It doesn't matter where you live."

Malware Targets Blind Surfers

Date posted to site: January 21, 2008

Jaws A piece of malware that targets blind and partially-sighted surfers has been discovered in the wild.

According to Vanja Svajcer of Sophos, several blind surfers had posted messages on web forums saying that their PCs had been out of action since Christmas.

"The computers were rendered unusable because the software used to read the screen text and convert it to speech suddenly stopped working. An interesting thing was that not all users were using the same screen reader software," Svajcer wrote on the Sophos security blog.

Depression: The Pain That Never Goes Away

Date posted to site: January 19, 2008

'It takes an incredible amount of strength to move through the darkness'

Posted By Doug Edgar

It was Churchill's black dog. "Bob" calls it the dark place. "Jane" thinks of it as the black hole.

They are all references to depression - a condition Statistics Canada has pegged as the fastest-growing diagnosis in the country and one that some local mental health officials believe most sufferers still try to deal with on their own - and society as a whole often doesn't recognize as a potentially debilitating illness.

Commentary: CNIB, No Experts On Web Accessibility

Date posted to site: January 18, 2008

Recently Accessibility News visited a number of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind(CNIB) websites and came across the following statement on their main site:
"We offer consultations on accessible website design, as well as education and training related to the development of accessible sites."
so we thought we'd put them to the test.

The small sample of errors we chose might seem trivial and insignificant but accessible web design is all about doing the little things right.

It should be noted that none of the pages checked passed the minimum requirements for accessibility.

Open Letter To The Heart And Stroke Foundation

Date posted to site: January 17, 2008

We're resending an "Open Letter" with some minor additions, that we sent last year around this time regarding a commercial that they have been running each year for how long we're not quite sure, but we've been at them in one capacity or another since 2004 and they just ignore the issue. To top it all off the Provincial Government is still sponsoring it.

Perhaps if enough of us sent this letter to the email addresses at the end of it, we might shame someone in to actually doing something about it.

Read the letter at http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/letters/.

Are Hybrids A Silent Danger?

Date posted to site: January 14, 2008

Richard Marion and his seeing-eye dog Bradshaw wait to cross Broadway Street in Port Coquitlam. Marion is concerned about stepping in front of hybrid vehicles that are virtually silent when they run on the battery, and, with the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians, is campaigning municipal governments to help do something about the danger.

Port Coquitlam blind advocate wants to see hybrid cars have sound effects added

Treating Mental Illness Over The Web

Date posted to site: January 14, 2008

OTTAWA -- Sam Ozersky's voice still rings with incredulity when he talks about the American study that changed his thinking about treating patients with mood disorders.

The 1996 study compared two groups of 300 people being treated for depression by their family doctors.

Doctors with one group were given a short depression treatment program that included counselling to improve medication adherence and behavioural treatment to increase the use of coping strategies.

Doctors gave the other group the standard care they normally would prescribe. After seven months, 70 per cent of the group receiving the enhanced care had recovered, compared with just 20 per cent of those who got the usual care.

"This is unbelievable!" exclaims Ozersky, an expert in occupational psychiatry and senior consultant at the Toronto Hospital Mood Disorders Clinic. "In no field of medicine can you get that kind of variance."

Improve Usability With Assistive Technology

Date posted to site: January 14, 2008

IT companies have made fortunes on a philosophy of mass production and one size fits all. However, in a small but growing part of the industry, a band of companies has stood this model on its head.

For companies that produce hardware and software designed for disabled people - known as assistive technology - low production runs and customisation are the order of the day. Their products can be adapted to the individual requirements of a user, allowing disabled people to communicate, work, shop online, and so on.

Assistive technology has produced an extraordinary array of devices, and the ingenuity of some products is startling. With the aid of a small pipe that operates a two-state switch, a person with little or no movement can do everything a non-disabled person can with a computer simply by sipping and puffing on the mouthpiece.

Ruling Lets Severely Disabled Off Hook For Cost Of Extra Seats

Date posted to site: January 11, 2008

Canadian airlines have a year to stop charging those with severe disabilities for extra seats they need after a landmark decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency on Thursday.

The agency ruled that the country's major air carriers must offer a single fare to those with disabilities, including the severely obese, who require two seats to accommodate them.

Also under the "one-person, one-fare" policy, they don't have to pay extra for medical attendants that must be seated with them on flights.

Student In Wheelchair Plans To Hit The Road To raise Awareness

Date posted to site: January 11, 2008

His electric wheelchair runs only 10 kilometres an hour, but Jeffrey Preston is determined to ride it from London to Ottawa in 40 days this spring.

Preston, 24, of Port Elgin, has congenital muscular dystrophy. He's making the 650-km trek to raise awareness of the "bad" conditions of Ontario's transportation systems for disabled people.

"Accessible transportation in London and abroad does not work," said Preston, a second-year master's student at the University of Western Ontario. "I think that people don't know currently how bad our transportation system is."

Collingwood Set To Host Paralympic Winter Championships

Date posted to site: January 10, 2008

Ontario Paralympic Winter Championships chair Kathy Jeffery, Collingwood director of leisure services Peter Dunbar and honourary chair and Paralympic gold medalist Chris Stoutenberg were on hand as the championships were officially launched at Georgian Manor resort on Sunday.

The Georgian Triangle will host some of the province's top paralympic athletes next month.

National Federation Of The Blind Lawsuit Addressing Web Accessibility Will Proceed

Date posted to site: January 08, 2008

Target Cannot Appeal Class Action Certification Ruling

Baltimore, Maryland (January 2, 2008): The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has denied Target Corporation's petition for an interlocutory appeal of the District Court's order granting class action certification to a lawsuit filed against the retailer by the National Federation of the Blind for Target's failure and refusal to make its Web site fully accessible to blind shoppers. As a result, the suit will proceed against Target on behalf of all blind Americans, as well as for a subclass of all blind Californians.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "We are pleased that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed our lawsuit against Target to move forward on its merits. Target can no longer delay being held accountable to the blind of the nation for denying us access to its Web site."

Reproduced from http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=264&SnID=148392141 .

Standing By The Tools Of Our Craft

Date posted to site: January 07, 2008

The words that newspaper reporters and columnists choose to communicate the news and voice opinions hold great power to define experience and shape ideas.

Sometimes our words inadvertently offend as well.

That point was made loud and clear last month by Gary Malkowski, a long-time advocate for the deaf and a former Ontario MPP who made history in 1990 on becoming North America's first elected deaf politician. Malkowski took offence at a Star headline, "McGuinty's plea for municipal rate relief falls on deaf ears."

Disability Metaphors Explained - The Senses Vs. The Brain

Date posted to site: January 07, 2008

By Jamie C. MacDougall, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology McGill University

The recent article by the Public Editor concerning the use of disability metaphors has sparked a strong reaction from the community of persons with a disability. I'm certain that reporters and editors are somewhat puzzled by this. I think they must be hurt by the implication that their use of metaphors such as "dialogue of the deaf" or " blind rage" is based on prejudice or ill will towards people with a disability.

Technology Removes 'Dis' From Ability

Date posted to site: January 07, 2008

Software, devices open opportunities for work, education, socialization

Caption: Although Bill Johnson does not have a video phone at home, he can chat with his wife from his office at St. Mary's School for the Deaf via a sign language interpreter, shown on the screen, who relays her remarks. Dennis C. Enser/Buffalo News

Bill Johnson is deaf, as were both his parents and many relatives. In the 1940s and '50s, as Johnson was growing up in Iowa, family members had no easy way to give advance notice when they wished to visit a deaf relative.

They just piled into the car and drove to the residence.

If the relative wasn't home, they left a note in the box that all deaf families kept outside their homes and drove back.

Commentary: Beware The Charlatans

Date posted to site: January 04, 2008

The year 2007 saw a lot of new site launches, from the Provincial Government to a number of Charities and all have been a big disappointment when it comes to accessibility. It's nice to see that they're at least addressing the issue, but I believe that it has more to do with the people behind the creation of these websites.

These companies claim that they can create an accessible website, yet their own website isn't remotely accessible and to top it off, they cant even produce work they've done that proves their so called expertise in this area. If you buy their story and go ahead and use them then you are looking at retrofitting down the road. These charlatans dont care, all they're interested in is your money.

Study Of MS By And For Patients, Families

Date posted to site: January 04, 2008

Study Of MS By And For Patients, Families

Jerry Ford will be overseeing a survey on the social impact of living with multiple sclerosis, using data supplied by international respondents.

The effects of multiple sclerosis on those who live with it (and on their friends, families and care givers) is the focus of a Cobourg man's study - a project for which he is seeking volunteer participants.

10 Common Errors When Implementing Accessibility

Date posted to site: January 02, 2008

Web developers attempting to build accessible websites often make the same mistakes time and time again. Although they're trying their hardest sometimes their overzealousness gets in the way and actually hinders the accessibility of their websites.

New Para Service Brings In Numerous Safety Concerns / Complaints!

Date posted to site: January 02, 2008

Today, January 1st the City of Ottawa officially took over the Para Transpo Contract but for many of the drivers and passengers the list of complaints is already extensive!

Task Force Aims To Open Legal Community's Eyes To Deaf Issues

Date posted to site: January 01, 2008

Imagine you are an attorney and you are in court representing a person who is deaf and a judge says, "Can't we just yell a little louder?"

Attorney Hugh Cotney heard that response over 30 years ago when he told a judge the person he was representing was deaf.

"The accessibility the deaf and hard-of-hearing have to the legal system has really evolved over the past 30 years, but there is still a lot of work to do," said Cotney. "We want to help increase the access of the legal system to the deaf community."

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February

5 Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring A Web Designer Or Agency!

Date posted to site: February 29, 2008

There are many unskilled and under qualified people in web design who are happy to take your money but will not deliver the quality you require. It can be hard for clients to know which web design agency to choose.

Asking these 5 questions can really help you decide.

Teen Honoured For Helping Her Peers

Date posted to site: February 29, 2008

Seventeen-year-old Lee Martin is helping others heal while on her own journey of self-healing.

The Barrie teen, who had a traumatic experience as a child, suffered from bouts of depression and thoughts of suicide in her early teen years.

Quinte Group Takes On Bigger Area For 'Unique' Mental Health Program

Date posted to site: February 28, 2008

A mental health support agency east of Belleville has ceded its territory to a sister organization in Quinte in a bid to improve services for those with mental illnesses.

Former Canadian Women's Star Thomas Finding Success In The Wheelchair Game

Date posted to site: February 27, 2008

TORONTO - Misty Thomas has felt the swell of pride from marching in the opening ceremonies at the Olympic Games, and has stood upon the medal podium at the world championships.

But the Canadian basketball veteran says there was nothing quite like the thrill she got when she was finally able to keep up with the play in her wheelchair.

Jailing The Mentally Ill

Date posted to site: February 27, 2008

Jumping incident highlights challenges for which detention centre is ill-equipped: experts

The treatment of Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre inmates suffering from mental health problems is under increased scrutiny after a man jumped from a second-floor railing at the jail.

Make An Impact On Rehab Science - $20,000 Scholarships Available

Date posted to site: February 26, 2008

$20,000 Scholarships - Now Accepting Applications

Toronto Rehab is pleased to announce it is now accepting applications for its Scholarship in Rehabilitation-related Research for Graduate Students with Disabilities. This innovative scholarship is believed to be the first-of-its-kind in Canada.

I'm Sorry + Loonie = Vets' Forgiveness

Date posted to site: February 25, 2008

A soldier's son embroiled in a London-based fight over money owed to mentally ill veterans has a novel offer for the federal government:

Instead of handing over $5 billion, how about an apology and at least one loonie?

The Four Levels Of PDF Accessibility

Date posted to site: February 25, 2008

Portable Document Format (PDF) accessibility is not a new topic, it is well understood and explained (http://alistapart.com/articles/pdf_accessibility) by certain experts.

However, the implications are universally unknown by organisations.

Perhaps by outlining the four broad levels of technical PDF accessibility, and what most organisations do, someone will take note?

Voice Of The Future

Date posted to site: February 22, 2008

Electronic tool gives local woman ability to communicate

ALS sufferer Sheila Watts communicates with her sophisticated computer wheelchair, which allows her to interact in society. Watts cannot speak or move her limbs.

Wendy is a mere six pounds, but those six pounds have become essential to the Watts family. That's because Wendy is a Vanguard Plus speech assistance device that gives Sheila Watts the ability to communicate.

Hospitals Need Equivalent Of "Code Blue" For Stroke Patients, Canadian Study Shows

Date posted to site: February 21, 2008

NEW ORLEANS, LA, Feb. 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Patients who have a stroke while in hospital are less likely to benefit from rapid access to acute stroke care than those who come into the emergency room with the same condition, according to a Canadian Stroke Network study presented today at the International Stroke Conference.

Snowy Sidewalks A Sticking Point For Woman In Wheelchair

Date posted to site: February 21, 2008

A car dealership has acted, now it's time for the town to step up to the plate, says a Cobourg woman after a chilling ordeal.

Carol Cherry has been confined to a 280-pound motorized wheelchair since 1998.

She is also vice-chair of the Cobourg Accessibility Advisory Committee (CAAC).

She says the Town of Cobourg has not listened to the CAAC after an Ontario Human Rights Code decision to have a parallel bus service for the disabled.

U.S. Study Finds Rate Of Cognitive Impairment In Over-70 Crowd Declining

Date posted to site: February 21, 2008

TORONTO - A study of Americans aged 70 and older has found a downward trend in the rate of "cognitive impairment," which encompasses everything from major memory loss to Alzheimer's disease.

The prevalence of cognitive impairment went down by 3.5 percentage points between 1993 and 2002 - from 12.2 per cent to 8.7 per cent, according to the findings.

75% Of Local Web Design Companies Ignore Disabled People

Date posted to site: February 19, 2008

Accessibility News Note: We are quite confident that this figure is equal or higher here in Canada.

Simpleweb a Bristol(UK) based web design and development specialist, recently discovered that over 75% of local web design companies have websites that are not accessible to the visually impaired or people with disabilities.

Autistic Youth Deserve Equal Treatment

Date posted to site: February 19, 2008

The Ontario government claims it is making great strides to improve education in this province.

The Ministry of Education website boasts smaller class sizes, higher achievement in reading, writing and math, and more students graduating.

What the website does not say is that not all children can benefit from its programs.

Mentally Ill, Homeless Hurt By Zoning Bylaws

Date posted to site: February 18, 2008

Planner urges changes to allow more housing

Ontario municipalities are discriminating against the mentally ill, the homeless and other disadvantaged groups through their zoning bylaws, says a Toronto urban planner who has released a research paper on the issue.

Smoking Pot To Ease MS Symptoms May Impair Mental Acuity, Study Suggests

Date posted to site: February 18, 2008

TORONTO - Some people with multiple sclerosis have turned to street marijuana in a bid to ease pain and other symptoms of the disabling neurological disorder, but new research suggests smoking pot may further harm already vulnerable cognitive abilities.

Making Courts More User Friendly With New Signs

Date posted to site: February 13, 2008

McGuinty Government Responding To Civil Justice Reform Report

BARRIE, ON, Feb. 11 /CNW/ - The Barrie courthouse will receive new accessible and bilingual entrance signage, part of a province-wide project to improve access to justice for the public by making Ontario's court services easier to find.

Human Rights Commission Releases Draft Policy On Mental Health Discrimination And Police Record Checks For consultation

Date posted to site: February 12, 2008

TORONTO, Feb. 11 /CNW/ - The Ontario Human Rights Commission today released a Draft Policy on Mental Health Discrimination and Police Record Checks for public consultation.

The Commission has found that certain requirements, policies and practices relating to non-criminal police record checks can have a discriminatory impact on persons with mental health-related disabilities seeking employment. Such practices may also affect other individuals identified by Human Rights Code grounds.

Serious Para Transpo Concerns Increasing

Date posted to site: February 12, 2008

By Catherine Gardner

Last month I sent in a request asking if a special "Public" Para Transpo meeting could be arranged where Para users could voice their concerns and demonstrate their concerns with a Para bus on site.

Sadly I received a message back from Councillor Cullen saying that he would not arrange for a special meeting as I had already voiced my concerns at the Transit meeting. He also told me that I could report any further complaints to Pat Larkin and or at a review meeting in May. In his response he also stated that he would allow Pat Larkin and or Alain Mercier to respond to operational concerns. To this date I have heard nothing from either Pat Larkin or Alain Mercier regarding any concerns / suggestions placed within the last few months.

Our Students Are Hurting

Date posted to site: February 11, 2008

For students rushing along the snow-covered winding roads between McGill University's aged greystones, this should be the time of their lives. School is where the future begins, the last outpost of youthful freedom and non-conformity, rebellion and curiosity.

Patient's Detention 'Appalling'; Health Minister Should Explain Why Sarnia Doesn't Have Facilities, Judge Says

Date posted to site: February 11, 2008

Frustrated by the "appalling" detention of a psychiatric patient, a judge invited Ontario's Health Minister George Smitherman to Sarnia on Friday to explain why the city lacks adequate facilities.

Kristy Martyn, 28, has been in a jail since Jan. 3 when she was arrested for assaulting a psychiatric nurse at Bluewater Health.

Job Opening: Program Coordinator

Date posted to site: February 08, 2008

(Full-Time, Contract)

Students for Barrier Free Access (SFBA) are a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of students with disabilities at the University of Toronto. Through programs and services that focus on non-academic issues related to disability, we are dedicated to raising awareness and breaking down physical, informational, and attitudinal barriers.

Assistive Technology(AT) For The Disabled

Date posted to site: February 08, 2008

Disablement, needless to say, significantly reduces the life quality of a person as it substantially diminishes their work ability. Assistive or adaptive technology, however, can bring back the individual's employability at an acceptable level.

Click And Vote?

Date posted to site: February 08, 2008

With technology evolving and accessibility to cellphones and the internet increasing all the time, the 2008 municipal election could put electronic voting to the test.

Kings municipalities could take revolutionary steps to try and combat voter apathy and increase participation among younger voters.

Marathon Swimmer Embodiment Of Strong Mind, Body, Spirit

Date posted to site: February 07, 2008

Six young people who have been nominated in the Ontario Junior Citizen Awards program will be profiled in upcoming issues. We begin with marathon swimmer Natalie Lambert.

She made headlines across Canada as the youngest person to swim across Lake Ontario.

But only those with a child with a disability can know what the 14-year-old Harrowsmith girl's record-breaking swim truly means.

Is Accessibility Hard To Learn And Implement?

Date posted to site: February 07, 2008

I like accessibility. It's taking some time to learn and there's a lot to remember to do. Much of the documentation and standards for laws and guidelines are hard to understand. However, it's well worth it and for some types of web sites and in some countries, meeting accessibility standards is the law.

Notice From The Human Rights Commission Of Ontario

Date posted to site: February 04, 2008

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario wants to bring the following to your attention:

From January 31, 2008 to March 14, 2008, the Tribunal is inviting public input on proposed rules of procedure to govern its process for new applications filed at the Tribunal after June 30, 2008. The proposed rules can be found at our website at: http://www.hrto.ca/english/about/consultation.asp.
Following a public consultation in 2007, the Tribunal has adopted revisions to its current Rules of Practice. The revised Rules of Practice are effective January 31, 2008 and will govern all human rights complaints currently before the Tribunal or referred by the Commission between January 31, 2008 and December 31, 2008. You can find the current Rules of Practice, as revised, on our website at: http://www.hrto.ca/english/rules.

Research Project at York University

Date posted to site: February 04, 2008

Professor Geoffrey Reaume and myself from the School of Health Policy and Management at York University are in charge of a newly funded SSHRC grant Project entitled: "Inclusive Design for People with Disabilities".

MPP's 'Crazed' Crack Riles Mentally Ill

Date posted to site: February 02, 2008

Human rights complaint launched over remarks by Tony Ruprecht in fight over supportive housing

A group of mentally ill Torontonians has launched a human rights case against a Liberal MPP who opposed a supportive housing development because his community had enough "crazed individuals" already.

Workers With Disabilities Unprotected Against Employment Discrimination, Witnesses Tell House Labor Committee

Date posted to site: February 02, 2008

Advocates say legislation needed to restore intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act

WASHINGTON, DC -- Legislation is needed to reverse court decisions that have left most workers with disabilities without any on-the-job protections against discrimination, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee today.

The Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act (H.R. 3195), introduced by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), would restore the original intent of the historic Americans with Disabilities Act. The bipartisan bill would reverse recent court decisions that have made it easier for employers to discriminate against workers with disabilities.

