Supporters of VRS in Canada
Dear friends and fellow supporters of VRS in Canada,
As you may know, the CRTC has extended the deadlines for proposals and interventions for Telecom Notice 2014-188-1 (process for implementation of VRS in Canada) to July 25, 2014 for submissions of proposals and August 28, 2014 for submissions of interventions. To learn more about the Telecom Notice, please visit either http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-188.htm (original notice), http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-188-1.htm (update to original notice with deadline extension) or http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/vrs-srv.htm (video relay service announcement).
The Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada (AVLIC) is preparing an intervention with the specific request that the CRTC mandate the service administrator’s Board of Directors include AVLIC representatives to speak on behalf of the interpreting community, as well as to have representatives from the Deaf and hard of hearing communities on the board. As you are aware, AVLIC is the only national representative of interpreters in Canada; as interpreters will play a major role in the service provision of VRS, it is imperative that interpreters be well represented.
We will send our draft intervention to you for review prior to submission to the CRTC to ensure we are effectively wording our letter in solidarity with your letters. We request that you respond to us by June 1, 2014 should you have any comments for us.
AVLIC is asking all community stakeholders who will be submitting an intervention to the CRTC to include a similar request on their vision of the board composition – not only asking for Deaf and hard of hearing representation on the administrator’s board, but also to request the board require representatives from AVLIC to represent the interpreting community.
If you have any questions on AVLIC’s position or want AVLIC to provide feedback on any sections of your intervention related to interpreting issues, please let us know. You can contact the AVLIC office at avlic@avlic.ca.
Thank you for your support and consideration.
In solidarity,
——————————————————————————-
Christie Reaume
AVLIC President
ASL-English Interpreter (Ontario)
Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada
Texas Hold’em Poker Fundraising Tournament
Canadian Deaf Youth Leadership Camp 2014
Texas Hold’em Poker Fundraising Tournament
Friday, June 27th, 2014
Door open at 6:00pm / Tournament Start at 7:00pm
Sande’s Lounge and Banquet Hall
(inside Burnaby Winter Club)
4990 Canada Way, Burnaby
$60 (included: Buy-in and Appetizers)
Cash Bar Available!
Contact Scott at Scott@deafyouth.ca for tickets. (sorry no tickets at the door)
CRTC has granted extensions to deadlines for NOC 2014-188
The CRTC has approved a request by Bell & the Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD), in this letter as seen here: DM#2130386 – 2014-188 – Procedural Request – Bell Canada and Canadian Association of the Deaf – Extension Letter
In this request Bell Aliant and CAD have requested an extension to the deadlines outlined in the original Notice of Consultation process formerly numbered as 2014-188 and now amended as Telecom Notice of Consultation 2014-188-1.
In their letter, they cited they needed more time, to put together a proposal, and more time for people to be able to respond to these proposals as interventions.
To summarize the deadlines that they requested, here is an image capture:
The CRTC approved this request and came back with their idea of new dates as:
Deadline for submission of proposals: 25 July 2014
Deadline for submission of interventions: 28 August 2014
Deadline for replies to interventions: 08 September 2014
What does this all mean? Good news, BCVRS Committee members are working on a vlog filming date to explain this further in ASL!
We will keep you posted!
~ The BCVRS Committee
Source: BCVRS.ca: http://bcvrs.ca/2014/05/crtc-has-granted-extensions-to-deadlines-for-noc-2014-188/
Celebrating Accessibility at the Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium will be celebrating accessibility on Saturday June 7. I have included a little bit of information about the event, a link to our website and an electronic poster that can be printed and posted on a community board.
We will have all of our usual accessible services offered and the following additions:
- American Sign Language interpreters will be at all of our marine mammal and dive shows.
- The Wet Lab will be open every hour so guests can experience our aquatic world through touch
- Extra volunteers will be onsite to interact with guests and showcase a variety of props in the galleries
- Visitors who are blind or have low vision can also pre-book descriptive tours
For more details, you can visit our website at the following link:http://www.vanaqua.org/experience/events/annual-and-upcoming-events/celebrate-accessibility
I hope you can spread the word about this great event in your community. Please feel free to email myself or Ninon Daubigeon, Manager of Visitor Experience atNinon.daugbigeon@vanaqua.org if you have any questions.
Community Appreciation Night
COME ONE, COME ALL!!!
The Douglas College second year students would like to invite you all to our Community Appreciation Night being held on Thursday May 29th at the Bourbon Country Pub (50 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1C9 – Same location where Sign-A-Oke has been held) from 6:00pm-9:00pm. **Must be 19+ years of age with valid ID to enter the pub**
We would like to thank you for all your involvement, encouragement and support over the last two years by hosting this event for you! We will have some snacks for your enjoyment and a few awards for the Douglas College interpreting faculty.
