OVAD’s Human Rights Claim against the St. John’s Ambulance

UPDATE: A mediation hearing between St. John Ambulance and the OVAD is scheduled  for January 24, 2019.

The Okanagan Valley Association of the Deaf, for all Deaf in B.C., has launched a human rights complaint against St. John’s Ambulance for not funding Sign language interpreters for their first aid courses. We believe this is discrimination and a violation of the BC Human Rights Code.  

We are pleased to announce that our complaint on behalf of the Deaf community of BC has been accepted for filing by the BC Human Rights Tribunal.

This is a “Class Complaint”. The complaint is brought on behalf of all people in BC who:

• are Deaf and/or hard of hearing
• use Sign language and
• have been impacted by St. John Ambulance’s refusal to provide Sign language interpretation for one or more of their courses.

We are asking any Deaf people from across BC that have been turned down for interpreter funding by St. John’s Ambulance when applying for or taking a first aid course to come forward.

To share your story or for more information about the case, please email our lawyers from the BC Human Rights Clinic, part of the Community Legal Assistance Society:

Laura Track: ltrack@clasbc.net

Isaac Won: iwon@clasbc.net

You can also contact Gordon J. Rattray of the Okanagan Valley Association of the Deaf at gords@shaw.ca or text 250-491-2532

Access documents related to the case: http://www.bchrc.net/first-aid-asl

An Early Settlement Meeting has been scheduled for January 24, 2019. This is an opportunity for us to meet with the respondents and a Tribunal mediator to see if the complaint can be resolved without the need for a hearing.

OPTING OUT OF THE PROCEEDINGS

Class Members have the right to exclude themselves from the Class Complaint (“opt-out”).

If you opt-out, you will not be eligible to participate in, or receive money from, the ongoing Class Complaint, but you will be able to start or continue your own complaint regarding the claims at issue.

If you do nothing, you will be eligible to participate in, and may receive money from, the ongoing Class Complaint, but you will not be able to start or continue your own complaint regarding the claims at issue.

If you do not want to be a class member in the Class Complaint, your opt-out must be received by December 31, 2018. To opt out, please make a request in writing including your full name and contact information to ltrack@clasbc.net or by mail at

Attention: Laura Track

Community Legal Assistance Society

Suite 300 – 1140 West Pender St.

Vancouver, BC  V6E 4G1

DEAF COMMUNITY CONTACT:

Gordon J. Rattray – Representative for the Class

OVAD Treasurer

123 Franklyn Rd, Kelowna, BC,

email: gords@shaw.ca

txt: 250-491-2532

FAX: 778-753-3099