7 Must Know Tips For Passengers With Disabilities

Date posted to site: February 01, 2008

Plan Before You Stand!

When you make your reservation, communicate your needs to the airlines. Make plans ahead of time for items such as: oxygen supply for origin, transfer hubs and destination, a porter to help with luggage, and/or a wheelchair to help you move through the airport with ease and with less stress.

Two New Buses Have Rolled Into Port Hope

Date posted to site: February 01, 2008

Public works director Peter Angelo said the town started making plans for an expanded transit system in 2004 when the gas tax rebates were first announced, and on Thursday, January 31, the two buses finally arrived at Town Hall for a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The buses have been custom-made to Port Hope's specifications and include features such as low floors with hydraulic ramps for easy accessibility, an audiotape to announce the bus stops along the routes for the hearing impaired, and stop request buttons on all seats for those with upper arm mobility problems, says Accessibility Committee chair Selena Forsyth.

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March

How JAWS Reads Text

Date posted to site: March 31, 2008

Posted March 27th, 2008 by Steve Faulkner

Making public statements based on limited knowledge of an assistive technology and with little understanding of how it is used, can lead to incorrect conclusions and poor implementations. For example, a blog post (http://ln.hixie.ch/?start=1188895731&count=1) about the JAWS screen reader (amongst other things) and how poorly it supports the reading of paragraph's in HTML, is being cited to re-inforce arguments in an opinion piece (http://blog.ianbicking.org/2008/03/23/html-accessibility) about web accessibility, which in turn is being cited in other debates. In attempt to introduce a little perspective, here is some information about how JAWS reads text.

Stealthy Hybrids A Hazard: Group

Date posted to site: March 31, 2008

Blind in city report close calls with vehicles

Hybrid vehicles may be good for the environment, but local advocates say they're not so great for blind people. An unforeseen side effect of more hybrid cars on Ottawa streets has been a spike in the number of near run-ins blind people have had with the near-silent vehicles, according to the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians, which plans an information session today outside the Ottawa International Auto Show to highlight the problem.

ACTION ALERT: Demand net neutrality now

Date posted to site: March 31, 2008

As recently reported by various news outlets, Bell Canada plans to have its 'third-party ISP traffic shaping' policy implemented across its entire network by April 7. This policy is more accurately referred to as 'throttling', or the practice of shaping Internet traffic by selectively limiting bandwidth.

Minister Meilleur, Your Standards Selection Process Needs Fixing

Date posted to site: March 29, 2008

After looking at the list of candidates for the Accessible Information and Communications Standards Development Committee(IC-SDC) at http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillars/accessibilityOntario/accesson/business/information/members.htm I've come to the conclusion that the Beurocrats who are responsible for picking the latest crop of committee members is using the dart board method of selection and unfortunately weakening the Standards Committees. It is also troubling that the list of new members came and went with very little or no announcement from the Ministry, I had to dig into the site to come up with the list.

Robotics Expand Hand Movements For Amputee

Date posted to site: March 27, 2008

Altoona, PA - John German is a happy man. Some years ago, he lost his left arm to a nerve disorder. Since then, he has wondered if it was possible to regain his arm through advances in robotics/prosthetics. His prayers have been answered. He has the world's first fully articulating and commercially available bionic hand.

7-Eleven, Inc.'s Upgrade Of Point Of Sale Equipment Praised By Blind Community: Tactile Devices Will Protect Financial Privacy

Date posted to site: March 27, 2008

Washington, D.C. - (March 18, 2008) - Several organizations representing the blind community today commended 7-Eleven, Inc. for installing tactile point of sale (POS) devices that will protect the privacy and security of 7-Eleven shoppers with visual impairments. These new devices include tactile keys arranged like a standard telephone keypad, and enable 7-Eleven® store shoppers who have difficulty reading information on a touch-screen to privately and independently enter their PIN and other confidential information.

Commentary: Defiance Or Commitment?

Date posted to site: March 27, 2008

By Linda Saxon

My input to the Amherstburg Accessibility Advisory Committee and/or town council since 2003 has, for the most part, been received.

Disabled Riders Frustrated Over OC / Para Turning Complaints Meeting Into Open House

Date posted to site: March 26, 2008

Disabled Para Transpo riders are extremely frustrated that Alain Mercier, Head of OC Transpo and Pat Larkin, Head of Para Transpo have turned what was suppose to be a "Special Public Meeting" for Para riders to voice their concerns into an Open House where OC and Para Transpo plan to promote some of their programs.

Private College Has Duty To Accommodate Students With Disabilities, Human Rights Tribunal Confirms

Date posted to site: March 24, 2008

TORONTO, March 20 /CNW/ - The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has issued its decision in the case of Brown v Trebas Institute Ontario Inc. The case involves a complaint filed by Delano Brown who is blind and alleged the private post-secondary career college discriminated against him in his efforts to enrol in a Music Business Administration study program.

Bus Stop Decision Defended; Drivers Calling Bus Stops 'A Simple Thing To Do,' Said Champion Of The Issue

Date posted to site: March 24, 2008

Sarnia city council is not above the law and must tell its bus drivers to call out each stop, said the Toronto man who successfully fought to have the ruling incorporated into the Ontario Human Rights Code.

"I'm not asking any transit system to buy a single piece of hardware," David Lepofsky told The Observer. "It's a simple thing to do. Call out the stops. It costs nothing."

Ramping Up Political Correctness At Osgoode Hall

Date posted to site: March 24, 2008

In the architecture of the 21st century, political correctness is a design factor like any other. Sometimes this makes sense, sometimes less so.

Catherine Gardner, Community Advocate/Freelance Photographer Launches New Accessible Website

Date posted to site: March 22, 2008

Badeyes Design and Consulting designed this website for Cathereine around WordPress, the Internet's most popular Blogging program.

Badeyes adapted it's "Accessible Theme" around WordPress to raise the level of accessibility that it has shown it can achieve on a consistent basis.

Adding features such as "skip links", "choice of style sheets(css)" and semantic mark-up Badeyes has made Catherine's website easier to navigate for Persons With Disabilities(PWD) as well as the general public.

To visit the site go to
http://www.catherinegardner.ca

Rights Of Mentally Ill Youth Must Be A National Priority

Date posted to site: March 21, 2008

By Dr. STAN KUTCHER, Dr. SIMON DAVIDSON and Dr. IAN MANION
Thu. Mar 20 - 6:18 AM

According to the World Health Organization, mental disorders contribute almost one-third of the global burden of disease during adolescent years. In Canada, between 15 and 20 per cent of youth suffer from a mental disorder that would benefit from appropriate care. Early and effective identification and intervention for young people suffering from mental illness is essential because as many as half of all lifetime cases onset before 14 years of age and 75 per cent by age 24. Although effective treatments for many of these disorders are known, they are often not provided to young people who need them.

Accessibility Issues At Queen's Park

Date posted to site: March 21, 2008

Corey Davidson, a Public Administration and Governance student at Ryerson University, shared with us some concerns about accessibility at Queen's Park: A Clear Message

While on a tour of Queen's Park today, I noticed that the legislative chamber did not appear to be wheelchair friendly.When I asked the tour guide about how a wheelchair-bound MPP could take their seat, I was shown that there was a ramp that led to a small area at the back of the opposition benches that could accommodate wheelchairs.

Ontario Human Rights Commission(OHRC) Under Fire

Date posted to site: March 20, 2008

City councillors are outraged that the Ontario Human Rights Commission is demanding that they approve a $200,000 automated announcement system for Sarnia's buses.

"Refuse and see what happens," said Coun. David Boushy at Monday's council meeting. "I think this is a threat. It's not about Sarnia. We don't have this problem."

Over 50,000 Tell MPPs - Long Term Care Needs More Than A Band aid In Next Week's Budget

Date posted to site: March 20, 2008

MARKHAM, ON, March 18 /CNW/ - MPPs have received a clear message that long term care needs 'more than a band aid' in next week's provincial budget.

Over 50,000 residents, families and their supporters have sent postcards to all 107 MPPs supporting the Ontario Long Term Care Association's (OLTCA) request for an additional $513 million so homes can add staff and enhance services to provide residents with the care they need, when they need it, in their home. OLTCA member homes provided the postcards as an opportunity for others to express their support for government to fund the care and services residents need.

Sprint's Hard Of Hearing Customers Benefit From Web-Based Solution

Date posted to site: March 18, 2008

Sprint's Hard of Hearing Customers Benefit from New and Free Web-Based Solution: Sprint WebCapTel(r) Solution Shows Captions over the Internet During Phone Calls; Facilitating Easier Conversations

Health Minister's Comments Troubling

Date posted to site: March 17, 2008

Health Minister George Smitherman's remarks (concerning adult 'diapers') led me to question his understanding and concern towards long-term care (LTC) in Ontario.

Many senior citizens in long-term care facilities wear incontinent undergarments, unable to get to the washroom due to physical and/or mental incapacities.

Growing Old Gracefully (At Home); LHIN Brass Want To Know What Seniors Like Barb Martin need to stay Out Of Crowded Institutions

Date posted to site: March 17, 2008

When someone tells Barb Martin she should have put her husband in a nursing home sooner, she gets angry.

"It was fantastic, it was a blessing we had that time together. You know deep inside yourself when the time is right to put him in a home," said Martin, 81, who spent four years caring for her husband, Doug, in their Sault apartment after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2002.

Disabled Leave The Shadows And Their Mark

Date posted to site: March 17, 2008

LEVELLING THE BARRIERS

Justin Clark reached the age of majority in 1981, a time when young people with disabilities were rarely heard from.

After 25 years of activism, the emphasis is finally on ability - not disability

University of Windsor To Offer First Disabilities Studies Program In Ontario

Date posted to site: March 14, 2008

In September, the University of Windsor will launch Ontario's only full time undergraduate program in disabilities studies.

It will be only the second program in Canada after the University of Calgary. Most disabilities studies programs are graduate degrees or part time, like the undergraduate program offered at Ryerson.

Dystonia, A Neurological Movement Disorder

Date posted to site: March 13, 2008

Dystonia is a movement disorder that causes the muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily. The neurological mechanism that makes muscles relax when they are not in use does not function properly. Opposing muscles often contract simultaneously as if they are competing for control of a body part. The involuntary muscle contractions force the body into repetitive and often twisting movements as well as awkward, irregular postures.

Small Study Links Workplace Injury With Poverty

Date posted to site: March 13, 2008

Disabled workers scramble for resources, security.

The inspiration for this study grew out of a similar study that was conducted in downtown Toronto that found that 57 percent of those who were living on the streets had experienced a workplace injury at some point in their lives.

Human Rights Commission Concerned Background Checks May Go Too Far

Date posted to site: March 13, 2008

The Ontario Human Rights Commission says it is concerned about police record checks, which many organizations carry out on prospective employees.

National Federation Of The Blind And Deque Systems, Inc. Launch Nonvisual Access Certification Program

Date posted to site: March 13, 2008

NFB-NVA Seal of Approval Provides Assurance to Web Developers and Makes Web Sites More Friendly to Blind Users

The National Federation of the Blind, the nation's leading advocate for Internet access by blind Americans, and its Web accessibility consulting partner Deque Systems, Inc., based in Reston, VA, today announced the launch of an innovative program to provide a Nonvisual Access (NVA) Seal of Approval to recognize Web site and application developers who make special efforts to ensure that their sites or applications are fully accessible to the blind.

Mental Health Myths

Date posted to site: March 12, 2008

Despite a profound impact on workplace productivity and business performance, mental health issues and increasing stress levels are not being addressed by Canadian employers, according to new research by Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm.

A Pain In The Neck: Exercise, Acupuncture, Massage May Provide Relief

Date posted to site: March 12, 2008

Having endured two bouts of whiplash as a result of separate car accidents, Marc White knows all too well about the persistent problems caused by neck pain.

White, director of the Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability, recalls that in one of the accidents, his car was struck by a bus for people with disabilities - a fact he considers more than a little ironic.

Gender Bias May Affect Care, Canadian Study Finds

Date posted to site: March 12, 2008

Canadian doctors may be unconsciously discriminating against women when it comes to deciding who would benefit from knee replacement surgery, finds an intriguing study.

Depression Can Be Beaten

Date posted to site: March 11, 2008

Career pro recovers to help managers recognize signs of illness in workers

Looking back now, Margaret Tebbutt can see the signs of the depression that would ensnare her.

She was just past 50 and at the height of a successful career, working as an executive in business and economic development with a public sector employer.

Costly Military Health Care Needs Fixing: Fraser

Date posted to site: March 10, 2008

OTTAWA - An audit of health care services for military personnel says the Department of National Defence can't efficiently gauge whether it is providing adequate health care, the quality of that care, or whether its even getting its money's worth.

Auditor General Sheila Fraser also told the commons committee on national defence Thursday, that at the time of the audit, DND couldn't even guarantee whether its doctors were properly certified to treat patients. Fraser appeared before the commons committee to deliver findings from her report on military health care.

Society Making A Difference

Date posted to site: March 08, 2008

Judy Haskell had her dream realized with the opening of the Chatham chapter of the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario.

Haskell was touched by schizophrenia twice in her life - first her husband was diagnosed and later on, so was her son, Scott.

Concerns Voiced About Workman's Compensation Board(WCB) System

Date posted to site: March 07, 2008

Sir: Decisions by the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) have become one of the leading causes of why so many Injured Workers are forced either back to the labour market while still injured or cut off their WCB benefits and forced to rely on the publicly-funded Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and welfare.

The abuse the WCB purports is absolutely draconian in today's day and age and, in my opinion, should not be allowed to continue.

Legislating Mental Illness

Date posted to site: March 07, 2008

Province passes a law that could force the mentally ill to comply with treatment

Dr. Trew hopes that the amended Mental Health Act will help treat the seriously ill.

With an eye towards expanding the power of doctors to commit mentally ill patients, ensure patients are complying with treatment while out of hospital and move some mental health care from the hospitals into the community, Alberta's legislature amended the Mental Health Act this past Nov. The changes are significant enough that a recent meeting at the Foothills hospital was attended by so many mental health workers, the coffee ran out. It appears they won't be ignored by the rest of the population, either.

Protesters Target Government; Ontario Workers Bring Attention To Shortcomings Of Disability Benefits

Date posted to site: March 06, 2008

Imagine if you were diagnosed with an illness that prevented you from working again. Your employer doesn't offer a long-term disability pension and you have to rely on the government for money to live.

You'd become one of roughly 4,000 Kingston residents who depend on the Ontario Disability Support Program.

Nowhere Else To Go

Date posted to site: March 06, 2008

It costs $400,000 a year to keep David Murray in hospital because, as a 'dual-diagnosis' patient, he falls into a jurisdictional no-man's land and no one will take responsibility, Laura Drake reports.

Improve Service To Those On Disability Program

Date posted to site: March 05, 2008

Some income support programs have been uploaded from municipalities. And welfare rates were hiked last year, albeit by a miserly two per cent - thus ensuring that those who struggle to survive on poverty incomes will continue to do so.

But there's another side to poverty in Ontario that the public seldom witnesses. The media ignore the story and our provincial politicians choose to look the other way.

Stroke Survivors Strive To Re-enter Their Community

Date posted to site: March 04, 2008

Gary Gray's community wasn't ready for his health set-back.

When Gray, 58, of Montague came home after having a stroke on Aug. 10, 2002, he found the return to be a rude awakening.

How People With Disabilities Use The Web

Date posted to site: March 04, 2008

Scenarios of People with Disabilities Using the Web

The following scenarios show people with different kinds of disabilities using assistive technologies and adaptive strategies to access the Web. In some cases the scenarios show how the Web can make some tasks easier for people with disabilities.

Bipolar Disorder, From The Inside Out

Date posted to site: March 03, 2008

Terri Cheney was very, very afraid.

She knew she was depressed. She knew she was manic. She knew she was going to kill herself on Christmas Eve.

The Four Principles Of Web Accessibility

Date posted to site: March 01, 2008

These principles are the foundation of web accessibility and the beginning of the WCAG 2.0. Without any one of these principles access will be denied to someone. It is from these four principles that the twelve guidelines and their success criteria are derived and defined. Here is my interpreted overview.

Minister Of Justice Appoints Board Member ToThe Canadian Human Rights Commission

Date posted to site: March 01, 2008

Accessibility News would like to congratulate Sandi Bell, Citizens With Disabilities - Ontario(CWD-O) Board member's appointment to the Commission.

OTTAWA , February 1, 2008 – The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C. Q. C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the appointment of Sandi Bell as a part-time Board Member of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Back to Table of Contents

April

Southeastern Ontario Celebrates Mental Health Week

Date posted to site: April 30, 2008

For the third year, local child and youth mental health providers are collaborating to recognize Mental Health Week, May 4th to 11th, and to raise awareness of the importance mental health plays and its impact on children, youth, families and our society.

Initiative To Promote 'Sound Young Minds'

Date posted to site: April 30, 2008

Every day in classrooms across the GTA, children are struggling with more than math equations and book reports. They may be anxious, sad or unable to pay attention. They may be schoolyard bullies. By high school, some distressed youth are cutting themselves, skipping classes or abusing drugs.

The Citizens With Disabilities - Ontario(CWD-O) Position Paper On Public Washroom Provisions For Incontinence

Date posted to site: April 29, 2008

Individuals who experience periodic incontinence, experience significant problems when travelling; even to places as close as local events and malls. Travelling with their families across the province is virtually impossible; as accessible, individual or family, service centre washrooms do not contain large, private change tables. With a minor change in layout, however, these larger change tables could be located within the parameters of the existing washrooms.

Universities Grapple With Providing Health Services, Protecting Privacy

Date posted to site: April 28, 2008

OTTAWA - Nadia Kajouji has been laid to rest but the debate that has emerged out of her death, an apparent suicide, will likely go on for some time as universities continue to grapple with the challenge of providing health services to students and protecting their privacy rights.

Ground-Breaking Study Follows BC Welfare Recipients For Two Years Reveals Welfare Rules and Rates Cause Disturbing Harm To Most Vulnerable

Date posted to site: April 25, 2008

(Vancouver) A ground-breaking study that for two years followed British Columbians living on welfare paints a disturbing picture of how people are forced to make ends meet under new welfare rules and low rates.

Ghotit!

Date posted to site: April 24, 2008

Spellcheckers have this inherent limitation. You usually have to be very, very close in order to get corrected spelling.

Now, I say this knowing absolutely that the spellchecker is perhaps the number one bit of "assistive technology" used in the world today - by "disabled" and "non-disabled" alike - unless we count things like automobiles and elevators, eyeglasses and stepstools, you understand, the things which can be used by students and workers without special permissions and special labels. Used the way teachers, for example, are allowed to use spellcheckers but students typically are not.

Toronto Accessible Sports Council-- Sports Series Launch

Date posted to site: April 24, 2008

April 2008 marks the start of the 'Toronto Accessible Sports Council', a new initiative aimed at building access and equity through sport. The Toronto Accessible Sports Council (TASC) is recognized as one of six Community Sport Councils of the Toronto Sports Council. The vision of TASC is to unite disability organizations that provide sport and active living opportunities for people with physical disabilities to share resources, collaborate in program planning and delivery, and create a stronger unified voice to advocate for change and equity on behalf of athletes with a disability in Toronto.

$1 Million Federal Cash Helps People With Mental Health Issues Find Work

Date posted to site: April 23, 2008

For another year, dozens of Niagarans with mental health issues will have help finding meaningful employment with a $1-million government grant.

The National Network for Mental Health, a nationwide organization based in St. Catharines, received annual funding for its BUILT (Building Up Individuals through Learning and Teamwork) Network, which links people with depression and other mental health issues with skills training and jobs. MP Rick Dykstra announced the $1,084,833 contribution Monday.

The Power Of Five

Date posted to site: April 23, 2008

Accessibility News Note: Pass this one along to your IT people.

The local government Society of IT Management (Socitm)(http://www.socitm.gov.uk/socitm/) this week published a report on website accessibility which included a round-up of the five most common accessibility errors.

The society estimates that these five errors account for 76% of all website accessibility failures, and it asked Robin Christopherson, Head of Accessibility Services at the charity AbilityNet (http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/), to describe their impact. Robin is blind and uses the popular 'JAWS' screen reader software to access the web.

Ignorance Masquerades As Care

Date posted to site: April 22, 2008

Bobby Sarlina was about to leave for work, sipping hot chocolate, hurrying because she was running a little late. She is a social services case manager but she never made it to the office that day last November.

