This newsletter is available in alternate formats on request.
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Celebrating Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
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Indigenous Peoples across Canada experience a disability rate that is significantly higher than that of the general population. Recognized across Canada each November, Indigenous Disability Awareness Month brings awareness of the barriers and the issues faced by Indigenous Peoples living with disabilities and their families.
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Despite these barriers, there is much to celebrate. Indigenous Disability Awareness Month highlights the achievements of Indigenous Peoples living with disabilities and recognizes the significant and valuable contributions they make to our communities, socially, economically and culturally.
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First recognized by the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society in 2015, the month-long celebration follows the recommendation by the United Nations International Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Today, Indigenous Disability Awareness Month is celebrated by Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Assembly of First Nations, and many other organizations, governments and communities across Canada. The acknowledgment of the month was the first Indigenous disability-specific awareness initiative to be recognized on a global level.
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Free Webinar: A Broken Legacy, my Journey as an Indigenous Hard of Hearing Woman…
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Join the Manitoba Accessibility Office for this inspiring webinar in celebration of Indigenous Disability Awareness Month. Hear from keynote speaker, Shawna Joynt, a First Nations woman who is hard of hearing from the TR’ONDEK HWECHIN HAN NATION tribe in Dawson City, Yukon. Through Shawna’s story, you will learn about her journey, and her passion for removing barriers for the Deaf and hard of hearing and Indigenous communities. She will also share insight into her advocacy work.
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Webinar Details:
- Date: November 7
- Time: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Speaker: Shawna Joynt
- Where: Virtual via Zoom
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This webinar will have accessibility measures such as American Sign Language interpretation (ASL) and live closed captioning.
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2024 Indigenous Disability and Wellness Gathering
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In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Indigenous Disability Awareness Month, Indigenous Disability Canada and the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society will be hosting the National Indigenous Disability and Wellness Gathering November 19 - 21, 2024.
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This gathering brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous leadership, service providers, governments and communities to learn, share and collaborate in addressing and dismantling the unique barriers Indigenous Peoples with disabilities face.
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The 2024 gathering will be held in Victoria, British Columbia at the Victoria Conference Centre.
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Thank You for Participating in the Accessible Employment Standard Regulation Review
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The Accessibility Advisory Council would like to thank everyone who participated in the consultation and review of the Accessible Employment Standard Regulation this summer and fall.
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Now that the engagement has closed, the Council will consider all submissions, survey results and everything discussed during the focus groups, virtual town halls and the in-person disability community forum. The Council will make recommendations in the form of a report and submit to the Minister responsible for accessibility in early 2025.
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Check back for the Council’s final report and recommendations, which will be shared on AccessibilityMB.ca and announced in this newsletter.
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Spotlight on a Manitoba Accessibility Fund Project
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The Manitoba Accessibility Fund is proud to spotlight the Centre for Human Rights Research, a previous grant recipient.
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Centre for Human Rights Research
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Access to information and resources is a human rights issue. Human rights education and anti-oppressive educational materials can be an important tool for individuals and communities, however, accessibility and equity in access is crucial.
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Established in 2012, the Centre for Human Rights Research (CHRR) at the University of Manitoba uses an intersectional lens to research and advocate for human rights and Indigenous sovereignty and resurgence. The CHRR brings together people and organizations – both within and outside the University of Manitoba – to enhance interdisciplinary and collaborative research capacity, create richer training opportunities for students, and facilitate the fusion of research-driven knowledge, public policy and intellectual debate on issues related to human rights and social justice.
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With support from the Manitoba Accessibility Fund, we worked with Relish to create a virtual resource hub that would be home to accessible human rights-related information and research. Development of the resource hub followed the principle of Universal Design and adhered to current WAI-ARIA accessibility standards, including colour and font options, alt-text, accessibility widget options and code optimized for screen readers. Relish used tools such as Axe Dev Tools, UserWay Scanning and Lighthouse Accessibility Audit to automate testing of the website. Relish also adheres to the International Indigenous Design Charter to guide best practices when working with Indigenous knowledge in design projects which will be key for some of the research that will be housed at the Resource Hub.
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CHRR’s new resource hub will be a virtual home for research from University of Manitoba scholars that is inclusive, collaborative, critical and anti-colonial. This project, in conjunction with the broader work of the University of Manitoba to meet the standards of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act is working to remove barriers to information and communication. Since launching our resource hub, traffic to our website has increased as have information downloads. Targeted social media promotion will continue. With this foundational infrastructure in place, and with new onboarding processes that require all staff and student research assistants to complete accessibility training, we will continue to grow and build an accessible resource library for human rights-related work in Winnipeg and beyond.
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~Article submitted by the Centre for Human Rights Research.
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Maintaining Existing Accessibility Features
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This means aspects of the built environment that are designed to facilitate barrier-free access must be available for use as intended. It includes the maintenance of existing features like elevators, escalators, and power doors, as well as clearing snow and keeping aisles and entryways free of clutter so that persons with wheelchairs, scooters or walkers have access to the facility.
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Providing a Compliant Notice of Disruption
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Did you know under section 9 of the Accessible Customer Service Standard Regulation, notice must be provided when an existing accessibility feature is temporarily unavailable?
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This means if there is a disruption to an existing accessibility feature, notice must be provided on-site as well as on the organization’s website, if they have one, or be given by other reasonable means. The notice must include:
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- The reasons why the accessibility feature is unavailable.
- The anticipated time frame for repair or maintenance.
- Details of any alternate ways to access the organization’s goods and services.
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Remember: The Accessibility for Manitobans Act and the Accessible Customer Service Standard Regulation do not set requirements for construction or the addition of new accessibility features in the indoor built environment. However, once accessibility features are installed, section 9 of the Accessible Customer Service Standard Regulation applies.
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'"Wheelchair accessible" is not just a couple of words that should be thrown around lightly. Wide doors and a little extra personal space should be given to the areas that are supposed to be wheelchair accessible.
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Trick-or-treating is a fun event for kids, but some children with disabilities can’t take part. One company is trying to make the event inclusive to all.
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International Day of Persons with Disabilities Celebration
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FREE WEBINAR: Building Parks for Everyone and Inclusive Recreation and Sport in Manitoba
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Join the Manitoba Accessibility Office for a free webinar. You will learn how Manitoba Parks are becoming more accessible for all and hear from a local para-athlete on his journey to over come systematic barriers and challenges in sport.
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Webinar Details:
- Date: December 3
- Time: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Where: Virtual via Zoom
- Speakers:
- Rebecca Lauhn-Jensen, Manitoba Parks: Accessibility in Manitoba Provincial Parks
- Colin Matheson, Inclusiveness in Sport
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Accessibility Standards Canada Seeking Applications for New Chief Executive Officer
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The Government of Canada is seeking applications from diverse and talented individuals from across the country interested in a full-time Governor in Council position as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Accessibility Standards Canada.
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The Government of Canada is committed to an open, transparent and merit-based selection process in consideration of gender parity, linguistic, regional and employment equity representation, which includes persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, members of visible minorities and women.
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Under the Accessible Canada Act, the CEO is responsible for the Standards Organization’s day-to-day operations. This includes providing executive leadership and management direction for the development of standards designed to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility.
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Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit their applications by November 20, 2024.
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