Come out and have a good time and let us appreciate you for everything you’ve done for us!!
Thank you!
Douglas College Second Year Interpreting Students.
If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail Diana Lane at: dianalouise.lane@gmail.com
Apple Store Workshops in ASL
~ 2 WORKSHOPS IN ASL AT THE APPLE STORE IN METROTOWN ~
The Apple Store in Metrotown will be having 2 workshops called:
Discover Your iPad Workshop this Wednesday, May 21st 5:30pm-6:30pm
iPhoto Workshop on Wednesday, May 28th 5:30pm-6:30pm
The workshops will be in ASL.
The workshop is free but you must reserve your spot online.
If you are interested in attending, go to the website http://www.apple.com/ca/retail/metrotown/ to reserve your spot.
Scroll down the page to Upcoming Events:
Click Reserve beside the event on Wednesday, May 21st titled Discover Your iPad (ASL).
Click Reserve beside the event on Wednesday, May 28th titled iPhoto (ASL).
You will need to have an Apple ID to sign in to reserve. If you do not have an Apple ID you can create one when you try to reserve.
‘Team Grizzlies’ Basketball Newsletter!
Hello Community members!
We at BCSD are very excited to finally share the ‘Team Grizzlies’ basketball newsletter with you!
We hope you’ll enjoy reading and please feel free to share it with your colleagues, associates, friends, and any other allies who support our Deaf & Hard of Hearing youth in BC! Also, please make sure the youth in your capacities are aware of the recruitment flyer (last page of the newsletter) and to contact me if they’re interested to join the team for Fall/Winter 2014-15.
Special thanks to all of these who were involved in making this newsletter possible! Your input & your assistance are greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
Jodi Birley
Youth & Child Care Worker
BC Provincial School for the Deaf
The Ride to Conquer Cancer
Hello to all,
I hope you had a good weekend. Guess what? I’m going to participate in “The Ride to Conquer Cancer” a bike ride from Vancouver to Seattle (+200KM) on June 14 and 15. Please read the attachment requesting your financial support. There is a website!! Thanks for taking the time to read it.
Cheers,
Donna Russell,
cancer survivor
Movie Night!!! “HARD MAN”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P0GuVopXRw
New Movie from ASL FILMS!!
Saturday May 24, 2014
Door Open 630pm, Movie Start 7pm
Douglas College, New West Campus, Room 2201.
Free Admission for everybody.
Movie is in ASL & Subtitles will be on.
Broadcasting Accessibility Fund – Press Release
Broadcasting Accessibility Fund Appoints Richard Cavanagh
as CEO/Funding Officer
Ottawa, May 12, 2014 – The Broadcasting Accessibility Fund (BAF) today announced the appointment of Richard Cavanagh as its first CEO/Funding Officer.
“BAF is fortunate to have Richard come to us in this role, with his unique blend of experience in both the broadcasting industry and the accessibility sector,” said BAF Board of Directors Chair Allister Byrne. “Under his leadership, the BAF will be able to fully realize its potential to advance accessibility to broadcasting content for Canadians with disabilities.”
Richard is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years experience in the communications industries, and deep expertise in related public policy, project management, stakeholder relations and research. He has led and managed a number of important, original research initiatives on communications technology, accessibility and its future directions, and is considered to be among the leading experts in the field, both in Canada and internationally.
“I firmly believe that the BAF is the single most important opportunity to advance accessibility in Canadian broadcasting history,” said Richard. “The Fund is the first of its kind in the world and, as such, already represents an unparalleled and groundbreaking achievement.”
“There are considerable challenges at the point where broadcasting content, accessibility, the needs of users and evolving technology meet,” said Allister Byrne. “The BAF, under the guidance of Richard and our highly experienced Board of Directors, will play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges, on a course toward making Canadian broadcasting a leading model of accessibility, anywhere.”
The Broadcasting Accessibility Fund was established as an independent and impartial funding body supporting innovative projects to increase the accessibility of broadcasting content in Canada. The fund was created as part of the tangible benefits package associated with Bell Canada’s acquisition of CTV. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved its creation together with initial funding of $5.7M.
The BAF will be operational in the early summer 2014, with the first round of funding applications anticipated for the fall of 2014. The Grants Committee of the BAF Board will collaborate with Richard on making recommendations for project funding to the full Board of Directors.
A Life-Changing Ride
HI DeafBC,
I have joined the Ride to Conquer Cancer 2014! I have got an interpreter provided for the first timers orientation this Wed May 14, 7-8pm at Tong Louie Family YMCA, 14988 57 Ave, Surrey. If anyone else has joined the ride or if you are curious, come check it out!
Donna Russell
Cancer Survivor