A drop of hot chocolate found its way into her lungs and, the next thing she knew, she was at Scarborough General Hospital.

A World First: IDEAL WAY Ontario Poetry Contest Exclusively For Persons With Intellectual Disabilities

Date posted to site: April 22, 2008

Toronto, ON -- April 7, 2008 -- IDEAL-WAY and its founder, ROBERT PIO HAJJAR, born with Down syndrome, are inviting the Ontario community to participate in a contest to recognize poets among persons with intellectual disabilities. Poems will be accepted on any subject, in any style, to a maximum of 200 words. Interested individuals can submit their poetry online at http://www.ideal-way.ca/ or by mailing their submission to IdealWay.ca.

Short Hospital Stays Failing Schizophrenic Patients

Date posted to site: April 21, 2008

Canadian hospitals are recording high rates of readmissions for schizophrenia patients, suggesting that some of them are being released too quickly after the initial hospitalization.

A report released Thursday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) found that nearly 40 per cent of schizophrenia patients discharged from a general hospital in Canada were readmitted for mental illness through emergency departments within a year. Between 2003 and 2005, one in eight schizophrenia patients -- or 12 per cent -- were readmitted to hospital within 30 days of their initial discharge.

Funding For Home Repairs Program In Thunder Bay

Date posted to site: April 21, 2008

TORONTO, April 18 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) today celebrated increased funding for a program that will help up to 250 low-income households make urgent home repairs.

The Northern Home Repair Program helps homeowners make repairs to address home health and safety problems or modify their homes to meet the needs of household members with disabilities. $900,000 in funding was recently reallocated from home ownership funds into the $4 million program that is funded under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program.

Personal Stories Tell Disability History

Date posted to site: April 19, 2008

Out from Under' pays respect to Canada's disabled in stark words and photographs

When she was 13, Sheila Essex was put on a bed that sounds straight out of Guantanamo Bay. With every breath she took, it tilted her from upright to upside-down and back.

The year was 1950. Essex, like thousands of others battling the paralysis of polio, was in an institution. The bed was designed to make her breathe by shifting her diaphragm, she says.

Ontario Service Centres Being Replaced - Let's make them Fully Accessible!

Date posted to site: April 19, 2008

PleasedDirect to your Accessible Advisory Committee(AAC) members.

My Name is Claudette Meriano and I currently sit on the AAC of Chatham Kent.

I need a favour from you. As you are aware many adults with physical disabilities are incontinent. The problem that we face when travelling anywhere ( day trips, event centres, malls, attractions etc) is where to do personal care. Most handicapped restroom do not meet our needs. All that is required is a long counter in a private area. Unfortunately, washrooms do not have this simple solution and this prevents alot of persons with disabilities from travelling.

Social Impact Study

Date posted to site: April 19, 2008

In the fall MS Living began an international study to identify the social impact that a diagnosis of MS brings. While this study focuses on a specific disease its findings will undoubtedly be relevant to people with any progressive disease, and preliminary results of the first three sections of the study should be released by August.

Closed Captioning Sucks: Another Perspective

Date posted to site: April 19, 2008

To Accessibility News

Good Morning: I am the Chair of the Caption Movies Now Coalition. You can see our information on our website at www.captionmoviesnow.com. We would appreciate you including our comments in your next posting for Saturday April 19. We would like to correct the record as disseminated in bullet number five of April 12, 2008 of the Accessibility News electronic message, titled "Current Events: Captioning Sucks!"

Cat's Out Of The Bag with Arrowsmith School

Date posted to site: April 17, 2008

April 15, 2008 11:42 AM

The following letter was sent to insidetoronto.com to show our readers there is help out there for children with dyslexia:

For the past year, my husband and I have been relentlessly searching every avenue for answers to our daughter's dyslexia/learning disability difficulties.

It's a vast wasteland out there with many programs and devices, some that help and some that don't. Having retired from teaching in June 2007, I stepped out of Ontario's insulated education bubble into a brave new world.

I quickly learned that my 25 years of teaching experience, combined with my husband's 34 years, were of little help.

MS Living Launches New Accessible Website

Date posted to site: April 17, 2008

Multiple Sclerosis(MS) is a disease that gets a great deal of scientific attention, but there is a significant lack of understanding about the social disruption a diagnosis of MS has on the people affected by the disease and their families.

VPAD Premieres At DeafNation Expo Pomona

Date posted to site: April 17, 2008

Rockville, Maryland - April 9, 2008 - Viable Inc., a provider of video relay services (VRS) for deaf and hard of hearing, will make the VPAD available for the first time this April 12 at DeafNation Expo in Pomona, Calif. The VPAD is the first WiFi-enabled and portable videophone to be developed for VRS users. This will mark the first time the public is able to buy the VPAD since it was unveiled last January at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The VPAD will be available at the special price of $99, a deep discount from its retail price of $699.

Read mmore at
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/acnews/press/deaf_articles.php?deaf=187

Youth Take Lead On New Publication

Date posted to site: April 15, 2008

Mayor Lynn Peterson knows a thing or two about talking to people.

But even this politician and grandmother knows the futility of telling a teenager what to do.

Universities Struggle To Cope With Mental Health Issues On Campus

Date posted to site: April 14, 2008

Study indicates students 12 per cent more likely to suffer mental health issues

All over Canada, post-secondary institutions are struggling to meet the demand from students in need of mental health care services or support, university health officials said.

Investigation Into N.B. Youth Jail Raises Serious Concerns About Conditions

Date posted to site: April 14, 2008

FREDERICTON - Ombudsman Bernard Richard says an investigation into conditions at the Miramichi youth centre has raised serious concerns, but he declined Friday to offer details.

The child and youth advocate was tight-lipped about the findings, but said the youth jail should expect some major changes when the report is released next month.

Removing Barriers; City Committee Touts Benefits Of Being Accessible

Date posted to site: April 11, 2008

It may be expensive to make city buildings and services fully accessible, but it's worth it, say members of the city's accessibility committee.

With one in five Ontario residents expected to be disabled in some way by 2025, it makes sense to make sure they can participate in community life, says Elisabeth Walker-Young, spokeswoman for the St. Catharines Mayor's Advisory Committee on Accessibility.

Arrowsmith Approach Is To Correct Learning Disabilities

Date posted to site: April 11, 2008

Trina Berlo photo
CEREBRAL WORKOUT Sarah Dollemont, flanked by Jodie Robinson and Timmy Kaster, are students in the Arrowsmith program at Silvercrest Christian School in Wasaga Beach, a program dedicated to correcting learning disabilities.

Accessibility An Issue For All: Onley

Date posted to site: April 11, 2008

quote1 'Accessibility is that which enables people to achieve their full potential.' -- David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

WHITBY -- Accessibility is not just about removing physical barriers.

That was the message Lieutenant Governor David Onley passed on to a full auditorium when Whitby Mental Health Centre (WMHC) launched its Accessibility Awareness Program last Wednesday.

Tek Talk Presents An Unbelievably Comprehensive And Accessible Device Monday, April 14, 2008

Date posted to site: April 11, 2008

The Accessible News Wire April 10, 2008, Indianapolis, Indiana USA

If you think you've heard and seen everything, you may be surprised when you stop by the next Tek Talk training session sponsored by the Accessible World. Here is why.

Current Events: Captioning Sucks!

Date posted to site: April 09, 2008

Joe Clark(http://blog.fawny.org/, along with his accessibility research project the Open & Closed Project (http://openandclosed.org/), has pushed live Captioning Sucks! (http://captioningsucks.com/), a website devoted to spotlighting the terrible condition of captions in broadcasting.

Open Letter to Prime Minister Harper

Date posted to site: April 09, 2008

Dear Prime Minister,

I have received a response on your behalf from your Executive Correspondence Officer, S. Russell. His/her correspondence is basically a generic response which states that "efforts to bring an awareness of your brother's circumstances to the Government's attention are appreciated and you may be assured that your comments have been carefully reviewed. I have taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your e-mail to the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, so that she may be aware of the situation you have described."

Microsoft Users To "Save As DAISY"

Date posted to site: April 08, 2008

Collaborative development project aims to transform millions of Open XML documents into the world's most widely used accessible format for people with print disabilities

Microsoft Corp. and the Digital Accessible Information SYstem (DAISY) Consortium have a joint standards-based development project that will make it possible for computer users who are blind or print-disabled to make better use of assistive technology in their daily lives.

Alternative Keyboards And Mice Provide Connected Opportunities For People With MS

Date posted to site: April 07, 2008

Shirley Thomson, 62, of New Plymouth, New Zealand was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1994. When she was told she had MS, she didn't panic. She reasoned that she was going to live the best life she could. Priorities such as maintaining a job, remaining independent, staying connected and living an active and high quality of life became personal goals. Over the years, her muscle coordination deteriorated and made it difficult for her to use a standard computer keyboard she started looking at alternatives.

Challenges For Assistive Technology(AT)

Date posted to site: April 07, 2008

By Gorka Eizmendi & Jose Miquel Azkoitia

In the 21 st century Assistive Technology (AT) should be defined as a scientific and technological approach to developing products and services oriented to support elderly people and people with disabilities in their daily activities, thereby maximizing their personal autonomy, independence, health and quality of life.

Human Rights Ruling Being Challenged In Court

Date posted to site: April 05, 2008

As many of you maybe aware local Community Advocate, Bob Brown has launched a Human Rights complaint against the (NCC) National Capital Commission and Public Works regarding the York Street Staircase, sighting discrimination against persons with disabilities. This case deals with the lack of accommodation within the built environment for persons with disabilities and with the duty to consult widely with the disabled community.

A Schizophrenic Man, Haunted By His Brother's Brutal Murder, Faces Exile In A Land He Hasn't Seen For 53 Years

Date posted to site: April 04, 2008

Terry Shorter had been doing so well.

Schizophrenic, he'd been taking his medication religiously. He'd been attending courses at Seneca College. And though he was a landed immigrant since arriving from England as a child, he'd been in the midst of finally applying for his Canadian citizenship.

Everything had been going so well.

But then his 45-year-old brother Robin was murdered in the park.

Stuttering In A Fluency World

Date posted to site: April 04, 2008

Recently a friend said to me, "John, you must have dealt with your stuttering well because you are the most talkative man I have ever met."

There are situations in which I am talkative. And yet, there are situations in which I am also silent. People think I am embarrassed to speak because I stutter. They are wrong.

Survey Reveals Positive Benefits For People With MS Using Assistive Technology

Date posted to site: April 04, 2008

How vital is it to the overall mental and physical health of people with multiple sclerosis to remain independent and active by using assistive technology? Extremely important according to the results of the survey, Staying Connected: An Investigation of How Technology Affects People Living with MS.

Peer Support Can Help People With Mental Health Issues

Date posted to site: April 03, 2008

Editorial By Jai Mills

Things have really changed in my world since I wrote my last column. The Mental Health Support Network, which is where I work, is poised for a large expansion as of April 1, and my family and I have expanded as we welcomed a gorgeous little girl to our home.

I won't bore you with the endless detail of how beautiful our new daughter is, but I will tell you a bit more about the expanding service of peer support, and how that can really change the lives of people who have mental health issues. By sharing experiences, people can really change their lives, and combat the stigma that often keeps them from re-establishing themselves.

Steps Need To Be Taken Towards Accessibility

Date posted to site: April 01, 2008

Sir: As a graduate student in the Occupational Therapy program at McMaster University, I am planning to return to my hometown of Sarnia upon completion of my degree.

Following my Easter break last weekend, I felt compelled to write this letter after learning about the challenges regarding the accessibility of Sarnia's public transit system.

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May

Participation And Activity Limitation Survey 2006

Date posted to site: May 30, 2008

Bring Accessibility Concerns To June 4 Forum

Date posted to site: May 30, 2008

Cobourg citizens with accessibility concerns will soon have a forum to have them heard.

Cobourg council heard this week that the town's accessibility advisory committee is hosting an awareness day June 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Victoria Hall foyer. Don Ubell appeared on behalf of the committee to issue an invitation to councillors.

Unfinished Health-Care Revolution

Date posted to site: May 28, 2008

Twelve years ago, the Ontario Hospital Association set up a health policy think-tank called The Change Foundation. It gave the new organization a generous endowment and set it free to tackle the big questions that no one - not politicians, not bureaucrats, not hospital administrators, not doctors or nurses or drug makers - wanted to touch.

Petition Asks Lakeshore To Remove Accessibility Barriers

Date posted to site: May 28, 2008

LAKESHORE -- In the middle of winter, Mike Reaume has bundled up and rolled his wheelchair five kilometers from home along the shoulders of busy County Road 22 to reach his favourite hangouts in Belle River.

But after coming all that way, he's often been stopped only a few metres away from Tim Hortons or the Music Zone store on the town's main street.

Canada Lags Behind In Mental Health Spending

Date posted to site: May 27, 2008

Study finds Ontario among the stingiest

Canada lags behind most developed countries in the amount it spends to treat mental illness, with Ontario and Saskatchewan spending the least, according to a major study of mental health spending in this country.

WSIB Policy Penalizes Employers Who Hire Previously Disabled

Date posted to site: May 27, 2008

Re: WSIB experience-rating system

In Ontario, construction employers who employ a worker with a pre-existing disability who suffers a disablement while in the course of performing their regular duties, face a surcharge (penalty) levied by the WSIB. Here is the scenario:

Construction employer hires a pipefitter. After 1 month, the pipefitter, while performing regular duties, experiences discomfort due to the work.

Ontario Appeal Court Tosses Ailing Autism Lawsuit Thin Lifeline

Date posted to site: May 26, 2008

Parents fighting to have their autistic children receive expensive, specialized therapies within the public education system were tossed a thin lifeline by Ontario's highest court Friday.

Blind Win Court Ruling On U.S. Currency

Date posted to site: May 26, 2008

WASHINGTON - In a decision that could radically change the size, the color and even the feel of American money, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the United States discriminates against the blind and those with limited vision because its paper currency is all the same size regardless of a bill's value.

Success Comes With Barriers For Students With Epilepsy

Date posted to site: May 24, 2008

UCBeyond Scholarship Program Provides Students With Epilepsy An Increased Chance of Completing Post-Secondary Education -

TORONTO, May 21 /CNW/ - Attaining an education is widely considered a key contributor to success in life. It provides opportunities for personal, social and academic growth, and is an important factor in future employment.

N.S. Veteran Wins First Battle In Pension Fight

Date posted to site: May 24, 2008

A Nova Scotia veteran suing Ottawa over his military pension has had his case certified as a class action, says a court decision filed this week.

The Federal Court of Canada ruling has appointed former Canadian Forces member Dennis Manuge of Porters Lake as the representative plaintiff in the lawsuit.

Art De Triomphe: Celebrating Triumphant Artists With Disabilities

Date posted to site: May 23, 2008

Becoming disabled is an unwelcome life changing event and everyone reacts differently to this unwanted challenge. For some this provides an opportunity to be creative and triumph over the adversity that has permanently impacted their lives. Art by triumphant persons with disabilities.

Why Won't You Let Me Play?

Date posted to site: May 22, 2008

Is the Special Olympics discriminating against the kids it's supposed to help?

Lauren McKeon
Photography by Steve Payne

When my sister Carol first started soccer at age eight she more closely resembled a pylon than a player. When she did move, it was to sidestep away from the ball. Picture that scene in Braveheart where a blue-faced Mel-Gibson-as-William-Wallace leads the onslaught of sword-wielding, battle-crying Scots against the English. I imagine my sister saw something similar whenever the other team came toward her. It wasn't that the kids wearing differentcoloured pinnies were particularly scary-most were anything but-that's just the way Carol is: different. So were all the kids in her league.

Appeals Court Says Pistorious Can Compete In Olympics

Date posted to site: May 21, 2008

The world is changing for the better when Oscar Pistorious, a double-leg amputee, is told by an international appeals court that he can compete with able-bodied runners in the Beijing Olympics this year.

Assistive Technology Profiles sComm's Jason Curry

Date posted to site: May 21, 2008

Jason Curry is the co-founder and CEO of sComm. sComm stands for Simultaneous Communications. The company's focus is on enabling people to communicate directly with each other, and to strike up a conversation without any face to face barriers.

His company developed the UbiDuo, a face-to-face communication device for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. He was interviewed by Assistive Technology News' writer John Williams.

Case Study: Money And Mental Illness

Date posted to site: May 20, 2008

Helping canadians be savvy, informed and thoughtful about their money

Over my years as a money coach I've worked with a handful of people with depression, both unipolar and bipolar. It was a real eye-opener for me, and to be honest, I felt somewhat at a loss as to how best to walk alongside these remarkable individuals regarding their finances.

Richard Beaudoin - Truly Blessed To Serve

Date posted to site: May 20, 2008

"There is a waiting list of five to seven years for a disabled adult to get into a group home or suitable housing in the Dufferin area."

Funds sought to upgrade subways For Disabled

Date posted to site: May 19, 2008

The TTC wants to accelerate its plans for becoming fully accessible to disabled passengers.

The transit system is on target to offer such service on all its underground and surface routes by 2020. But officials say that's not good enough, given the growing demand.

Many Tap Into Home Repair Grant Program

Date posted to site: May 19, 2008

Demand for a home repair project introduced just six months ago by the District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) has gone through the roof.

Announcing All Stops; Automated Voice Will Identify Bus Drop-offs

Date posted to site: May 17, 2008

Passengers on Sarnia buses can expect to hear an automated voice announce each bus stop starting mid-summer, says transit director Jim Stevens.

Twenty-four buses will be outfitted with GPS technology worth about $227,000 now that council has given the green light.

The city approved the system after the Ontario Human Rights Commission ruled that all bus services in Ontario must cater to the visually impaired.

More Choice And Flexibility For People With Developmental Disabilities

Date posted to site: May 17, 2008

Ontario introduced legislation today that, if passed, would lay the groundwork for the province to modernize and improve service delivery for adults with a developmental disability.

CRTC Approves Initiatives To Benefit Canadians With Disabilities And Expand Rural Broadband Services

Date posted to site: May 16, 2008

On January 17, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today approved several initiatives that will benefit Canadians with disabilities and expand broadband services to rural and remote communities. The major local telephone companies were also directed by the Commission to finalize proposals for the dispersal of the funds in their deferral accounts.

Group Aims To Open Up Sports For Disabled

Date posted to site: May 15, 2008

Adapted programs, from cycling to yoga to soccer, are ready to roll, free, in city-operated facilities

A new city council aims to unite Torontonians in a community-wide effort to open up the playing field for people with disabilities.

Unlike the often fractious group inhabiting City Hall's official council chambers, the Toronto Accessible Sports Council is all about sharing resources, collaborating on programming and joining together to speak up for change.

Housing Project Gets $2Million

Date posted to site: May 15, 2008

A York Region supportive housing project took a big step toward completion, thanks to a $2 million provincial grant announced today.

The money goes towards the 60-unit Reena Community Residence in Thornhill, a $19-million facility in the midst of the Joseph & Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus scheduled for occupancy by September 2009.

Change Taking Too Long: Critic

Date posted to site: May 13, 2008

The good news is the government is setting standards to improve accessibility; the bad news is the process is taking too long and the standards are inadequate, says an outspoken critic.

Human Rights Reforms Could Trigger Unfair Proceedings

Date posted to site: May 13, 2008

You probably don't know Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal is now considering adopting potentially draconian new rules on how it will handle discrimination claims. This should worry everyone, whether they look through the eyes of a discrimination claimant or through the eyes of a person or organization accused of discrimination.

Action Needed Now On Mental Health Services For Youth

Date posted to site: May 12, 2008

If I were to tell you that there is a health issue that is poorly understood but affects one in five of our children and youth, you would no doubt take notice. If I mentioned that there is a range of disorders that, if left untreated, could become increasingly serious and debilitating, you'd want to know how to look for the problem and seek help.

Citizens With Disabilities - Ontario (CWD-O) Update

Date posted to site: May 10, 2008

Monday, May 26, 2008, is the new final date for accepting nomination forms for the CWD-O Board!

The Members of the CWD-O Nominating Committee are pleased to inform you that CWD-O is continuing to accept Nomination forms for the CWD-O Board until Monday, May 26, 2008!

Read moare at
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/cwdo/agm/

Council Urged To Accommodate More Disabled

Date posted to site: May 08, 2008

TAXIS: Industry split on issuing more licences for wheelchair-accessible cabs

London should double the number of wheelchair-accessible cabs on its roads to 17 -- but allowing any more could all but destroy the taxi industry, one company owner says.

