DEAFBC

Dear Mr. Kielty,

I am sending this open message to you to express my concern about Snap! VRS’ disabling the services of Viable VPADs here in Canada. For quite some time, I served on BC-VRS Committee here in British Columbia, Canada.

The committee was instrumental in getting the Canadian Radiotelevision and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) which is to Canada as the Federal Communications Commission is to the United States to initiate a VRS programme for deaf and hearing residents of British Columbia and Alberta.

Primarily because of the differing nature of VRS funding, our local telephone company TELUS chose Sorenson as the single VRS vendor — in spite of our efforts to open our market to various vendors.

However, TELUS’ contract with Sorenson is for a trial period of eighteen months after which period of time the CRTC will evaluate for the purpose of establishing a permanent VRS across Canada. Also, Bell Canada is conducting a marketing survey in Ontario and Quebec which will be considered by the CRTC. I want to add here that BC-VRS Committee still has close ties with TELUS.

I am in receipt of Mr. Roger Carver’s email message to you and support all of his suggestions to correct the problem your company created for Canadian users of VPADs. If your company is unable to correct the problem as quickly as possible, then we shall cast a doubt on your company’s ability to provide a VRS program here during the 2013 CRTC hearings. After all, many deaf Canadians placed their faith on VPADs by purchasing them and I am sure they will feel understandably deceived.

In a nutshell, I hope you will restore the service quickly. Of course we understand we may not use your VRS program.

I am sending copies of this message to the Canadian Association of the Deaf and also to Ms. Janice Lyons who is a member of the BC-VRS Committee.  Finally, I’m sending it to Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf with a request to post it on its DeafBC website.

Thank you.

Wayne Sinclair

Click here to view the letter sent by CAD