From left: Allard Thomas, Mustafa Alabssi, Karen Nurkowski. Allard Thomas asked the Prime Minister about Bill C-81 at the University of Regina Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Town Hall on January 10, 2019. (Photo credit to Heidi Atter)
At the University of Regina Town Hall with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau many people had questions revolving around pipelines and the economy. There were cheers, yells, shouts and sounds of frustration, except one small group was silent.
The deaf attendees were there with an interpreter ready and waiting to ask about C-81, the Accessible Canada Act and bring up concerns about what they said it lacked that would affect their daily lives.
In the last 12 minutes of the town hall, Allard Thomas was chosen to answer a question. He stood and silently signed to interpreter Karen Nurkowski.
“I looked at [Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act] and realised that ASL and LSQ–those are the languages of the deaf people in Canada–that was not recognized,” he said. “Can you tell me why?”
After the event, Nurkowski interpreted why this was important to Thomas for ASL, American Sign Language, to be included.
“I saw that nothing was indicated in there,” Thomas signed. “There was no reference to it, there was no talk about it.”
“They were also talking about interpreting services. There was no recognition at all to those issues related to deafness,” Thomas signed. “We need interpreters communicating at doctors offices and medical appointments, etc. and we use sign language interpreters for that. And that’s what I was after him about.”
Thomas signed that there is video relay interpreting through a remote interpreter but said even with that resource it is a challenge.
After seeing the Prime Minister’s answer, Thomas said he did not think it was enough.
“It wasn’t that clear. I do know we have to keep talking to Carla Qualtrough,” Thomas signed. “I know I have to follow up with her because I didn’t get the answer I wanted.”
“It’s not just about ASL, it’s about our rights,” Thomas signed. “Deaf people’s rights.”
“Mr. Trudeau, Justin Trudeau said he does want that and so that’s good and I do think we need more discussion,” he signed. “I’m happy to have more discussion with him.”
Read below the transcript of the question and answer from January 10, 2019:
Allard Thomas: “I wanted to ask about the Accessible Canadians Act that was just passed. And I looked at that and realised that ASL and LSQ, those are the languages of the deaf people in Canada that was not recognized in that. Can you tell me why?”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “We just moved forward on accessibility legislation in Canada. For the first time is really setting out the parameters of a more accessible Canada. It is a bill that as federal legislation does applies to federal jurisdictions but it is also meant to bring real transformation right across the country as provinces and municipalities and businesses change their approach and make sure that everyone has an opportunity to participate, to succeed, to contribute to their community and succeed in life. That is something that was very important to me, it was something that’s obviously very important to our Minister of Canadians with Disabilities and Public Services who is Carla Qualtrough, who was a Paralympian herself. And it’s something that we’re very proud of. But there is still a lot more work to do, sir. I don’t know exactly about ASL and to what extent sign language should have been or could have been or what recognizing it within this legislation would mean, but I will make sure that we follow up with you afterwards so I can understand if there’s more we need to do around this legislation. That is something we’re absolutely open to because we know that making sure that everyone has a full chance to contribute to participate in our economy, in our political discourse in building a better Canada is something of fundamental importance to all of us.”