Library Helps With Mental Health; Books, DVDs Places To Help Parents Deal With Kids' Problems

Date posted to site: May 08, 2008

Parents with children experiencing mental health issues can now turn to the public library for support.

The Community Libraries Project, sponsored by the Algoma Family Services Foundation, is providing each library in Algoma with a set of 40 books and two DVD's that offer information and self-help strategies.

Press Release: Federal Court of Appeal Denies Airline Application to Overturn Historic Disability Transport Decision

Date posted to site: May 08, 2008

The Federal Court of Appeal has denied Air Canada and Westjet's application for leave to appeal a historic decision of the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) that allows Canadians with disabilities to travel by air without having to pay for a second seat to accommodate their disabilities, whether for themselves or their attendant.

An Invitation To: Ontario Families To Respond And Participate

Date posted to site: May 08, 2008

Thousands of Ontario Families are supporting an adult at home with a Developmental Disability. In May 2007, the Minister of Community and Social Services announced a $200M budget for Developmental Services. Out of that budget only $9M went to people with developmental disabilities and their families to hire support workers to enable their child to participation in community life. The remainder of the funding went to the "revitalization of traditional agency infrastructure and wages." The Minister promised a "transformation" of developmental services to enable people with developmental disabilities to live more meaningful lives of independence and citizenship. Pouring millions of dollars into the old system and then allowing the largest provider of support in this province 'the family' to reach a crisis will not accomplish 'transformation'.

Deep Discounts Offered For One Week On Remaining Inventory

Date posted to site: May 07, 2008

Boston, MA. May 6. DVS Home Video, a project begun by Boston public broadcaster WGBH in the early 90's to make movies on video accessible to the nation's blind and visually impaired viewers, will end as of May 12. The Hollywood studios have ceased manufacturing VHS or tape versions of films for sale and rental. WGBH's work to make media accessible via description goes on, with efforts focused on television, feature films in theaters, DVDs and online video.

City Of Ottawa 'Essential Services' Refusing To Purchase Second Hand Medical Equipment!

Date posted to site: May 07, 2008

One has to wonder how at a time when the City of Ottawa is claiming that they don't have money for some programs that they somehow have lots of money to spare to buy "new" medical equipment for persons with disabilities such as hospital beds, commodes, bath benches, mechanical lifts etcinstead of purchasing second hand equipment.

Schools Struggle To Keep Up With Need For Mental Health Services

Date posted to site: May 06, 2008

Surging enrolment, more complicated cases strain resources available to troubled students

As enrolment in Canadian colleges and universities hovers around record levels, campus counsellors struggle to cope with a surge in students suffering from emotional distress, depression and mental illness.

Premier McGuinty - Why Buy New When Used Will Do?

Date posted to site: May 03, 2008

Dear Premier McGuinty,

My name is Catherine Gardner and I am writing to you today regarding the Provincial Assistive Devices Program for persons with disabilities. As a person with a disability and as a tax payer I feel that this program has many flaws which is leaving persons with disabilities without access to equipment and tax payers paying for equipment which could easily be recycled. By recycling equipment we could have money available for other important health programs such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy Assessments etc which persons with disabilities on Social Assistance are being denied.

Mentally Ill 'Overrepresented' In Canadian Jails: Report

Date posted to site: May 02, 2008

Not clear how the relationship works, researchers say

OTTAWA - More than one in four Canadians hospitalized for mental illness have had brushes with the law, but researchers aren't sure whether mental illness breeds delinquency or whether jailing people makes them more prone to psychiatric problems, according to a report released Tuesday.

"It is difficult to identify when a mental illness may have been a precursor to incarceration and when, or if, it developed or worsened with incarceration," said Carole Brule, a lead researcher for the report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Major Retailer Tests Robots For Blind Shoppers

Date posted to site: May 02, 2008

Some visually impaired shoppers in Utah can already walk into one of the retail giant's stores and shop with an RFID-reading, voice-synthesized R2D2 wannabe. One large national retailer has started quietly testing a university-created robot designed to help visually impaired consumers navigate store aisles and find their desired products.

W3C Invites Developers To Implement WCAG 2.0

Date posted to site: May 01, 2008

30 April 2008 -- Today, W3C announces that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 is ready for developers and designers to test in Web content and Web applications. Publication of WCAG 2.0 as a Candidate Recommendation, a major step in the W3C standards process, signals broad consensus in the WCAG Working Group and among public reviewers on the technical content of the document.

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June

A 12-Step Program For Canada

Date posted to site: June 30, 2008

Setting priorities and solutions to address the mental health crisis

Canada does not have a mental-health system, for all intents and purposes. Rather, it has a patchwork of programs that have left the three million Canadians afflicted with mental illness the orphans of medicare and relegated them to the shadows.

Response To: David Menzies Tries To Keep Pace With Ontario's Disability Terminology

Date posted to site: June 30, 2008

I don't know if this can be shared with other readers, but I always hated labels because they took away from the dignity of a person. When I was a child, between the age of 6 or 8 (I'm 56 now) & someone I knew had a spinal injury, people coddled that person to the point that he had lost all self-worth.

Medicine's Blind Spot

Date posted to site: June 27, 2008

Mental-health stigma: Are some patients worth less than others?

Public discourse stimulated by The Globe and Mail's series on mental health and the Canadian Mental Health Commission's efforts to raise awareness of mental illness ideally move Canada further "towards a just society." Sadly, history has demonstrated that destigmatization seeking attitudinal change alone is insufficient to counter the discrimination faced by people suffering from mental illness. Without key policy changes, institutionalized stigma will remain unchallenged.

Blind City Resident Upset With Busing Decision

Date posted to site: June 27, 2008

David Globe says it's a step backward

Belleville's transit system is stuck in reverse, says a local man.

David Globe, a city resident who is blind, said he is frustrated by council "backpedalling" on their decision to have city bus drivers announce stops to help visually impaired passengers.

David Menzies Tries To Keep Pace With Ontario's Disability Terminology

Date posted to site: June 26, 2008

I'm always striving to be the proverbial "nice guy." Yet, truth be told, people often accuse me of being insensitive and/or offensive. Could it be something I said?

Well, probably. For example, apparently I've been uttering hopelessly outdated and insensitive linguistic terms as descriptors for people with various afflictions.

Student-Run Disability Organizations Are Making An Impact On Campus - And Creating Future Leaders

Date posted to site: June 26, 2008

Taking the plunge into university life is intimidating for many students. But for those with disabilities, it can be complicated, frustrating - even scary. Not only do academic accommodations have to be made, but social, physical and attitudinal barriers are often present as well.

Inclusive Playground Officially Open

Date posted to site: June 26, 2008

Creation of park driven by Rotary Club, numerous sponsors and donors

AMHERSTBURG - Despite opening ceremonies with dignitaries and a ribbon cutting, the new playground equipment at the Rotary Club Inclusive Playground proved too much of a draw for the local children.

And no one would have it any other way.

Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, 2006, Ontario Only

Date posted to site: June 25, 2008

Statistics Canada report on persons with disabilities in Canada. Suzanne Share provides percentages a) by total population in Ontario and b) people with disabilities to better differentiate the types of disabilities discussed in these statistics.

The information provided in the 2006 report from Statistics Canada on people with disabilities did not include Mental Health. Numbers were compiled in 2002.

Opinion - Web Accessibility. Life In the Post-Guideline Age

Date posted to site: June 24, 2008

Joe Clark, the Canadian web accessibility expert, has said that he believes we now live in a post-guideline era.

What might Joe mean by this?

To date, talk about making websites usable by disabled people has usually featured the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative Web Accessibility Guidelines as a key aspect. This is absolutely appropriate and remains the crucial foundation of every website.

Blind, deaf can feel left behind as tech tools advance

Date posted to site: June 24, 2008

WASHINGTON - Olivia Norman's fingers fly across her laptop keyboard, dexterously tapping out instant messages to friends and entering Google searches without committing a single typo. A minute later, she's listening intently to the voice cues that help her read e-mail and send text messages on her Motorola Q smartphone.

Government Of Canada Helps To Improves Skills And Employment Opportunities For Canadians With Disabilities From Collingwood Region

Date posted to site: June 23, 2008

COLLINGWOOD, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 20, 2008) - Thirty Canadians with disabilities from Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Stayner, Creemore, Blue Mountains and Meaford will be better prepared to find meaningful employment or become self-employed through a new local project. The Honourable Helena Guergis, Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport) and Member of Parliament for Simcoe-Grey, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, announced funding for the project led by Breaking Down Barriers Independent Living Centre.

Vans-portation Gives Seniors Lift

Date posted to site: June 21, 2008

Accessibility News Note: Not much wonder the Premier moved Mr Smitherman out of the Health Care Portfolio with programs like this.

Standing in front of two shiny new vans, Minister of Health George Smitherman announced a van program that will enable seniors who live in their homes to get to medical appointments.

The only problem is the program will be off limits to a good number of seniors because the vans are not accessible to the disabled.

Bus Drivers Urged To Consider Disabled

Date posted to site: June 21, 2008

Windsor bus drivers need to get better at calling out stops for people with disabilities, says the Windsor Accessibility Committee.

"It's hit and miss," said Bishop Charles Payne, acting chair of the WAC.

Human Rights Battle Foreseen

Date posted to site: June 19, 2008

Only a sanction by the Ontario Human Rights Commission will speed up city council's plan to add more wheelchair-accessible cabs in London, one councillor says.

Opening Doors For Employees With Disabilities

Date posted to site: June 17, 2008

Tom Proszowski, 56, director of employment equity and diversity at CIBC, is more than just another mid-level banking executive.

As he rolls his wheelchair through the bank's Toronto headquarters, he is a symbol of the progress Canadian banks have made when it comes to hiring people with disabilities and not just in the low or mid-level ranks.

The Built Environment Or OUCH I Have A Headache

Date posted to site: June 17, 2008

By: Suzanne Share, M.A.

As a member of the Ontario Standard Development Committee on the Built Environment, and Chair of the Built Environment for Citizens with Disabilities-Ontario, it is time for a personal review of the procedure and issues.

Law Needed But Why Deny Families A Say?

Date posted to site: June 16, 2008

Michael Smith lives independently in a duplex situation set up by his parents in Oshawa. Smith is physically and intellectually disabled, yet the provincial government refuses to cover his living costs. ;

Like the overseer in a Victorian workhouse, Ontario has made a career of harnessing unpaid labour.

Housing & Mortgages For People With Disabilities

Date posted to site: June 16, 2008

This guide is for persons living with a disability and in need of useful information and assistance in buying a home. The guide also turns to you who have a family-member, friend or other relation with a disability and want to learn more about homeownership. After reading this guide on housing and mortgages you will know more concerning:

Deciding to buy your own home
The process of buying a house
Housing & Mortgages terminology (common words and terms you need to understand when buying a home)
Getting started
Financial assistance for people with a disability

Effective Accessibility Consulting Launches New Accessible Website

Date posted to site: June 14, 2008

Effective Accessibility Consulting is proud to launch their new "Accessible" website. Their Mission is to enhance and enrich the lives of people with disabilities by opening minds through communication, education, and barrier removal.

Their Goal is to identify, remove and prevent barriers in the public and private sectors in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the standards within.

Visit them on the web at
http://www.effectiveaccessibility.ca

Site Check: Toronto Transit Commission(TTC) Beta Website

Date posted to site: June 14, 2008

The one saving grace for this site is it is still a "Beta" and can be fixed.

Even though there are some good accessibility features this site still doesn't pass the minimum standards for web accessibility and that is the current ones, when the newest version becomes the benchmark it will fall farther behind.

Not only is this site not completely accessible it is rather unusable as well and given the diverse population of the City a lot of PWD's will have a hard time navigating it. What should take no more than 1 click to get to some content takes 3 or more.

They want your feedback by way of an online survey, however after you finally find it they present you with one question per page, my patience was wearing thin at this point so I don't know how many questions they ask, but at one per page, 2 is too many. Put the whole survey on one page, I don't have all day!

Robert Latimer Article In the National Post

Date posted to site: June 13, 2008

Tracy Latimer - the Victim - Robert Latimer - the Murderer

FROM: Marie White, Chairperson, Council of Canadians with Disabilities Laurie Beachell, National Coordinator, Council of Canadians with Disabilities

Recently, the National Post published a substantial article about Robert Latimer, his views about his murder of his daughter Tracy, and his future plans ("Outside the Concrete Walls" by Julie Smith 21/05/04). Once again Mr. Latimer has been given a national platform by the Canadian media to express his viewpoint. Unfortunately, Ms. Smith chose to present only Mr. Latimer's view of Tracy's life. In this case, Mr. Latimer has always been the murder victim's chief spokesperson, so it not surprising that a very negative picture of Tracy's life has lodged in the public consciousness.

Get In Motion!

Date posted to site: June 13, 2008

Get in Motion is a free physical activity counseling service for Canadians with spinal cord injury(SCI). This Canada-wide service is supported by the SCI Translational Research Network in partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation. Get in Motion is designed to provide you with the information and support you may need to answer questions and meet personal physical activity goals.

Urgent Notice Regarding Para Transpo Review Wednesday, June 18th, 3:00

Date posted to site: June 13, 2008

Dear Community Members,

According to an email received on Monday from Councillor Cullen a Para Review will be done at the June 18th Transit Committee in junction with the Corporate Services & Economic Development Committee.

Get Mobilized March Of Solidarity For Persons With Disabilities, Sunday, June 15th

Date posted to site: June 12, 2008

All persons with disabilities and friends are urged to come out the German Embassy, 1 Waverley St. this Sunday, June 15th at 2:45 p.m. to help welcome Jeffery Preston to Ottawa and to walk, roll, etc in solidarity from the Embassy to City Hall. This "Get Mobilized March" is to bring awareness of the poor public transportation services including inaccessible "accessible taxis", Para Transpo and OC Transpo services faced by all persons with disabilities!

National Strategy Called For In Report On N.B. Teen's Jail Death

Date posted to site: June 11, 2008

New Brunswick's ombudsman is urging greater co-ordination between federal and provincial governments to ensure young people with mental health problems get adequate treatment while in custody in his report on the death of a teenager in custody.

A Playground Without Barriers

Date posted to site: June 11, 2008

For Clayton Trovato, a 12-year-old from Oakville, yesterday was a day of double happiness.

He said hello to and shook hands with Prince Edward, the youngest child of the Queen and Prince Philip. And Clayton was looking forward to a playground in the Yonge St. and Davisville Ave. area where he will one day soon be able to hang out with his friends who use wheelchairs.

Driven To Dream Like Anyone Else

Date posted to site: June 09, 2008

Russell Lye's wheelchair is no longer an obstacle to loving life in the fast lane thanks to Project Track Champion.

The 27-year-old Brantford man is the assistant pit crew chief on the team that displays a fully operational and wheelchair accessible non-competitive race car across southern Ontario.

Canadian Paralympic Athletes Focus On Accessibility Issues Heading Into Games

Date posted to site: June 09, 2008

TORONTO - With just over two months before the opening ceremonies, most of the talk surrounding the controversial Olympic Games in Beijing has been about pollution, safety, and human rights.

But for the co-captain of Canada's wheelchair rugby team, the biggest problem is just getting around.

New Program For Mental HealthOf Seniors

Date posted to site: June 09, 2008

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association-Ontario, depression is one of the most common health problems affecting seniors yet the problem goes unrecognized and untreated. The underlying issues of depression in seniors can be manifested by other behaviours that family members, caregivers and close friends interpret as just symptoms of growing older.

Diversity in the workplace

Date posted to site: June 06, 2008

Firms that take steps to improve diversity in the workplace earn real business benefits, a joint report from the CBI and the TUC suggests today (Tuesday).

New Passport Legislation In The Works

Date posted to site: June 06, 2008

CNW - The Ontario government introduced legislation that, if passed, will allow Ontarians to use an enhanced driver's licence as an alternative to a passport when crossing Canada/U.S. borders by land and sea.

Beginning June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will require all visitors to prove their citizenship at the border.

CWD-O's Board Nominations Are In!

Date posted to site: June 06, 2008

Citizens With Disabilities - Ontario(CWD-O) is happy to announce its list of Board nominees for our upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM).

For more information on the AGM go to http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/cwdo/agm/ where you can download an information package complete with the list of Nominees.

Obstacles Facing Disabled Explained

Date posted to site: June 06, 2008

'Attitudinal barriers' more annoying than physical ones, county councillors told in special session

ESSEX - Accidents or disease put them in wheelchairs, where they've often encountered physical barriers as well as indifference, and sometimes cruelty.

Para Transpo Riders, Family Members, Service Organizations Beware!

Date posted to site: June 06, 2008

Para Transpo service is scheduled to get worse!

It is my understanding from a number of drivers that the next booking for drivers which is scheduled to kick in a couple of weeks, will see anywhere from 20 to 45 runs being cancelled and that a number of drivers are being laid off for at least the summer. It is my understanding from drivers that some runs have anywhere between 20 and 30+ rides per day!

Federal Government Appeals Insite's Exemption

Date posted to site: June 05, 2008

Minister of Health Tony Clement has appealed a judge's ruling giving Vancouver's Insite facility a permanent constitutional exemption from federal drug laws.

Intervention Program To Help Kids With Vision Problems

Date posted to site: June 05, 2008

The president of Pinecrest Queensway Health and Community Services, Mohamed Ahmed, recently announced the launch of the 'Blind-Low Vision Early Intervention Program'.

Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU): Rouge Valley Adds More Mental Health Staff as Beds Are Cut in Ajax

Date posted to site: June 05, 2008

AJAX, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 2, 2008) - The Rouge Valley Health System plans to hire more staff than it is laying off to facilitate cuts to mental health beds in Ajax-Pickering, raising questions as to how the controversial plan will save money.

Opening Up The Learning Curves

Date posted to site: June 03, 2008

The reverse integration program at Sunny View Public School in Toronto has opened up a new world for students and teachers -- allowing both "regular" and disabled students to learn together and from each other.

What right does a disabled child have to share a classroom with kids who have no disabilities?

The answer is simple: Every right in the world. Literally.

Autism And Human Rights In Canada

Date posted to site: June 02, 2008

Today is Bloggers Unite for Human Rights Day, May 15, 2008. The United Nations recently declared and celebrated April 2, 2008 as the first World Autism Awareness Day. The celebration of the event brought an inundation of media and other attention to autism and autism issues. Hopefully this historic development will lead to the recognition of the human rights of autistic persons like my son Conor, who has Autistic Disorder with profound developmental delays.

Addiction Moved Back Into Health Care

Date posted to site: June 02, 2008

TORONTO, May 29 /CNW/ - The Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs supports the decision by the B.C. Supreme Court recognizing addiction as a health issue that must be treated. It was stated by a B.C. Health Officer that "the ruling moves chronic addiction out of the area of law enforcement and back into health care, where it belongs".

Huntsville Plays Host To First Muskoka-Wide Accessibility Conference

Date posted to site: June 02, 2008

In an effort to make accessibility policies and practices in Muskoka more uniform, the Huntsville Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) held the first Muskoka-wide Accessibility Conference last Tuesday.

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July

Province Studying Electric Vehicles; But No Plans To Allow Low-Speed Cars Before Safety Evaluation, Ontario Minister Says

Date posted to site: July 31, 2008

Ontario has commissioned an independent safety study of low-speed electric vehicles, but is not ready to follow Quebec and British Columbia in allowing the environmentally friendly cars and trucks on the province's roads, says Transportation Minister Jim Bradley.

Darwin All About Diversity

Date posted to site: July 31, 2008

Would Charles Darwin have written me off, taken me right out of the script because I have a disability?

Possibly. That may be one of the reasons that, until recently, I resisted the lure of the Royal Ontario Museum's exhibition on "The Evolution Revolution."

Grant Boosts Trent Research

Date posted to site: July 30, 2008

Federal cash funds research for hearing-impaired

A $30,000 federal grant will help Trent University co-ordinate a research project to perfect speech recognition technologies, which will assist people with hearing challenges.

How Life Changed For Lottery Winner

Date posted to site: July 29, 2008

Note Accessibility News' comments at the end of the article.

Money can't buy happiness, but it can open bathroom doors at the bank.

That was one of the first differences $6.5 million brought to Christina Hawrylowicz, when she took the cheque from her winning Super 7 lottery ticket to her bank branch. It took longer to process than she'd imagined and she had to pee.

