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In this Issue
1) Message Board
2)Articles
*The McGuinty Watch
*Blind Need Access to the Best Training
*Class Action Lawsuit Against Disney Alleges Inaccessible Websites and Failure to Accommodate Blind Persons in Violation of ADA; Case No. 10-cv-5810
*Human Rights Commission Warns Municipalities AND Municipal Transit Authorities to Ensure That All New Buses are Accessible, Despite Anything Less in McGuinty Government’s Proposed Accessibility Standard
*Access Watch Dog Launches New Website to Hold Local Politicians Accountable
*Call for Submissions: 2011/12 EnAbling Change Partnership Program, The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
*Avoid the Stigma of the Word ‘Blind’
*Thousands of Vets Missing Out on Better Disability Benefits
*Councillors Debate Subsidizing Bus Passes for Disabled
*More Benefits, Not Rules: Activists
*Federal Court Finds City of Los Angeles Discriminates Against People With Disabilities in Emergency Plans
3) Classifieds
4) This and That
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MESSAGE BOARD:
You can now follow Accessibility News on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/acnewsca
Accessibility News is a voluntary Publication, please consider making a Donation at
www.accessibilitynews.ca/?page_id=591.
ARTICLES:
The McGuinty Watch
To make it easier for you to see how the McGuinty Government has treated the Disabled Community over it’s Terms we’ve compiled some relevant articles for you to view
As they become available we’ll post more so check back once in a while before Election time.
Read more at
http://www.aoda.ca/?page_id=928
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Blind Need Access to the Best Training
Blind people from across the province gathered Tuesday at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria for a historic demonstration to tell government and
the public There is an urgent need in B.C. and Canada for intensive training in blindness skills, such as braille, cane travel and adaptive technology.
And, as a basic human right, it must be publicly funded and accountable -not offloaded to charity.
Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/?p=2009
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Class Action Lawsuit Against Disney Alleges Inaccessible Websites and Failure to Accommodate Blind Persons in Violation of ADA; Case No. 10-cv-5810
In September 2010, three visually impaired women, who have long been patrons of the Walt Disney Company’s theme parks and website, filed a class action against two Walt Disney companies, alleging that Disney’s websites relating to its theme parks, hotels and restaurants are inaccessible to the visually impaired, in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act and other laws.
Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/?p=2011
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Human Rights Commission Warns Municipalities AND Municipal Transit Authorities to Ensure That All New Buses are Accessible, Despite Anything Less in McGuinty Government’s Proposed Accessibility Standard
We commend the Ontario Human Rights Commission for writing local public transit authorities and municipalities across Ontario, warning them not to buy inaccessible buses, no matter what exemptions may be in the McGuinty Government’s proposed Integrated Accessibility Regulation. The Government’s inadequate proposed new accessibility standard would let public transit authorities and municipalities rush out now to enter in to contracts before July 1, 2011, which include
no accessibility features. The Human Rights Commission warns that to do so could lead to human rights complaints against those organizations that purchase them. This highlights one of the serious problems with the McGuinty Government’s proposed Integrated Accessibility Regulation that we have highlighted.
Read more at
http://www.aoda.ca/?p=986
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Access Watch Dog Launches New Website to Hold Local Politicians Accountable
By Geof Collis
First it was dealing with a pre-election issue on the Mail In Ballot with the City of Kawartha Lakes, Disabled Only Ones to Make Concessions in Kawartha Lakes Councils Election ‘Compromise
that I first entertained the idea of holding my City accountable to my Accessibility concerns that were not being addressed by creating a website to Archive my issues.
Read more at
http://www.klwatch.ca/?p=340
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Call for Submissions: 2011/12 EnAbling Change Partnership Program, The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
Under the annual EnAbling Change Partnership Program, the government provides project funding to organizations that have the vision, leadership and commitment to improve accessibility across industries or sectors.
Read more at
http://www.aoda.ca/?p=980
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Avoid the Stigma of the Word ‘Blind’
Metaphorical use of the word blind -adjective or verb -to mean unaware, illinformed, or any number of negative baggage-laden uses, reinforces
misconceptions and stigma -the very things Paterson wishes to remove.
Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/?p=2007
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Thousands of Vets Missing Out on Better Disability Benefits
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Only a fraction of wounded veterans who could get better benefits have applied in the two years since Congress, acting on concerns the military was cutting costs by downplaying injuries, ordered the Pentagon to review disputed claims.
Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/?p=2005
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Councillors Debate Subsidizing Bus Passes for Disabled
The 2011 municipal budget will be tight, but not as tight as the budgets of low-income Londoners on disability, says Jim Hewett.
Chair of Community Living London’s Advocacy Committee, Hewett has again submitted a request for city council to consider subsidizing public transportation for Londoners on the Ontario Disability Support Program.
“A lot of the people we support … volunteer at numerous organizations but they pay the full rate for busing,” Hewett said. “If they need busing seven days
a week, they opt for a bus pass at $81 (per month). That represents about 10 per cent of their income for the month.”
Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/?p=859
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More Benefits, Not Rules: Activists
Ottawa ACORN demonstrators brave the rain yesterday outside an ODSP office on Preston Street.
Poor people with special dietary requirements need more money, not tighter rules, anti-poverty activists say.
Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynews.ca/?p=855
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Federal Court Finds City of Los Angeles Discriminates Against People With Disabilities in Emergency Plans
Los Angeles – In a landmark decision, which has national implications, a federal court ruled today that the City of Los Angeles violated federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, by failing to meet the needs of its residents with disabilities in planning for natural and other disasters. The ruling is the first such decision in the country.
Read more at
http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/?p=2002
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CLASSIFIEDS
All Classifieds are Accessibility and Disability related.
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Add your own by going to www.accessibilityclassifieds.com
EVENTS
No Events at this Time
Add your own Event at www.accessibilityclassifieds.com/?page_id=98
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THIS and THAT:
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Accessibility News, since November 8, 2006
