Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
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http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...le&cid=1154037038564&call_pageid=970599119419
As the Chair of the Caption Movies Now Coalition, I would like to comment on Carol Goar's article.
In general, I am appalled at the lack of regard and respect for persons with disabilities. I believe there is a negative view that persons with disabilities are anxiously waiting to collect cheques in the mail, rather than actively contribute to society by either volunteering their skills or by obtaining employment.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The people I have met in the "disabled persons" community all take great pride in their accomplishments and are actively seeking to be gainfully employed. They don't want "handouts," they want jobs! They may need financial support while working toward their goals of further education and employment, but where is the respect and the dignity for them? Where are the opportunities for the jobs?
As a deafened mother who raised three hard of hearing sons while struggling to find work, I know personally what it felt like to have difficulty accessing information. Doors were closed in my face time and time again, as I was told I could not do a certain job.
I would like to address the issue of the apparent support for Cineplex Theatres by Madeleine Meilleur, minister of community and social services. While it is wonderful that Cineplex has made some efforts to provide rear window captioning in a handful of theatres, this in no way represents accessibility for the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing. Cineplex owns, leases or has a joint venture in 131 theatres with 1,295 screens in Canada. There is rear window captioning on only 28 screens out of 1,295. This is very limited and provides the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing with few options.
I am very disappointed that the minister appears to support Cineplex over the deaf complainants in the Human Rights Tribunal hearings. I would like to urge the minister to support the objectives of the Caption Movies Now Coalition, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Association.
One hundred per cent captioning is needed in all movie theatres, as a duty and a legal obligation to break down one of the many barriers the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing face in their everyday lives. The inclusion of all citizens to have access to cultural, social, and recreational activities should be a basic right in this day and age of such advanced technology.
Lori Archer, Chair, Caption Movies Now Coalition,
Brampton
As the Chair of the Caption Movies Now Coalition, I would like to comment on Carol Goar's article.
In general, I am appalled at the lack of regard and respect for persons with disabilities. I believe there is a negative view that persons with disabilities are anxiously waiting to collect cheques in the mail, rather than actively contribute to society by either volunteering their skills or by obtaining employment.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The people I have met in the "disabled persons" community all take great pride in their accomplishments and are actively seeking to be gainfully employed. They don't want "handouts," they want jobs! They may need financial support while working toward their goals of further education and employment, but where is the respect and the dignity for them? Where are the opportunities for the jobs?
As a deafened mother who raised three hard of hearing sons while struggling to find work, I know personally what it felt like to have difficulty accessing information. Doors were closed in my face time and time again, as I was told I could not do a certain job.
I would like to address the issue of the apparent support for Cineplex Theatres by Madeleine Meilleur, minister of community and social services. While it is wonderful that Cineplex has made some efforts to provide rear window captioning in a handful of theatres, this in no way represents accessibility for the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing. Cineplex owns, leases or has a joint venture in 131 theatres with 1,295 screens in Canada. There is rear window captioning on only 28 screens out of 1,295. This is very limited and provides the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing with few options.
I am very disappointed that the minister appears to support Cineplex over the deaf complainants in the Human Rights Tribunal hearings. I would like to urge the minister to support the objectives of the Caption Movies Now Coalition, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Association.
One hundred per cent captioning is needed in all movie theatres, as a duty and a legal obligation to break down one of the many barriers the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing face in their everyday lives. The inclusion of all citizens to have access to cultural, social, and recreational activities should be a basic right in this day and age of such advanced technology.
Lori Archer, Chair, Caption Movies Now Coalition,
Brampton