China Increases Web Accessibility For Blind People

Date posted to site: July 29, 2008

The China Daily reports July 24 that an "Information Accessibility Action" event has been jointly initiated by China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), BOCOG, Internet Society of China, China Communications Standards Association and China Foundation for Disabled Persons. The goal is to enable people with visual impairments to access the latest news and information about the Beijing Games.

People With Disabilities Record Largest Increase In Employment Rate: StatsCan

Date posted to site: July 26, 2008

TORONTO - A growing percentage of people living with disabilities are finding work, representing the largest increase in the employment rate among Canadians, according to a new report from Statistics Canada.

The Relationship Between The Human Rights Code And The Building Code

Date posted to site: July 25, 2008

Consideration of the interaction between the Human Rights Code and the Building Code is important for two reasons. The first reason is that the Human Rights Code applies to the Building Code itself and inconsistencies between them may form the basis of a human rights complaint against MAH itself. The second reason is that despite the fact that the Human Rights Code applies to facilities and services that fall under the Building Code, most businesses, designers and builders [2] are aware only of the requirements of the Building Code and not the parallel, and often higher obligations mandated by the Human Rights Code. Accordingly, if they comply only with the requirements of the Building Code, they may be vulnerable to a human rights complaint to the extent that their premises continue to fall short of the requirements of the Human Rights Code. What follows in this section is a more detailed explanation of each of these considerations.

100% Accessible: DAWN's Goal For Women's Shelters

Date posted to site: July 25, 2008

Women's shelters are a crucial resource for women fleeing abuse. For women with disabilities, this refuge is essential. It is estimated that women with disabilities are 1.5 to 10 times as likely to be abused as non-disabled women, depending on whether they live in the community or in institutions.

Unfortunately, these women's services, already underfunded, are often not accessible and available to all women with disabilities. DAWN-RAFH Canada hopes to uncover the access issues that shelters are experiencing and to encourage them to become more accessible.

Ferret Barred From Ottawa Buses; Disabled Owner Files Complaint

Date posted to site: July 25, 2008

Frances Woodard said she now leaves her apartment less often because she is afraid to travel without her ferret, Gyno.

A woman has lodged an accessibility complaint against Ottawa's public transit company after it barred her ferret - which her psychiatrist likens to a guide dog - from the city's public buses.

Breaking Down Barriers(BDB) Launches Sporting Network

Date posted to site: July 25, 2008

Posted By SHAWN GIILCK, ENTERPRISE-BULLETIN

Armed with a $141,000 grant, the local Breaking Down Barriers is living up to its name.

Art de Triomphe A Resounding Success!

Date posted to site: July 24, 2008

By Jerry Ford, Art de Triomphe organizer

It began with Christine Bayer's musings over coffee in January, grew by April to become a five artist event that opened at the end of June to rave reviews with unprecedented community support. This extraordinary happening was Art de Triomphe - Celebrating Triumphant Northumberland Artists with Disabilities.

The Blind Community Needs A '60S-style Revolution,' Says Blind Activist

Date posted to site: July 24, 2008

Soner Çoban, 24, is a blind community activist who says the visually impaired are victimized by positive discrimination in Turkey and that people often try to console them for their "shortcoming." Çoban says, "The blind community is not a different sphere of society." Nearly 13 percent of the people in Turkey have some form of disability, and 11.75 percent of this segment is blind. While the so-called normal people enjoy all sorts of facilities, the disabled are deprived of many services. But they are seldom heard speaking out.

Another Broken McGuinty Promise -- NDP

Date posted to site: July 23, 2008

Queen's Park - "The McGuinty Liberals brutal approach of denying children with autism their therapy is callous and heartless. How can the McGuinty Liberals so cruelly stand by and watch as these services, that entire communities of children and parents rely on, are cutback?" asks NDP Children and Youth Services Critic Andrea Horwath.

RE: Code Provides For Accessibility, But Not For All;

Date posted to site: July 21, 2008

In response to Brad Willcocks' comments - disabilities that require "better than code" fittings in a so-called accessible washroom - is not "a desire" but a requirement.

A Welcome Find

Date posted to site: July 21, 2008

With the help of a local community organization, James Woodham, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was able to apply for, and receive, $6,000 in tax credits owed to him over a 10-year span

James Woodham was entitled to thousands of dollars in income tax credits.

But he couldn't figure out how to properly apply for the money.

Badeyes.com Launches Another Accessible Website, NumPadPlus.com LLC

Date posted to site: July 19, 2008

It brings NumPadPlus.com LLC great pleasure to be able to welcome you to our grand opening. For those who are returning and for all of our new clients we hope that this new way of providing access technology training will bring more information to your finger tips.

NumPadPlus.com LLC is the leader in web based computer training and we plan on continuing our success with new features and training solutions. We invite you to celebrate our grand opening as we look ahead at accessibility advancements that will change your life.

Visit us on the web at http://www.numpadplus.com

Code Provides For Accessibility, But Not For All;

Date posted to site: July 19, 2008

Bob Robertson, former member of the Cobourg Community Accessibility Advisory Committee and current member of the Northumberland County Accessibility Committee, knows firsthand how an accessible washroom can be up to code but still present a barrier.

High Court Limits Employers' Duty To Accommodate Sick Employees

Date posted to site: July 19, 2008

The Supreme Court of Canada placed new limits on the duty of employers to accommodate sick employees yesterday in a ruling that found Hydro-Québec was justified in firing a mentally ill woman who missed almost 1,000 days of work in seven years before she was sacked.

Talking About Bipolar Disorder

Date posted to site: July 17, 2008

People with bipolar disorder have episodes of depression and mania.

The more you talk about mental illness the more "normal" it becomes

Midtown Toronto's Karen Liberman longs for the day when she will be at a barbecue and fellow guests will talk about the ailments they are suffering from. One person will mention he has diabetes, while another will mention she has heart disease and Liberman herself will say she has clinical depression - and not one person will bat an eye.

Modified Taxi Plan Clears First Hurdle

Date posted to site: July 16, 2008

Nine new accessible cabs could soon be hitting city streets, bringing the total to 18. (MIKE HENSEN, Sun Media)

A bylaw that would allow nine more accessible cabs in London had the support of the city's two taxi firms last night, but others said it's only a short-term solution that will have to be reconsidered.

Unwelcome Sign

Date posted to site: July 15, 2008

By Linda Saxon

Signage will be provided at the front entrance to the Amherstburg Town hall indicating the entrance for persons with disabilities - the back entrance.

For five years the town's annual accessibility plan noted the town hall was not accessible and would be improved in 2008.

Lifetime Networks Ottawa

Date posted to site: July 15, 2008

To the attention of all residents of ONTARIO who care about people with disabilities

You are urged to support Bill 94 (Ontario)

Making Mobility Accessible

Date posted to site: July 14, 2008

When Colin Stanczak was younger, it was easy for one of his parents to tuck him into bed or put him in the tub.

Now that he's 16, two hands just aren't enough.

Ailing Youth Can Wait A Year For Mental Health Treatment

Date posted to site: July 12, 2008

One in five children in Ontario struggles with a diagnosable disorder -- emotional, mental or behavioural.

And in Halton, getting help isn't easy due to a long wait list -- in some cases up to a year -- for services. Many local kids and teens remain undiagnosed and untreated.

First Legal Test Of LHIN Legislation Set For Friday

Date posted to site: July 12, 2008

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 10, 2008) - The first test of legislation creating the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) will go before the courts on Friday.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union wants a court to order the Central East LHIN to reconsider its decision to cut 20 existing mental health beds and cancel nine more beds under construction at the Ajax-Pickering hospital.

Supreme Court Clarifies Employment Law

Date posted to site: July 09, 2008

FEDERAL (Canadian OH&S News) -- The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has set aside a record award for punitive damages to an employee of Honda Canada Inc who was wrongfully dismissed.

Commission Launches Report Calling For Collective Housing Strategy

Date posted to site: July 09, 2008

TORONTO, July 8 /CNW/ - Chief Commissioner Barbara Hall and the Ontario Human Rights Commission today launched "Right at home: Report on the consultation on human rights and rental housing in Ontario." This report, which follows a year of public sessions, meetings and submissions involving hundreds of individuals and organizations across the province, focuses on housing as a human right, and sets out a framework for collective action to identify, remove and prevent discrimination in rental housing.

Family, Mental-Health Issues Overtake Work Issues For Federal Workers: Survey

Date posted to site: July 08, 2008

OTTAWA - Job-related stresses in federal workplaces are in decline, a new report suggests, raising doubts about the so-called "toxic" work environment in the public sector.

Gravelle Calls Complaint Valid Over Inaccessible Vans

Date posted to site: July 07, 2008

A fleet of 8 vans purchased to move seniors in the Northwest as part of the provincial Aging at Home Strategy have been found to have a major drawback. They are not wheelchair accessible and PUSH Northwest, a volunteer organization for people with disabilities, is speaking out and wants corrective measures taken.

Accessible Transportation

Date posted to site: July 07, 2008

This is a story about a young university student in London, Ontario named Jeff Preston. Jeff was diagnosed with congenital muscular dystrophy at the age of three months. It sentenced him to a life in an electric wheelchair. But Jeff is a fighter and while he was growing up he and his family dealt with the challenges that come with being confined to a wheelchair. It shows. He's a successful student at the University of Western Ontario and an active advocate of eliminating barriers for those with physical and mental challenges that prevent them from living as normal a life as possible.

Digital Television and Video Description

Date posted to site: July 05, 2008

The WGBH - Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) has published a new Outreach and Policy Paper, Digital Television and Video Description: Service Continues, Consumer and Industry Efforts Required

Most consumers are just now becoming aware of the mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting scheduled for February of 2009 and how it will affect the TV viewing that they rely on daily. Blind or deaf consumers who purchase digital TV sets, and subscribe to cable, satellite or fiber-optic TV services have expressed frustration with set-up, reception and incompatibility problems regarding access services (captioning and video description), few of which are understood or even documented by manufacturers and retailers.

Future Subway Cars Tackle Accessibility Issues

Date posted to site: July 05, 2008

TTC subways will look vastly different starting in 2010 and while all riders will benefit from increased space, those with disabilities stand to gain the most.

Over 60% Of Nursing Homes In Ontario Cited For Violations; Facilities Failing To Meet Standards Of Care That Ensure Residents Are Clean, Fed And Pain-Free

Date posted to site: July 05, 2008

The majority of Ontario's nursing homes have failed to meet basic standards set out by the province to preserve the rights of elderly residents, an investigation by The Canadian Press reveals.

Disability No Barrier For New Mom

Date posted to site: July 05, 2008

Paralyzed in a crash 12 years ago, Anita Kaiser is a new mom and advocate for parents with disabilities

Anita Kaiser has several striking memories from the aftermath of the 1996 car crash that altered her life. One was a few weeks after doctors told her she would never walk again.

AODA Alliance: Human Rights Advocates Urge McGuinty To Keep Commitments On new Human Rights Process-But Revealed Internal Government Documents Show This Dubious

Date posted to site: July 04, 2008

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 2, 2008) - At today's Queens Park news conference, human rights advocates listed Government pledges on Bill 107, launched this week. They questioned if these promises CAN be kept, based on internal government documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, revealed today.

Guide Dogs For The Blind And HumanWare Launch New Education Initiative With Victor Reader Stream

Date posted to site: July 03, 2008

Longueuil, Quebec (June 25, 2008) - Guide Dogs for the Blind and HumanWare are pleased to announce the Victor Reader Stream will become an integral part of the curriculum at Guide Dogs for the Blind in the early fall of 2008. The Victor Reader Stream players will allow students attending Guide Dogs for the Blind to read and navigate through class materials, providing them with unprecedented access to materials on campus and beyond.

Mental Illness A Crisis With No End In Sight: Expert

Date posted to site: July 01, 2008

A Canadian authority on mental health in the workplace tells people it's time to put down their BlackBerries -- and their cellphones, too. And leave them down for a few days.

"Turn your back on the e-mail system for a particular part of the day," Bill Wilkerson advises.

"Leave it to tomorrow. Next time you want to e-mail somebody, think twice. Consider going to their office."

Why PDFs Suck!

Date posted to site: July 01, 2008

PDFs get a rough press when it comes to accessibility and understandably so as most PDFs on the web today are not accessible. I thought I'd turn the spotlight on the much maligned thorn in many a web site owners side, and look at some of the reasons why PDFs are inaccessible. What follows is a list of some of reasons behind why PDFs suck that are not about the technology itself but how we (the web designer, the content author, the content commissioner, the manager, the policy maker) use it and what we can do to start changing PDFs on the web.

Back to Table of Contents

August

Target Settles Suit With National Federation of Blind

Date posted to site: August 29, 2008

Target to pay $6 million in damages as part of settlement with National Federation of the Blind

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Target Corp. has agreed to pay $6 million in damages to plaintiffs in California unable to use its online site as part of a class action settlement with the National Federation of the Blind, a leading advocacy group for blind people.

Ontario Parents Continue Battle For Accessible Autism Therapies

Date posted to site: August 29, 2008

It was four years in the making, a stolen glance in which, for the very first time, Anna Martini's eyes locked with her son Joshua's.

Never in Ms. Martini's life had eye contact seemed so precious.

Open Doors To Disabled, Businesses Told

Date posted to site: August 29, 2008

With as much as 15 per cent of the population in Thunder Bay afflicted with some kind of disability, it makes economic sense for businesses to be accessible, says Al Buchan, director of corporate community affairs for HAGI Community Services for Independence.

A Year Later...And Still No Autism Funding

Date posted to site: August 29, 2008

MCGUINTY STANDS BESIDE A BURNING CAR WRECK COOKING HOT DOGS WHILE WATCHING THE VICTIMS BURN.

I guess it isn't hard to be consumed by something when you must live with it everyday of the week. Perhaps if Dalton McGuinty and all of his federal/provincial counterparts had a child like this they might reconsider what they have done to some of Ontarios' most vulnerable persons...but then again, they are probably too self absorbed to see anything other than their own stupid selves.

ODSP Continues To Confuse And Fail

Date posted to site: August 29, 2008

If the Ontario Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction is as committed to reducing poverty as their statements indicate, reforming the social assistance programs must be part of the strategy. Various groups including the ODSP Action Coalition and the Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC) have submitted recommendations to the cabinet committee calling for systemic changes to Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program.

Court Upholds Ruling In Favor Of Bipolar Employee

Date posted to site: August 28, 2008

OTTAWA-The Ontario Superior Court of Justice's Ottawa Divisional Court has upheld an $80,000 judgment in favor of an information technology specialist dismissed from his job just days after disclosing to his employer that he suffered from bipolar disorder.

Paralympics Play Catalyst Role

Date posted to site: August 28, 2008

Access becomes focus

For a country that prides itself on embracing people with disabilities, the oversight by the Canadian Olympic Committee to have wheelchair access at Canada Olympic House in Beijing served as a sharp reminder of the challenges the country faces as it prepares for the 2010 Winter Paralympics.

Court Says Bed Closure Done Properly

Date posted to site: August 27, 2008

Union loses court case against local health integration network
Tue Aug 26, 2008

AJAX -- The Central East Local Health Integration Network did not break its own rules when it failed to consult the public over moving mental health beds out of Ajax, three judges ruled Friday.

Union Station Exhibit Will Lead Visitors Into The World Of Blindness

Date posted to site: August 27, 2008

Union Station's next big exhibit is nothing to look at.

The station will announce today that it is offering an opportunity for sighted people to experience what it is like to be blind:

Autism: Making Sense Of A Confusing World

Date posted to site: August 26, 2008

A child sits flapping his arms wildly in the air; another expresses his frustration by pushing aside a teacher's aide, a third retreats into playing computer games instead of playing with friends.

Re: Analog Cell Phones Go Digital

Date posted to site: August 26, 2008

I don't know how many consumers are aware of the transition from analog to digital for their cell phones by September 2008. For me this requires that I rid myself of my old NOKIA 252 Analog Cell Phone and purchase a new digital cell phone model. Sounds quite simple does it not? But to this date, I have yet to find a Canadian retailer from whom I can purchase a digital cell phone to accommodate my disability.

Physical barriers tumble, mental ones remain

Date posted to site: August 26, 2008

Tomorrow's ceremony closing the Beijing Olympics will no doubt be another display of spectacular entertainment. Flawless, if the opening performance is any indication. But I'm not really into flawless.

Lack Of Autism Funding Is a Provincial Shame

Date posted to site: August 25, 2008

The idea of denying children the therapy that helps improve their lives and diagnosed conditions is unthinkable. But that's what is happening in Dalton McGuinty's Ontario with regards to children with autism. The lack of funding for autism services is a provincial shame.

CanWest Internship

Date posted to site: August 25, 2008

CanWest announced the launch of the Canwest Internships for Students with Disabilities, an initiative that marks the company's ongoing involvement in an industry-wide effort to address the under-representation of persons with disabilities in the media.

Regulating Terminal Devices Likely To Feature At CRTC Hearing

Date posted to site: August 23, 2008

The lack of universal design and the absence of regulation for terminal equipment are among some of the top concerns that are likely to dominate a CRTC hearing on access to broadcasting services for persons with disabilities.

Blast Left Elderly, Disabled Vulnerable; Meeting Held To Discuss Special Needs Strategies In Wake Of Explosion

Date posted to site: August 23, 2008

J.P. Pampena, a blind resident whose severely disabled daughter was abandoned by her nurse during the propane blast, is looking for ways to protect people with special needs during the next emergency.

The Ferret Will Ride: Councillors Let Animal On The Bus

Date posted to site: August 22, 2008

Exception made, as regular pets not allowed on OC Transpo

OTTAWA - It was a good day for accessibility advocates, but a bad day for pet owners at a meeting of city council's transit committee yesterday -- and it all had to do with just what kind of animal can get a ticket to ride OC Transpo.

Mentally Ill Patients Released Early To Free Up Hospital Beds: Study

Date posted to site: August 22, 2008

Canadians hospitalized for mental illness are being discharged earlier than they used to be, suggesting they may be squeezed out because of a shortage of beds, experts say.

Rouge Valley Layoffs Backfire As Ajax Mental Health Services Struggle to Continue

Date posted to site: August 22, 2008

Rouge Valley Layoffs Backfire As Ajax Mental Health Services Struggle to Conti

AJAX, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 20, 2008) - Despite paying out costly severance packages, the Rouge Valley Health System is trying to hire back limited staff on a casual basis to try and keep mental health services going at the Ajax hospital.

Human Rights Claim Delayed By Changes

Date posted to site: August 21, 2008

An Ontario Human Rights Commission complaint against the Municipality of North Perth by a local woman has been caught up in changes to the Ontario Human Rights Code Act and the process for dealing with complaints.

Deafness And The User Experience

Date posted to site: August 20, 2008

How many times have you been asked this question: if you had to choose, which would you prefer to be: deaf or blind? The question illustrates the misconception that deafness is in some way the opposite of blindness-as though there's some sort of binary representation of disability. When we look at accessible design for the deaf, it's not surprising to see it addressed in a similar fashion: audio captioning is pretty much the equivalent of alt text on images for most designers.

Into Sight, Into Mind: Canadians Coping With Mental Illness: Mike

Date posted to site: August 19, 2008

'If this is a disorder, and not me, who am I?'

"My ability to engage in passive conversation has left me. I can't trust my mind right now, it has become poison." - blog entry, Dec 12, 2007.

Mental Illness 'Final Frontier' Of Accepted Discrimination

Date posted to site: August 19, 2008

Nearly one in two Canadians believes mental illness isn't always "real," but a cop-out for bad behaviour and personal weakness, and attitudes toward people with addictions border almost on religious judgment, a new national survey shows.

Fantastic Four Roll Across Canada For A Miracle Cure

Date posted to site: August 18, 2008

A miracle cure awaits millions of people in Canada and around the world who are stuck in wheelchairs because of spinal cord injuries.

Agencies Decry Ontario's Funding Of Child Autism Treatment

Date posted to site: August 18, 2008

TORONTO - The Liberal government is failing to live up to its promises to adequately fund early therapy for autistic children, forcing some service providers to turn away families who've waited years for an expensive but crucial treatment, agencies say.

Canada's Government Recognizes CTV Montreal For Creating an Inclusive Workplace

Date posted to site: August 15, 2008

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, Aug 14, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, is in Montreal today to present a certificate to CTV Montreal (formerly CFCF) for its outstanding efforts in creating an inclusive workplace.

Runner Rraises Awareness Of Autism

Date posted to site: August 15, 2008

Jonathan Howard is running across Canada to raise awareness of autism and the need for improved supports for children with the disorder. Paralympian Terry Robinson accompanied him for the Ontario leg of the run.

Legal Rights For People Who Use Service Animals

Date posted to site: August 14, 2008

People who use service animals may be denied access that others take for granted such as being able to eat at a restaurant, go grocery shopping or live in the apartment of their choice. As a result, ARCH receives inquiries from people who use service animals about their legal rights.

New System For Making Human Rights Complaints In Ontario Now in Effect

Date posted to site: August 14, 2008

The Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2006, came into effect on June 30, 2008 and changed the way in which complaints of discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code [Code] are handled. The Ontario Human Rights Commission [Commission] will no longer accept complaints of discrimination. All new applications alleging discrimination are to be filed with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario [Tribunal].

Are You Interested In Being On ARCH's Board?

Date posted to site: August 14, 2008

by the ARCH Nominations Committee

The ARCH Nominations Committee is now preparing its Nominations Report, to be presented at ARCH's Annual General Meeting. We would like you to consider volunteering on the ARCH Board or suggesting others who could make a valuable contribution on it.

Canada's Government Helps Canadians With Disabilities Find Meaningful Employment

Date posted to site: August 13, 2008

FLESHERTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 12, 2008) - Fourteen South Grey County residents with developmental disabilities will receive personalized counselling and assistance to help them get into the work force. Mr. Larry Miller, Member of Parliament for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced federal support for this enhanced employment assistance service project led by South East Grey Support Services.

Disabled Wait Up To 10 Years For Home Care

Date posted to site: August 13, 2008

Report highlights 'crisis' in number of people lacking help from attendants, supportive housing

Nearly 1,450 people in Ontario with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities are languishing on waiting lists for in-home care and supportive housing - some as long as 10 years, a report has found.

Of those, 900 people are living in Toronto.

Without help at home, they are warehoused in group homes, long-term-care facilities and hospitals at a high cost to taxpayers.

Transit Drivers Must Start Calling Out The Stops

Date posted to site: August 12, 2008

Operators should get on board with tribunal decision

It's a small thing, but it makes a huge difference to many people.

Drivers of Durham Region Transit buses have been ordered to call out stops on their routes to help passengers with visual impairments. The decision, made by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, would aid passengers beyond those with disabilities; anyone who is unfamiliar with the routes and neighbourhoods they're travelling in would welcome that little bit of extra help from the driver.

Paving A Barrier-Free Path To Financial Freedom

Date posted to site: August 12, 2008

Cheryl Duggan buys her clothes on half-price days at Goodwill stores. She chooses only black "because black matches black and I don't want to look poor." Of her credentials, she says she has a BA in art history from University of Toronto plus "a master's in advocacy and a PhD in survival," the latter two conferred by her experience eking out an existence on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

Wheelchair Rights Scale Everest

Date posted to site: August 11, 2008

Today, Aaron Shelbourne had an extra-happy birthday. There was the looming possibility that it wouldn't be so, however, as his party plans involved staging a protest outside Everest restaurant on Queen Street West in response to the discriminatory treatment he allegedly endured while dining there in mid-March. Aaron has cerebral palsy and is confined to a motorized wheelchair. He has to travel with an aide and communicates through Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC), but is well aware of his surroundings and understands when people talk to him. Even after a few minutes speaking with him through the help of his aide Jonah, it's easy to see that the words and phrases he chooses from an AAC board using eye movement and nods of his head are just a fraction of what he is trying to express. Though wheelchair bound, he is often out and about in the city, and last week was even in Montreal attending a conference on AAC.

The Fearsome Roar Of Their Engines

Date posted to site: August 11, 2008

The fearsome roar of their engines is one of the first things to come to mind at the mention of Lotus, the stylish, lightweight British sports cars.

That familiar growl could soon be heard coming from a far more modest source: beneath the hitherto tranquil bonnets of other manufacturers' electric cars.

Readmore at
http://accessibilitynews.ca/cwdo/activities/transportation_committee.php?activities-transportation=488

Critics Claim Province Has Betrayed Autistic Kids With Funding Cuts

Date posted to site: August 09, 2008

Stacey Hayward claims the province has betrayed her son and thousands of other children by pulling the funding of a specialized treatment for autism.

The Fight For Special Diet Allowance

Date posted to site: August 09, 2008

Lawyer says insufficient funds for food is making people sick

In the foyer of the Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC), a slight man leaned on a cane for support and explained it wasn't always this way.

"I never imagined I would be in this position," Brian Cotterell said. "Then I became disabled."

Canine Co-Workers Take A Bite Out Of Office Stress

Date posted to site: August 09, 2008

Pets can make work more enjoyable for customers and employees

Each morning, Ensign -- a seven-year-old golden retriever -- will stare at his mom with pleading brown eyes until she asks him: "Well, are you coming with me to work today?"

"Then he goes right back down and sits by his leash and waits," his owner, Robin Brewer, says with a laugh. "He knows. He waits for me to ask him."

Blind MBA Challenges Federal Government Over Inaccessible Jobs Websites

Date posted to site: August 08, 2008

Ground-breaking Charter of Rights case now before courts

Toronto - August 6, 2008 - Donna Jodhan had all the right qualifications for the government jobs she wanted to apply for - an MBA from McGill University's prestigious business school, high-level technical certifications from Microsoft and Novell, and a strong risumi of relevant private-sector postings at companies like IBM and Royal Bank.

There was just one catch:

Front Line Workers Fear Longer Waiting Lists, Less Service For Developmentally Disabled If Bill 77 Becomes Law

Date posted to site: August 08, 2008

TORONTO, Aug. 5 /CNW Telbec/ - Individuals over age 18 who have a developmental disability face a future of longer waiting lists, uncertain services and, for their families, all the burden of being an employer under legislation proposed by the Ontario government, say frontline workers.

Employment Companies Benefit From Diverse Workplaces

Date posted to site: August 05, 2008

SAINT JOHN - Xerox has built a reputation for having one of Canada's most diverse workforces, but the formula is simple: the company just looks for the most qualified employees. It hires only qualified candidates, and has a higher percentage of visible minorities than many other companies in the province.

Cornwall Could Use A Taxi That Is Handi-Equipped

Date posted to site: August 05, 2008

As someone who is a wheelchair user and dependent upon Handi-Transit for most of my excursions and I am a regular, I think Mr. Chaudhry's proposal to have an accessible taxi is an excellent idea.

Employment Law: Sometimes Nobody Wins

Date posted to site: August 05, 2008

It's not easy navigating through the minefields of employment law. Just ask Honda Canada. Better yet just ask former Honda employee, Kevin Keays.

Kevin was 35 years old. He had worked for Honda for about 14 years, first on the assembly line and then doing data entry work in the Quality Engineering Office. It was a good job and Kevin earned a decent salary for someone with a high school education and one year of community college.

Thanks To Community Living SarniaLambton And Area Employers, Students With Disabilities Are Getting Summer Jobs

Date posted to site: August 04, 2008

Victoria Ali says her summer job at Giant Tiger is the perfect way to stay cool.

"I like doing the milks," she said while stocking the freezer wall. "It's nice and cold here."

The summer job is the first for the 17-year-old, and she couldn't be happier about it.

"I love working," she said, heading outside to gather shopping carts. "It keeps me busy."

Support Bill 94!

Date posted to site: August 02, 2008

To the attention of all residents of ONTARIO who care about people with disabilities

You are urged to support Bill 94 ( Ontario)

The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) announced in the March 2007 Budget by the Federal Government, would provide up to $90,000 - in the form of grants and bonds - to qualifying members of the disabled community. There are an estimated 50,000 individuals in Ontario who would qualify. However, under the current Ontario Disabilities Support Program (ODSP) rules the RDSP assets will be taken into consideration when determining eligibility for ODSP payments. This means that the poorest - those now receiving ODSP - would not be able to enjoy the benefits of the RDSP.

Death Of Free Internet Is Imminent: Canada Will Be Test Case

Date posted to site: August 01, 2008

In the last 15 years or so, as a society we have had access to more information than ever before in modern history because of the Internet. There are approximately 1 billion Internet users in the world and any one of these users can theoretically communicate in real time with any other on the planet.

Audio Description Study

Date posted to site: August 01, 2008

I am John Riccio, a Masters of Management Science student from Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario Canada. For my thesis I am looking at alternative methods of audio description, in an attempt to identify which method provides the best understanding and enjoyment for viewers.

Back to Table of Contents

September

Proving Diversity Is Good Business

Date posted to site: September 30, 2008

Former trader is living example of why hiring should be about ability

The gourmet sandwiches are mounded elegantly, the conversation is low but intense, the dress strictly business. In a classy Bloor Street hotel, some 100 Ontario university students with disabilities are schmoozing with 50 corporate connections to high-power careers in finance, technology and human resources.

Teacher Quits After Wife, Guide Dog Denied Access

Date posted to site: September 30, 2008

Woman wasn't allowed to enter reception area.

A city woman says she was discriminated against because her guide dog was not allowed in the reception area of a local business.

Health Protesters Claim System Is Eroding

Date posted to site: September 30, 2008

Hundreds of protesters converged at Toronto's Queen's Park and in four other Ontario cities to slam what they see as the erosion of the health system under the Liberal government of Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Woman Takes Fight To Queen's Park

Date posted to site: September 30, 2008

A local woman campaigning on behalf of hundreds of local families has taken her fight all the way to Queen's Park.

Who Should Lead The CNIB?

Date posted to site: September 29, 2008

Shocker or shaker? I'll let you tell us for yourself. This is the big question presently on the minds of many blind and visually impaired Canadians these days: Who should the next CEO of the CNIB be? Should he/she be a person with a visual impairment, or should he/she be sighted?

Blind Advocates To Launch Voting Rights Challenge

Date posted to site: September 27, 2008

Elections Canada Urged To Provide Ballot That Ensures Privacy For Visually Impaired

When Robin East steps into a voters' booth on Oct. 14, he'll mark an X on the page, but he won't know who he's voting for.

OPP Must Review Its Bus Policy

Date posted to site: September 26, 2008

The stabbing on a Greyhound bus near White River Sunday has turned up the volume on calls for greater security -- perhaps airline-style screening -- for bus travel.

Mental Illness Misunderstood, Ex-Senator Says

Date posted to site: September 25, 2008

If Michael Kirby had his way, schoolchildren would be visited every year by the mentally ill -- and medical doctors would be sitting there right along with them.

CFRB 1010 Radio Host Ryan Doyel Wants To Be The Saviour Of The Disability Community

Date posted to site: September 24, 2008

Accessibility News' original plan was to have a recording of Ryan Doyle's show on Monday July 28 th where he states his opinion regarding the woman who was on Disability Assistance and won $6.5 million on Super 7, however we ran into some roadblocks.

University of Alberta Sports Centre Helps Paralympic Athletes Eye Podium

Date posted to site: September 24, 2008

Young, promising Paralympic athletes will soon have access to specialized nutrition programs, strength training and sport psychologists at a new sport development centre at the University of Alberta.

Supreme Court Case Decision - Victory For Immigrants With Disability

Date posted to site: September 23, 2008

Hilewitz v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration de Jong v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

On Friday 21 October 2005, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered its decision in the cases of Hilewitz v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and de Jong v. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. The decision is a victory for persons with disabilities and their families, and establishes that immigrants with disabilities can become valued members of Canadian society.

A Strong Message From The Sidelines

Date posted to site: September 22, 2008

You might call them Toronto's most visible minority - people marginalized by both race and disability. So why do they feel invisible when it comes to setting policies that determine well-being?

Congress Passes Bill With Protections For Disabled

Date posted to site: September 22, 2008

WASHINGTON - Congress gave final approval on Wednesday to a major civil rights bill, expanding protections for people with disabilities and overturning several recent Supreme Court decisions.

An Update To My Charter Challenge

Date posted to site: September 22, 2008

By Donna Jodhan

Due to several requests for me to write about my present charter challenge in which I am suing the Canadian government over inaccessible websites, I have decided to do so and I sincerely hope that when you read my account, you will be disgusted enough to stand behind me and my lawyers and challenge our federal government to do what is right. Shocker or shaker? I'll leave that up to you but in my humble opinion! No shocker, no shaker! Just a series of consecutive mean spirited governments that have deliberately chosen to ignore our rights under the charter of rights.

The Mystery Of MS And Its Prevalence In Canada

Date posted to site: September 20, 2008

Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world, according to an international survey.

The 2008 Atlas of Multiple Sclerosis showed MS strikes 133 people out of every 100,000 in Canada, the fifth highest rate among countries surveyed between 2004 and 2005.

Harper Announcement On Disability Falls Short Of National Action Plan On Disability

Date posted to site: September 20, 2008

September 19, 2008-The Conservatives have missed the point that Canadians with disabilities have been making for the last thirty-five years. We don't want to be looked after; we want to be contributing members of society.

Harper's recent announcement gives a tax break to families where one member stays home to care for a family member with a disability.

The Alliance For Equality Of Blind Canadians Seeks Your Input And Support!

Date posted to site: September 19, 2008

Are you aware that, historically, the President and CEO of CNIB has always "had" to be a client of the CNIB? Have you heard that, at the upcoming CNIB AGM on Saturday, September 27, 2008, a motion is expected that would remove the requirement that the President and CEO be a client of CNIB?

Bisexual Community Reports Need For Improvements In Mental Health Services

Date posted to site: September 18, 2008

TORONTO, Sept. 17 /CNW/ - New research by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Sherbourne Health Centre sheds light on the mental health of bisexual people in Ontario by looking at the context of mental health issues in this group. The Bisexuality, Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being Research Project also found that the existing mental health services do not adequately meet the needs of bisexual people.

Vancouver 2010 Gains Valuable Insights On Games And Athlete Experience From Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games

Date posted to site: September 18, 2008

BEIJING, China, Sept. 16 /CNW/ - As the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games move into the final day of competition, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) summarized key learnings from the VANOC team who attended the Games and took the opportunity to recognize the outstanding efforts of the Beijing Organizing Committee and the performance of the Canadian Paralympic team.

Regulate Use Of Restraints On Mentally Ill: Advocates

Date posted to site: September 18, 2008

TORONTO -- Advocates for the mentally ill are calling for provincewide regulations on the use of restraints as a coroner's inquest continues into the death of a patient who died after being bound by the wrists and ankles to a bed for five days.

Site Check: Elections Canada

Date posted to site: September 17, 2008

This site is a real mess when it comes to usability and does not meet the minimum standards for web accessibility.

the lack of semantic structure made it difficult to find the main content or the navigation, a real soup.

If this site is any indication of Elections Canada's understanding of accessibility, then it will be a long time before we see real consistent accessibility at the voters booth for the Disability Community.

Steady Work And Mental Health - Is There A Connection? New Research In WHO Report Points To A Link Between Solid Employment And Health

Date posted to site: September 16, 2008

TORONTO, Sept. 15 /CNW/ - Despite low overall unemployment, Canada's manufacturing industry has cut 88,000 jobs this year, with nearly all the losses occurring in Ontario. Also, part-time employment has grown by 3.5 per cent in 12 months, much faster than the 0.9 per cent growth in full time work. A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the social determinants of health demonstrates that these kind of employment changes can affect more than your wallet. Research from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)'s Dr. Carles Muntaner in the WHO report highlights the profound impact of employment conditions on health.

Which Party Is Willing To Change The Clock?

Date posted to site: September 15, 2008

By Donna Jodhan

On Sunday September 07 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper went before the Nation and announced that he had asked the Governor General to dissolve Parliament so that he could call a general election. Elections come and elections go but there was one thing that bothered me about this particular call. On a Sunday no less, when Mr Harper knew that he would get most of our attention, he made the call without even stopping to think that Sunday was the day for many of us to keep the Sabbath and worship in our own way. It dismayed me to see that this Prime Minister could not have waited till the day after to make his call.

CCD Election Challenge

Date posted to site: September 15, 2008

Council of Canadians with Disabilities
Election 2008

An Accessible & Inclusive Canada

It's here: Election 2008!

CCD is challenging consumers to campaign as hard as the candidates seeking election.

CWD-O Needs Valuable Membership Feedback Regarding CRTC Hearings

Date posted to site: September 13, 2008

CWD-O member's views are wanted and will be used in the CWD-O submissions to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

RE: New Website

Date posted to site: September 12, 2008

Note: This lettter was sent to the Editor of River Town Times Amherstburg
by Linda Saxon

Six years ago, upon my insistence, the accessibility committee included the town's web site as a barrier in the first annual accessibility plan. However, the committee relegated it as a priority to be addressed in year three, despite my claim that the web site could easily conform to Accessibility Guidelines in year one.

10 Reasons Clients Don't Care About Accessibility

Date posted to site: September 11, 2008

Clients want to hear success stories from market leaders before they spend money. Unfortunately, pointing out that Amazon.com does not have a 450KB rotating logo splash page will not convince inexperienced clients that it's a bad idea.

Critics: Don't Tie Driver's Licence Renewal To Psychiatric History

Date posted to site: September 11, 2008

Mental health advocates think the province should steer clear of asking drivers about their psychiatric history.

"It's all very strange," Carol Tooton, executive director of the Nova Scotia division of the Canadian Mental Health Association, said in an interview Tuesday. "It's not the appropriate approach.

One In Five Adults Can't Read This WHY? Poor Literacy Skills

Date posted to site: September 10, 2008

Writing about their real-life setbacks another way to overcome disabilities Literacy's awful truths

6 Questions To Ask Your Local Candidate In The Upcoming Federal Election

Date posted to site: September 10, 2008

1. What concrete steps is your party prepared to take to help overcome the chronic level of unemployment that continues to plague too many Canadians who have a disability, including we who are blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted.

City Set To Look At Making Buses More User-friendly

Date posted to site: September 09, 2008

Visually impaired riders not being treated fairly, human rights commission contends

Taken to task by human rights advocates, Greater Sudbury city council is considering upgrades to public transit buses to make them more user-friendly for some disabled riders.

Stigma Of Mental Illness Common Among Canadians: Report

Date posted to site: September 08, 2008

Canadian attitudes toward mental illness are a cause for concern, the Canadian Medical Association said Monday in releasing its annual report card on health care.

The Government Of Canada Improves Accessibility For Canadians

Date posted to site: September 08, 2008

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Sep 05, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced the first round of investments for the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF), as part of a $45 million commitment over three years made in Budget 2007 to expand opportunities for people with disabilities and improve accessibility across Canada.

Extend Power To Admit Mentally Ill, medical Ethicist Urges

Date posted to site: September 06, 2008

Doctors in all provinces should be able to admit someone to prevent physical or mental deterioration of the patient, a medical ethicist told a psychiatric conference in Vancouver on Friday.

Special Diet Allowance Changes Reviewed For Human Rights Violations

Date posted to site: September 06, 2008

Disability advocates announced Thursday at a press conference at Queen's Park that the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario will now determine whether the province violated the Human Rights Code when it restructured and restricted the Special Diet program in 2005.

Activist For Disabled Taking On Bus Battle

Date posted to site: September 06, 2008

OTTAWA-After challenging the National Capital Commission because the York Street Steps are not accessible to the disabled, Bob Brown is taking the Société de Transport de l'Outaouais to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal because its buses aren't wheelchair-accessible.

Group Offers Support To Families Struggling With Mental Illness

Date posted to site: September 06, 2008

Family and friends of people in Waterloo Region with severe and persistent mental illness now have a support group to help them cope.

The group is being organized by Grand River Hospital with meetings on the second Tuesday of the month in Kitchener.

On The Buses In Pelham

Date posted to site: September 06, 2008

City's brand new transit service started to roll through the streets of Fonthill, Tuesday.

"It has that new car smell," said Ward 3 Coun. John Durley as he stepped off a $100,000, 16-seat accessibility bus recently purchased by Welland Transit.

Air Canada and WestJet Oppose Equality For Canadians with Disabilities

Date posted to site: September 05, 2008

Once again the Canadian disability community is up against a transportation Goliath. This time it is the tag team of Air Canada and WestJet. These wealthy corporations are using expensive legal tactics to fight the removal of a significant barrier to the mobility of persons with disabilities.

The Confusing Mission Statement From CSSD

Date posted to site: September 04, 2008

by Donna Jodhan

Hello there! Today I would like to bring your attention to something that could potentially set a precedence for others to follow if we do not nip it in the bud now and I truly mean now! A real shocker!

A few weeks ago my attention was drawn to an ad on TV being sponsored by the CSSD, the Canadian Society for Social Development. In this ad, the CSSD announced that they were seeking disabled students for enrollment in a course sponsored by them called Internet Business Development for Entrepreneurs (IBDE) Web Design Training.

Disabled Sailors Luff It Up On Lake

Date posted to site: September 04, 2008

Mobility Cup. Pointe Claire club hosts annual regatta

It's a long way from England, but Judi Figgures, 63, tries to make the trip to Canada every year to participate in the Mobility Cup.

Rower 'Soldiers On' To Represent Canada At Beijing paralympics

Date posted to site: September 04, 2008

Paralympian athlete and third year Cambrian College student Steve Daniel will be competing in the Beijing Paralympics

Sudbury native and Canada's fastest arms-only rower, Steve Daniel, will be representing Canada at the Paralympics in Beijing this month.

"He's the fastest arms-only rower that Canada has ever seen," said Daniel's coach Thomas Merritt.

How Annie's Short Life Inspired Her Mother's Mission

Date posted to site: September 03, 2008

Parents need to be prepared

How can families help disabled children in the hospital? Barbara Farlow recommends the following:

Develop a plan beforehand in writing, detailing how you love your child and want her to live but don't want her to suffer.
Be very explicit.
When speaking with doctors, be very clear. Say: "This is what we understand you to be doing. Is this correct?"

Barbara and Tim Farlow's daughter Annie was just short of three months old when she died three years ago.

Therapy Through The Arts

Date posted to site: September 03, 2008

A unique Ottawa group that helps disabled and ill people by putting them in touch with the arts gets a major boost from a $60,000 Trillium grant, Thulasi Srikanthan writes.

OTTAWA - A blind and deaf woman painting to the vibrations of a flute. A patient with an eating disorder binding together broken pieces of a mask. A dialysis patient spurred by music to sing opera, mid-treatment.

Autism Parents Seek Clout In Federal Election

Date posted to site: September 03, 2008

In the crosshairs: Health Minister Clement

Activists target ridings with thin margins.

"If my grandchildren had diabetes or cancer, or a condition that put them in wheelchairs, there would be no question about Canada providing them with the treatments they needed. Because autism is less visible and less understood, the government can get away with partially funding its treatment and a shameful patchwork of different programs across the country."

New Proposed Standards For Stakeholder Review

Date posted to site: September 02, 2008

The Accessible Information and Communications Standards Development Committee (I & C SDC) was established under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 to develop a proposed Ontario standard for accessible information and communications, to be considered by the government for adoption into a regulation.

Back to Table of Contents

October

The Fraser Institute: Median Wait Times For Psychiatric Treatment In Canada Extend To 18.6 Weeks In 2008

Date posted to site: October 31, 2008

CALGARY, ALBERTA -- 10/29/08 -- Canadians seeking psychiatric treatment waited longer in 2008 than they did in 2007, according to research on health care waiting times published by independent research organization The Fraser Institute.

Shabby And Unwise To Bypass Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC)

Date posted to site: October 31, 2008

People may think taxes in Cobourg and Port Hope are high now -- but there's no doubt they'd be much higher without volunteers.

The volunteers who work through churches, minor sports, service clubs, charities and committees make life immeasurably better in our communities -- at no cost -- and they are entitled to derive some sense of satisfaction from the contribution they make.

Police Must Reach Out To Mentally Ill

Date posted to site: October 31, 2008

Last Tuesday, just after midnight, a client walked into Pro Gym, a 24-hour fitness club in Montreal's east end.

The 33-year-old man was acting strangely, muttering to himself, swearing out loud, and when he got on the treadmill to run he was wearing a bulletproof vest and sporting his police service revolver.

Site Check: The Lieutenant Governor Of Ontario

Date posted to site: October 31, 2008

Mr. Onley has a new barrier to breakdown for Ontarians with Disabilities, his own website.

A valiant effort but it still falls short of the mark with regards to being accessible to all.

Despite Growing Spending, Canadians' Health Status Only Middle Of The Pack

Date posted to site: October 30, 2008

Despite this year's overall B grade, Canada's record on addressing mortality from mental illness has deteriorated over time. Mental illness now claims nearly 14 lives per 100,000 population, up from three deaths per 100,000 population in the 1960s. Recent Conference Board research indicates that Ontario physicians spend almost one-fifth of every hour treating patients with mental illness.

Rocky Road For The Disabled

Date posted to site: October 30, 2008

Ontario needs a comprehensive disability strategy, including a timetable for concrete action up to 2025, writes David Lepofsky.

David Lepofsky

Ten years ago today, a momentous but little-known event occurred at Queen's Park. After months of tireless grassroots advocacy, people with disabilities convinced the Legislature to unanimously pass a landmark resolution. It called for a new law's enactment to tear down the many barriers blocking Ontarians with disabilities from fully participating in Ontario life. This resolution detailed principles that law must fulfill.

Clients Are Stuck At Home

Date posted to site: October 30, 2008

I have been to council a couple of times in the last month. First I was there to support the drivers and workers of Operation Lift, who are on strike for better working conditions and better service for their customers, to which there was little response.

Treat Mental Health Issues In Youth Sooner Rather Than Later

Date posted to site: October 29, 2008

Children are born with hope and promise.

Parents hope to see that promise, so it's very difficult when there is a diagnosis of mental illness in a young person.

The Kirby report declared that most mental health disorders begin in childhood and adolescence, and that, as with obesity, mental health issues must be addressed early in life.

Dear Letter To The Editor, Ottawa Citizen

Date posted to site: October 29, 2008

Re: Used wheelchair program hits provincial pothole, Oct. 27th

As a person with a disability I would like to clarify some of the information in this article!

First off, I find it unfortunate that Mr. Mark Nesbitt failed to say how much the province pays for new equipment which in some cases may end up being used for less than a year and in some cases may be used inside only! Specialized wheelchairs could cost well over $20,000.

Used Wheelchair Program Hits Provincial Pothole

Date posted to site: October 29, 2008

Original warranty glitch keeps donated items from getting to clients who can't buy new

The warehouse is overloaded with wheelchairs. One has been there for almost seven months. The wheels still have tread, but the seat is starting to grow mould from sitting so long.

Poor Rural Women Don't Get Enough Help, Report Card Finds

Date posted to site: October 28, 2008

Grey-Bruce receives failing grade in two of four categories

There is almost no social safety net for poor rural women, says a prominent local poverty researcher.

Colleen Purdon, author of a new report card on women's poverty, said navigating an array of support services is often confusing and many workers fail to provide people with enough information to find help.

Champion Of The Underdog

Date posted to site: October 28, 2008

Ottawa lawyer Terry Green has overcome more obstacles than most: He became blind as an adolescent when he developed Stickler syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that causes detached retinas.

He has been an advocate ever since.

Could You Live On $560 A Month? Some Kingstonians Do

Date posted to site: October 28, 2008

Oct. 17 was the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In Kingston, making poverty history is the focus of several events.

Recently, the Kingston Food Providers Networking Group and others hosted an event called "Dying for a Meal." Local MPP John Gerretsen and Mayor Harvey Rosen were there along with about 50 others. We were told some startling facts.

Overview Of OCSA's Attendant Services Report

Date posted to site: October 27, 2008

The United Nation's Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities' Article 19 b) states:

" Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community".

The Convention was ratified on April 3, 2008 and legally binding May 3, 2008. Canada's House of Commons has unanimously endorsed Canada ratifying the convention. Ontario has an opportunity to play a leadership role in Canada to ensure its international obligations are met related to the Convention.

The A & P Shocker

Date posted to site: October 27, 2008

A few months ago I experienced a real shocker and it is one that I would like to share with you. Maybe someone out there can help by providing a proposed solution. My shocker for this week centers on the A & P store in my neighbourhood.

Site Check: Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers (AMCTO)

Date posted to site: October 25, 2008

I'm not sure who is responsible for the development of this site but they need to do better.

The Clerks of this Province deserve better as well, especially ones like Mary Brennan of the County of Essex who put on a top notch Accessibility Workshop on October 23 rd aptly named "Opening Doors and Minds. They took the time and effort to make it as accessible as possible and they deserve a website that reflects this same dedication.

The Disability Community of this Province also deserves better since you are getting funding from the Ministry of Community and Social Services .

Final Countdown To Long-Awaited Web Access Guidelines

Date posted to site: October 25, 2008

A long-awaited updated version of the main international standard for making websites accessible to people with disabilities is expected to be published in December, E-Access Bulletin has learned.

Power Of Attorney Can Provide Peace Of Mind For Seniors Worried About The Future

Date posted to site: October 25, 2008

Canadian law holds sacred a person's right to decide what happens to their body or property. At the core of a multitude of legal issues is consent - 'who gives consent to whom, and for what.'

Commentary: See What They Have Done Once Again!

Date posted to site: October 24, 2008

By Donna Jodhan

How many times will our beloved Federal government be allowed to get away with this kind of sloppy advertising? Or should I say this type of disrespectful and discourteous behaviour?

Passport Alternative Announced, David O Presiding

Date posted to site: October 24, 2008

Orazietti announces provincial passport alternative with new enhanced driver's licenses and photo ID cards

Local MPP chairs committee on McGuinty government legislation that would make border crossings easier for Sault residents

Work Underway For N.S. Mental Health Court

Date posted to site: October 21, 2008

Nova Scotia is getting ready to hire the staff it needs to set up the province's first mental health court.

The court system will deal with people with mental illnesses who break the law.

Campaign To Rethink The Bathroom

Date posted to site: October 20, 2008

Linda Crabtree's career has been in the toilet for quite some time now. And she couldn't be more enthusiastic.

Study To Examine Hurdles Faced By Youths With Disabilities

Date posted to site: October 20, 2008

A comprehensive study is being launched to investigate the employment and educational challenges -- and solutions -- facing Quintearea youth with disabilities.

CNIB to shut down its catering business in Atlantic Canada, affecting 104 jobs

Date posted to site: October 18, 2008

Accessibility News Note: Here they go again.

ST. JOHN'S, NL - The Canadian National Institute for the Blind is shutting down its Caterplan food services operations in Atlantic Canada, a business that employs more than 100 people.

Aging Parents Fear Autistic Adults Will Be 'Forgotten' In 'Piecemeal' System

Date posted to site: October 17, 2008

TORONTO - Ontario has a "piecemeal" approach to treating autistic adults that must be dramatically changed to support the estimated 50,000 adults suffering from the developmental disorder, an advocacy group said in a discussion paper released Wednesday. The report by Autism Ontario, entitled "Forgotten," said the government needs to form a framework for dealing with adults suffering from autistic spectrum disorders.

University Of Michigan Students Use Bluetooth To Help Blind And Seeing Pedestrians Roam Cities

Date posted to site: October 16, 2008

A mobile computer that reads wireless transmitters, allowing blind people to navigate a city, could serve seeing pedestrians as well, students at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor say.

Open Letter To Guide Dog Users

Date posted to site: October 15, 2008

As you probably know, many people in both the blind and sighted communities are increasingly concerned about the hazard posed by silently-operating hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as very quiet cars with standard combustion engines.

Apple To Make iTunes Accessible To Blind

Date posted to site: October 14, 2008

The Massachusetts attorney general's office and the National Federation of the Blind reached an agreement with Apple Inc. (AAPL) under which the consumer- electronics icon will make its iTunes service accessible to the blind.

Canada's National Do Not Call List Takes Effect On September 30, 2008

Date posted to site: October 14, 2008

Have You Heard About Canada's National Do Not Call List?

Starting on September 30, 2008, you can sign up to reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive-and maintain your personal privacy. It's your choice.

Time To Walk The Walk

Date posted to site: October 13, 2008

For several months now I have watched and pondered as blind and visually impaired Canadians continue to struggle with issues directly affecting them. This is no shocker or no shaker but what could potentially be a shocker is if some how we can all come together under strong leadership to fight for what is rightfully ours.

Returning Worker Has Right To Old Job

Date posted to site: October 13, 2008

Employer must accommodate disabled or ill employee when they come back

The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in employment based on an employee's disability. Not discriminating includes accommodating a return to work.

Accessibility Advocate Honoured By Province's Tourism Industry

Date posted to site: October 11, 2008

Accessibility News would like to congratulate Linda!

Noted disability rights advocate Linda Crabtree knows what it's like to feel like a piece of cargo at the airport as a luggage lift hoists her wheelchair onto a plane.

Some Are Too Demoralized To Participate; Election Sites Have Become Accessible, But Many Voters With Disabilities Stay Away

Date posted to site: October 11, 2008

Disillusionment is a heartbeat away from disconnect.

Aspiring social worker Abbas Qureshi knows how rough the system can be on young people with disabilities. They talk to him about poverty and abuse and about unnecessarily complex systems that entrench barriers to getting jobs, finding accessible, affordable housing and contributing to their communities. Then they break his heart.

Fifty Three Per cent Of Homeless Have Experienced A Traumatic Brain Injury

Date posted to site: October 08, 2008

Findings show that early screening may help prevent homelessness

TORONTO, Oct. 7 /CNW/ - A study published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) shows more than half (53 per cent) of homeless people in Toronto have experienced a traumatic brain injury and in 70 per cent of these individuals, the injury occurred before the person's first experience of homelessness.

Delegates Encouraged To Think About Improving Access To Employment For Disabled People

Date posted to site: October 08, 2008

Delegates attending a Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) conference this week are being encouraged to think about how they can improve access to employment for persons with disabilities.

Speaking For Her Daughter

Date posted to site: October 08, 2008

Juliana Harris is taking matters into her own hands.

The mother of two, including three-year-old daughter, Reilly, who has been diagnosed with Rett syndrome, is organizing a walk to bring much needed awareness to a disorder she feels the government fails to recognize.

Canada Post Foundation For Mental Health Fundraising Stamp On Sale Now

Date posted to site: October 08, 2008

Canada Post has issued a new stamp that encourages all Canadians to show their support for the one in five Canadians who suffer from mental illness.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 7, 2008) - Canada Post has issued a new stamp that encourages all Canadians to show their support for the one in five Canadians who suffer from mental illness. With the sale of each Mental Health fundraising stamp book, one dollar will be donated to the Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health. The stamp's issue date coincides with the start of Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), which Canada Post sponsors.

Mood And Anxiety Program First Of Its Kind In Canada

Date posted to site: October 07, 2008

Dr. Elizabeth Osuch, Psychiatrist at London Health Sciences Centre, has developed an early intervention and treatment program for young people experiencing a recent onset of depression or anxiety.

Commentary: The CSSD Shocker

Date posted to site: October 06, 2008

A few weeks ago, I wrote an editorial on the matter of the Canadian Society for Social Development, the CSSD. In my editorial, I gave details as to how this organization is presently misleading Canadians through its mission statement and how in reality; whereas it states through its mission statement that its courses is opened to all Canadians with disabilities, this is not the case. The sad truth is that this organization has deliberately chosen to bar blind and visually impaired Canadians from one of its courses, the IBDE course,(Internet Business Development for Entrepreneurs

National Consumer Group Of Blind Canadians Condemns The Movie Blindness

Date posted to site: October 06, 2008

October 3, 2008

The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians strongly condemns the inaccurate and harmful depiction of what life is like after losing the ability to see offered in the movie "Blindness".

Too Little, Too Late

Date posted to site: October 06, 2008

THE PROBLEM

Number of Canadian children and youth affected by mental illness: 1.2 million, or 15 per cent.

Percentage of adolescents (ages 15-24) who report a mental illness: 18

Only one in five Canadian children who need mental health services receive them.

Psychiatric disorders are the single most common illness to start in adolescence.

An estimated 70 per cent of childhood cases of mental health problems can be solved through early diagnosis and intervention.

Canada is the only country among the G-8 nations that has not adopted a national mental health strategy.

Showing Web Accessibility Statements The Door

Date posted to site: October 04, 2008

Showing Web Accessibility Statements The Door

Web accessibility is still in its infancy where many attempts are being made to make the web a more accessible place. I believe accessibility statements have good intentions, however as no official guidelines exists everyone has their own interpretation to what they should be. This has led to questions being raised at how effective they really are.

Commentary: Beware The Validation Sticker!

Date posted to site: October 04, 2008

I wrote an article a while back regarding Companies claiming to be able to create Accessible websites called "Beware the Charlatans" (1). In it I spoke of these Organizations making such a claim even though their own sites weren't accessible by today's best practices and standards as set out by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). I warned that they were learning how to build accessible sites on the financial backs of their Clients. Now it would appear they have a new weapon in their arsenal and it's called the "Validation Sticker/Icon".

Site Check: Canadian Association For Community Living(CACL)

Date posted to site: October 04, 2008

Didn't take long to find a site with a "Validation Sticker" that doesn't measure up. Ironically enough it also had an "Accessibility Statement" page with a sticker that also didn't validate.

For such a simple site it's rather sloppy and doesn't meet theminimum requirements for accessibility in either language, the French version failing the most. In fact the French version was missing a piece of code that tells a screen reader what language to speak in.

MS Society Asks Candidates To Support Better Income Security

Date posted to site: October 01, 2008

The federal election is a great time to put key issues in front of future MPs. Help us gain candidates' support for key changes to provide more secure incomes for people affected by MS and other people with disabilities across Canada.

Make Employment Insurance sickness benefits more flexible to allow people to work part-time and receive partial benefits.
Make the Disability Tax Credit a refundable benefit.
Allow spouses to claim the Caregiver Tax Credit – right now this isn't allowed.

Please send a message to your candidates now at: http://www.scleroseenplaques.ca/en/involved/advocacy/advo_incomesecure.htm

Back to Table of Contents

November

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December

Date posted to site: November 29, 2008

2008 Theme: "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us".

Dignity and justice for all of us is the theme of this year's International Day for Persons with Disabilities, as well as for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunication Commission(CRTC) Requires Further Input Regarding Accessible Technology

Date posted to site: November 28, 2008

To be answered by 15 December 2008.

A number of parties representing persons with disabilities have submitted that there is equipment available in Canada and in other jurisdictions that is more accessible than that available in Canada from the service providers.

Channel 42 to Air Ad Featuring Blind People Struck by Vehicles

Date posted to site: November 28, 2008

BOYNTON BEACH - David Evans felt his walking stick being pulled out of his hand. When he put out his hands, he felt the front bumper of a car.

"When I yelled and hit my fist on the trunk of her car, she finally stopped," said Evans, who is blind.

Universities, colleges see students with Disabilities as a Growth Market;

Date posted to site: November 28, 2008

Changes are making higher education possible for those who would have been shut out only a few years ago

A couple of decades ago, Will Parkinson would not have been a candidate for a university education.

Charges Against CAMH Sends Strong Signal to Other Health Care Facilities: OPSEU President

Date posted to site: November 28, 2008

Charges Against CAMH Sends Strong Signal to Other Health Care Facilities: OPSEU President

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 26, 2008) - The Ministry of Labour's extraordinary decision to charge the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health for violations of the Occupational and Health and Safety Act sends a powerful signal to other health care institutions that it's time they address issues of workplace violence, too, says the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).

Waiting for The Visitors Who Never Come

Date posted to site: November 27, 2008

Many psychiatric patients never see a family member or friend at their bedside. Guilt, shame, fear and sometimes simply exhaustion can keep loved ones away, but for people enduring long stays in a mental hospital, those visits are a vital lifeline

Ben Robinson spent long months during his hospital stays pacing the halls alone, hoping someone would visit.

Green' Cars Called Threat to Blind Pedestrians

Date posted to site: November 27, 2008

Hybrid vehicles are too quiet, says city man

Setting out from their Buchanan Crescent townhouse for a morning jaunt, Bob Brown and his guide dog, Boone, set a good pace.

It's more like a power walk than a stroll and they work as a team, moving easily around their neighbourhood.

Reviewing The Impact Of Technology On Child Development And Behavior

Date posted to site: November 26, 2008

The 21st century has witnessed a rapid increase in TV, videogame, iPod, internet use and cell phone use in young children. As a pediatric occupational therapist, I've subsequently observed that critical milestones for child motor and sensory development are not being met, negatively impacting on child academic performance and achievement of literacy. Simultaneously there is an increasing incidence of childhood physical, psychological and behavior disorders, often accompanied by the prescription of psychotropic medication. Are these two trends related?

People with Disability a Priority for Australia's Aid Program

Date posted to site: November 26, 2008

The Australian Government has for the first time made people with disability a priority for Australia's international development program.

Breaking Down Mental Illness Stigma Can Save Employers Billions: Expert

Date posted to site: November 25, 2008

OTTAWA - If the military and the RCMP can break the stigma of mental illness as a character weakness, other Canadian employers should follow suit, says the organizer of a conference trying to convince businesses to do just that.

A Dose Of Reality

Date posted to site: November 24, 2008

I really do not think that Canadians would be too surprised to hear me say the following: When it comes to providing services to persons with special needs, the majority of agencies that say they do fall terribly short. What would be a shock to me is if Canadians were to think that they actually did. In retrospect, this is not just a Canadian problem; it seems to be a problem worldwide. For purposes of this editorial, I will limit my focus to those agencies in Canada that promote services for blind and visually impaired persons or as they say, the sight impaired. It appears that one of the major stumbling blocks for these agencies is their attitude and by this I mean: the way they look at the world as a whole.

Hospital head experienced health-care woes first-hand

Date posted to site: November 24, 2008

Tom Closson got a personal lesson in the improvements that need to be made in the province's health-care system when his elderly father languished for months in hospital.

Raising A Child With A Mental Illness

Date posted to site: November 24, 2008

On a Monday morning in September, 2006, during what they call their "darkest of days," Heather Bishop and Sean Quigley committed their 10-year-old daughter, Erynn, to a psychiatric hospital.

Resident Finds Relief After 12 Years Of Chronic Pain

Date posted to site: November 24, 2008

A puck-sized disk wired to his spine has freed Chris Todman from years of chronic, agonizing pain.

Now, the Burlington man wants the government to fund more operations for pain sufferers who need a device like his.

Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Wants More Specific Information On The Need For Descriptive Video

Date posted to site: November 22, 2008

The CRTC Hearings were held this week. Among those presenting were several organizations of and for Persons with a Disability, as well as service providers.

The members of the Commission asked many questions after each presentation, and it was clear that the hearings were not a listening session for the Commissioners of the CRTC, (a way to pass time), but that the questions that were asked after each presentation were wanting further and specific information which the Commission is going to use either immediately, or in the very near future.

Paralympic Gold Medallist Inspires Others To Rise Above Their Disabilities

Date posted to site: November 22, 2008

It took some hurtful comments from a nurse to light the fire that propelled Karen Blachford to a gold medal victory.

Mental Health Services For Local Youth Lacking: Report

Date posted to site: November 22, 2008

Children and youth with mental health problems are woefully underserviced in Perth County and there's an urgent need for remedial action.

Canadians With Disabilities Win Another Historic Transportation Access Battle

Date posted to site: November 21, 2008

Today the Supreme Court of Canada denied Air Canada and WestJet's request to appeal the decision of the Canadian Transportation Agency which requires the airlines to accommodate persons who need additional seating space because of their disability. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) launched this action in 2002 to remove a long-standing barrier to the travel of persons with disabilities. People with disabilities who required an attendant in flight to assist them with services not provided by flight attendants and persons with disabilities who required additional seats were having to pay for two airfares.

Child Poverty In Northumberland Increasing

Date posted to site: November 21, 2008

"There were days where the money wasn't coming in and the food was running out. We would make a more nutritious meal for the kids and then eat something else or not eat at all. We'd tell them 'We'll get something later'. We wouldn't eat with them because we didn't want them to realize that we weren't eating."
- Paula Fillion

Schizophrenic Man Who Killed Family Seeks Inquest Into Mental-Health System

Date posted to site: November 20, 2008

TORONTO - A schizophrenic man who killed his wife and children with a meat cleaver asked the Ontario government Tuesday for an inquest into his case in the hope that other mental health patients can get the treatment they need.

Public Review For The Initial Proposed Accessible Information And Communications Standard

Date posted to site: November 20, 2008

Below please find an announcement from the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario about Public Review for the Initial Proposed Accessible Information and Communications Standard.

Public Review of Information and Communications Standards Development Committee's Initial Proposed Accessible Information and Communications Standard

Discrimination Eats Away At You - And Increases Your Chance Of Mental Illness

Date posted to site: November 20, 2008

It's a unique challenge: Diagnosing and treating immigrants with depression, anxiety and other diseases of the mind. Columnist Margaret Wente talks to a renowned British psychiatrist who's come to Canada to help

New Hiring Policies Await Implementation

Date posted to site: November 18, 2008

In theory, McGill has made a leap forward with its new Equity Policy, which was approved by the Senate and Board of Governors in Spring 2007. Unlike the former Gender Equity Policy, which only targeted women, the new policy aims to attract all "historically disadvantaged groups in Canada," including visible minorities, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities whose mother tongue is neither French nor English, disabled persons, persons of minority sexual orientations, and gender identities and women.

Wrong Message On Mental Illness

Date posted to site: November 18, 2008

Near the entrances to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) at Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue in Toronto, two sets of bus shelter advertisements recently were on display

Compromising Of Confidentiality And Privacy

Date posted to site: November 17, 2008

By Donna Jodhan

These are two issues that are very near and dear to my heart. For more years than I can say, the compromising of confidentiality and privacy have been burning issues for special needs Canadians and especially so for the blind and visually impaired but for some very unexplained reason! We as a community have not been able to get our esteemed government to pay sufficient attention. Shocker or shaker I ask? A shocker because our government refuses to pay attention because they do not see it as an issue. Shocker because it does not appear to really bother the majority of blind and visually impaired Canadians. Because if it bothered the latter enough, they would be screaming louder and protesting more!

Not Enough Doctors To Deal With Aging Population, MD Says

Date posted to site: November 17, 2008

In Dr. Benoit Mulsant's perfect world, the number of health-care professionals would increase by 50 per cent in 10 years.

After all, that would ensure that Canadian seniors - whose population is expected to double in the next decade as baby boomers age - would receive adequate care, particularly for mental health and addiction issues, the geriatric psychologist said.

New Study Explores Financial Barriers Faced By PostSecondary Students With Disabilities

Date posted to site: November 17, 2008

TORONTO, Nov. 14 /CNW/ - For students with disabilities the cost of attending college or university often exceeds the price of tuition and textbooks. Sign language interpretation, alternative format course materials, adaptive software, tutors and personal support workers are just a few of the significant expenses that can stand in the way of higher education for many Canadian students.

A new research project, jointly launched today by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation and the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, seeks to shed light on the range of financial barriers facing postsecondary students with disabilities.

Mental Health Problems Lead To Youth Violence: Study

Date posted to site: November 17, 2008

A long-awaited probe on youth violence, released Friday, throws the spotlight on an area that's been much ignored in previous research - mental health.

The Roots of Youth Violence review - commissioned by Premier Dalton McGuinty after the May 2007 shooting death of Jordan Manners - does acknowledge the usual suspects, racism, poverty and the lack of decent housing and youth facilities.

Economic Downturn Hurting Charities

Date posted to site: November 17, 2008

Appeal issued for season of giving

OTTAWA - With the holiday season overshadowed by the global economic crisis and financial uncertainty here at home, Canadian charities are feeling the pinch and say donations are trailing off while the need for them is on the rise.

Hospital FundingNnot Keeping Pace With Growth

Date posted to site: November 15, 2008

DURHAM -- Funding for local hospitals is not meeting the needs of a growing population, Durham finance committee members heard on Wednesday before voting to ask the Province to take action on the issue.

'No More Excuses,' Say Union Ads Citing Violence Against CAMH Staff

Date posted to site: November 14, 2008

The union representing health workers at the Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has launched an advertising campaign to highlight violence it alleges its membership faces daily.

Accessibility Issues Causes Blind Student To Drop Classes

Date posted to site: November 14, 2008

Public Affairs grad student Ken Rodgers opens up a program that speaks the text on his computer screen. Rodgers uses this program to listen to textbooks for his classes

There are several reasons why a student may decide to drop a class, but Ken Hanggi , a blind student at the University of Minnesota, said he had no other choice.

The first-year computer science major registered for two classes this fall. Two weeks in, he decided to drop one because he couldn't get his materials in time. He is still waiting for the materials he needs to start the other class.

Marginal Minds

Date posted to site: November 12, 2008

The Daily's Erin Hale investigates the connections between homelessness and mental illness

"Now they don't put people in a hospital which is a good thing - but sometimes it's so intense. Now there's a [schizophrenic man] by himself on the street with nowhere to sleep, eat, taking drugs more than they used to, doing prostitution - but I don't think he even realizes he's doing it," says Kim Heynemand, of a homeless man she met on the job.

Massively Addicted

Date posted to site: November 12, 2008

A plate with pizza crust, old pop cans and a bag of Bits & Bites lie scattered around two computer monitors. Each one is running World of Warcraft, a popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (commonly abbreviated as MMORPG or MMO).

Ontario Braces For A Grey Wave

Date posted to site: November 11, 2008

Bob McMullan moves his stroke-victim wife, Phyllis Grosskurth, from a chair lift to her wheelchair in their Toronto home, where she's determined to stay.

Elderly Thrive In Denmark

Date posted to site: November 11, 2008

WHAT THE AGED REALLY WANT: The Danes, writes Judy Steed, do all they can to enable elders to stay in their own homes. And for those who are too frail, the country's nursing homes are small, homey and delightful.

It's a balmy afternoon in Tivoli Gardens, the legendary amusement park in the Danish capital. Lots of older women are out walking in the sunshine, which surprises me and my travel companion, Toronto gerontologist Margaret MacAdam - we don't normally see so many elderly people leaning on walkers and canes, looking vital and happy, in Toronto parks.

Dual Diagnosis: The Most Common And devastating Disorder You've Never Heard Of

Date posted to site: November 11, 2008

New National Coalition on Dual Diagnosis calls for government support at launch on November 13, 2008

TORONTO, Nov. 10 /CNW/ - Approximately 380,000 Canadians live with a lifelong disorder called Dual Diagnosis, but chances are you've never heard of this condition before. This lack of awareness has led a group of individuals, families, and service providers to create the National Coalition on Dual Diagnosis, which will officially launch on Thursday, November 13 at 11 am at the Sheraton Fallsview Conference Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This Coalition will advocate for a more humane response to the needs of Canadians who have both a developmental disability and a mental health problem, and their families.

Letter To The Editor: Local Children Being Denied Opportunities

Date posted to site: November 11, 2008

Sir:I am writing to express extreme concern that some of our most vulnerable children in Sarnia and Lambton County will no longer be receiving physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech-language therapy services through the School Health Support from the therapists at Pathways Health Centre for Children, pediatric experts who have known and worked with them from their very early years.

Living Without Volunteers In The City Of Toronto

Date posted to site: November 10, 2008

By Donna Jodhan

Well, here we go again! Shocker or shaker? It would be a definite shocker if Canadians only knew that for at least the past four years; Torontonians have been living without the help of volunteers. A definite shocker for Canadians to know that in Canada's largest city, blind and visually impaired Canadians are unable to find any type of decent volunteer service to help them with the basic tasks such as: Shopping, going to medical appointments, house chores, and so on.

Ready, Willing And Able To Do A Great Job

Date posted to site: November 10, 2008

Long before the current global credit crisis started toppling financial giants, ordinary people with disabilities were seasoned experts in looking for work in a tough job market.

Autism Update

Date posted to site: November 10, 2008

A major concern of any parent of a disabled child is the question of how will their child be cared for once they become adults. With respect to individuals with autism, the situation is disturbing. The Autism Ontario organization (formerly known as the Autism Society of Ontario) issued a report in October titled "Forgotten" about the lack of programs and supports for adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). To those of us with young children who suffer from autism such reports confirm our worst nightmare.

Brain Injury Survivors Live With 'Invisible Disability'

Date posted to site: November 07, 2008

TORONTO - Carolyn Matthews would be stuck without sticky notes.

The 43-year-old needs reminders on appointments, the time to drop off and pick up her son and which stores to stop at when shopping.

The Americans With Disabilities Act(ADA) Is 18, But..

Date posted to site: November 06, 2008

July is an historical month in the history of America. The country celebrates two great birthdays. The first is the 4th of July. No country throws a birthday party like America.

QUEST FOR GOLD Celebrates Ontario Winners From Beijing Olympics

Date posted to site: November 05, 2008

4TH edition of Popular OLG game, continues to invest in Province's amateur athletes

TORONTO, Nov. 3 /CNW/ - Two QUEST FOR GOLD-funded athletes who medalled in Beijing this summer joined the Mayor of London and OLG to celebrate the launch of another edition of the popular OLG Instant game QUEST FOR GOLD.

Disabilities Don't Deter Entrepreneurial Spirit

Date posted to site: November 03, 2008

But business development groups says roadblocks stalling startup dreams

Will Shannon's first name personifies his desire to succeed.

He has a strong will to excel at the helm of his own business, despite being a double-leg amputee.

Commentary: Guilty Of First Degree Discrimination And Reckless And Willful Misconduct

Date posted to site: November 03, 2008

By Donna Jodhan

It gives me no pleasure to write the following editorial but when someone and their organization deliberately chooses to discriminate against a specific group of Canadians then it is time for me to say something. This is neither a shocker nor a shaker! This is downright discrimination, reckless willful misconduct, condescension, and a total lack of regard for the rights of blind and visually impaired Canadians.

Ontario. Clawing Back Earnings Of Developmentally Disabled: Critics

Date posted to site: November 03, 2008

TORONTO - Ontario's Liberal government is condemning the developmentally disabled who receive benefits to a life of poverty by clawing back what they earn, critics charged Thursday.

Compelling Plea To Address Isolation

Date posted to site: November 03, 2008

The dots were white with tiny black circles in the middle. There were billions. So many, Martine Stonehouse felt she was swimming in a sea of them. That kind of intermittent visual disturbance is part of what it's like coping with autism.

Firms Missing Out On Skills Of Disabled Workers

Date posted to site: November 03, 2008

Employers desperate for a pool of skilled workers are missing a motherlode when they ignore disabled job applicants.

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, the industrial trade association, wants to dispel the myths that keep so many skilled, but disabled, workers sitting on the economic sidelines.

Wheelchair User In Canada Denied Access To Hindu Temple

Date posted to site: November 01, 2008

When Meenu Sikand wanted to visit a temple for the Karwa Chauth festival, she didn't anticipate any problem- least of all those to do with her wheelchair.

Back to Table of Contents

December

What Is Applied Behavior Analysis(ABA)?

Date posted to site: December 30, 2008

Behavior Analysis is the science of behavior. Applied behavior analysis ( ABA ) is the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree (Baer, Wolf & Risley, 1968/1987; Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991). Specifically, ABA refers to a systematic approach to the assessment and evaluation of behavior, and the application of interventions that alter behavior.

Wheelchair Racer Petitclerc Voted The Canadian Press Female Athlete of Year

Date posted to site: December 29, 2008

TORONTO - Chantal Petitclerc is the first Paralympian to be voted The Canadian Press female athlete of the year since the award was created in 1933.

Designing Housing for Disabled People

Date posted to site: December 29, 2008

In the 30 years that I have been involved in the disability field, scores and scores of people with disabilities have told me about the woes they encountered in having an accessible house built. I could write a book on their horrific trials that have caused delays in building, additional costs for retrofitting and personal anguish.

City Strives to be More Accessible

Date posted to site: December 26, 2008

Plan calls for improvements throughout Timmins in 2009

The City of Timmins is ensuring that all residents have access to municipal services and buildings as council passed its sixth accessibility plan on Monday night.

Substance Use and Mental Disorders Intertwined

Date posted to site: December 26, 2008

Two new studies in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry have found that multilevel integration is needed for mental health and substance use services to adequately address the needs of people diagnosed with co-occurring disorders.

Support Brings Hope to Those With Mental Illness, Addiction

Date posted to site: December 26, 2008

'SAFE HAVEN': The Fraser Street facility run by RainCity Housing in Vancouver provides a successful transitional housing program for people with both mental illness and substance use disorder. (Courtesy of RainCity Housing)

Airlines Rush to Draft Obesity Seat Policy

Date posted to site: December 26, 2008

OTTAWA -- Canada's two largest airlines are scrambling to craft new policies defining obesity as they prepare to offer disabled passengers two seats for the price of one.

Local Parents Support Special Ed Report

Date posted to site: December 24, 2008

A local woman whose autistic child has has taken a violent turn is calling for better investment in special education programs.

Susan Fentie says her autistic son Keith son is non-verbal and requires constant supervision.

Canada Veteran Disability Pension Information and Benefits

Date posted to site: December 23, 2008

Canada Disability Pension: Canada offers a disability pension plan for those who are disabled to work at any job on a regular basis. The disability must be both severe and prolonged. This plan is called as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). It gives a monthly payment to people who have contributed to the Canada Pension Plan while they worked and later became disabled and are unable to work at any job on a regular basis.

Bay Street, Charities Call for Government Relief Fund

Date posted to site: December 23, 2008

Bay Street joined charities and anti-poverty activists yesterday in calling on the federal government to create a "recession relief fund" for agencies providing services to society's most vulnerable members.

Blind Golf

Date posted to site: December 23, 2008

Playing blind golfBlind golf is an adapted version of the sport of golf created for blind and partially sighted players. While we think of golf as an activity requiring eyesight, that's not necessarily the case. The game is enjoyed by thousands throughout the world who have someone else be their eyes.

Sex Assault Victim Falls Through Cracks

Date posted to site: December 23, 2008

A mother whose son was sexually assaulted nearly five years ago is frustrated by a system she says has let her son down.

The woman has been trying to get help for her son since he was assaulted in March 2004, when he was seven years old. Since then, her son has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, a condition that includes disobedient and hostile behaviour.

Ontario Exempts RDSPs From ODSP Calculations

Date posted to site: December 22, 2008

The Government of Ontario announced changes to social assistance regulations exempt Registered Disabilities Savings Plans (RDSPs) from the asset and income calculations under the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and the Ontario Works Program. With these changes:

RDSP contributions will not impact eligibility for social assistance;
People on social assistance will be able to take money out of an RDSP without affecting their social assistance payments.

Ontario is also increasing the amount that recipients of social assistance can receive as a gift or payment from a trust from $5,000 to $6,000 a year.

New Census Data Shows More Than 54 Million Americans Have a Disability

Date posted to site: December 22, 2008

WASHINGTON - More than 54 million U.S. residents, or about 19 percent of the population, have some sort of disability, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

The numbers, based on 2005 data, are up slightly from the 2002 survey when 51.2 million people or 18 percent reported a disability, the census found Thursday.

Disabled Employees in Canada Offered Assistance

Date posted to site: December 22, 2008

It has been announced that workers with a disability living in Saskatchewan have been offered help by the government of Canada.

A total of nine new employment projects designed to help enhance the skills of employees with impairments have been introduced, announced member of parliament Andrew Scheer.

When Citizens Get Involved, Barriers In City Can be Broken

Date posted to site: December 19, 2008

I've served on Belleville's Advisory Committee for Ontarians with Disabilities. My recent appointment expired Dec. 1. I didn't reapply as I've taken on new projects and my physical limitations curtail how much I'm able to do. After five years, I also make way for new perspectives.

Ombudsman Finds Military Members With Mental Health Injuries Falling Through Cracks of Military System

Date posted to site: December 19, 2008

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Dec 17, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- The Interim Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces, Ms. Mary McFadyen, today released a special report, entitled A Long Road to Recovery: Battling Operational Stress Injuries. Accompanying the report is a case study on the state of mental health services at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa in Ontario.

CANADA: Alberta Increases Support to Help Aging Seniors Live at Home

Date posted to site: December 19, 2008

Alberta will improve personal care service options to assist seniors and people with disabilities in their own homes. (CBC)

Alberta's new long-term care plan, announced Monday, includes more services to help seniors and people with disabilities remain in their own homes.

Commentary: Dignity Dismissed

Date posted to site: December 19, 2008

By Linda Saxon

I was pleased to learn that this year's Day and subsequent years' International Days of Persons with Disabilities acknowledges the more dignified person first terminology, instead of Disabled Persons. Too often I read and hear references to outdated and offensive language that uses adjectives as descriptors; for example, disabled, differently abled, and special needs.

National Rates of Co-occurring Substance Use and Mental Disorders Call for Better Integration of Mental Health and Addictions Services

Date posted to site: December 19, 2008

Rates highest in BC and lowest in Quebec; Youth emerge as a concern

TORONTO, Dec. 17 /CNW/ - Canadians are becoming aware of the prevalence of mental health issues and of substance use problems, but how well equipped are we to help the many people who contend with both?