Happy new year from our Sterling Creations Business Desk and I’m Scott Savoy welcoming you to 2022.
I hope that everyone enjoyed their festive season as best as they could and I look forward to continuing to bring you our weekly editions.
For this week I am delighted to kick off 2022 with our president’s first editorial; Donna J. Jodhan reflects on what have we learned!
Great reading to start things off.
Happy 2022 from me and the team!
+++++++++++++++
What did we learn for 2021
By Donna J. Jodhan
There are so many things that I can mention here but for now I am going to do my best to list the more important things and not to clutter our minds.
To start with, I learned that it does not matter if I pay my bills or taxes; Government departments and utility companies will continue to do what they have been doing for so or too many years. This being to ignore the rights of Canadians with disabilities when it comes to providing information, services, and products equally to all Canadians.
It seems as if they do not follow the strands of philosophy that clearly state that if it is not accessible, it is not acceptable. One of the most glaring examples for 2021 is the inaccessible Arrive Can app. In addition, if a work around is needed in order to make something =ccessible, then it is definitely not acceptable.
Speaking of the Arrive Can app, I learned over the past few months that the relevant Federal Government departments somehow conveniently forgot to ensure that this app was accessible to seniors, Canadians with disabilities, and those without cell phones, those who are not technically able to use an I device, and those without Internet connections. We need to convince the Canadian Border Service Agency and Public Health Canada that they need to include the requirements of those groups as stated above.
Any action short of this can only be described as reckless and willful.
Their lack of transparency, responsibility, and accountability need to be swiftly and firmly addressed both by the present government and by organizations for and of persons with disabilities and seniors.
I also learned that too many entities continue to place heavy requests on Canadians with disabilities to share their expertise and knowledge in return for no financial compensation. Just ask the Canadian Transportation agency, the Canadian Human Rights Commission and other high profile Federal Government Departments why they continue to flout the rights of Canadians with Disabilities choosing instead to continue with a very unfair practice. Or should I ask them how they plan to rectify this glaring glitch?
However, these departments are not the only offenders. Both Federal and provincial entities continue to be a part of this trend with no end in sight. Just ask Elections Ontario if they pay Ontarians with disabilities when they hire them to sit on their advisory group. Or just ask other entities if they pay members of their advisory groups whenever these members so selflessly share their expertise and knowledge.
Just ask certain universities in Ottawa if they plan to compensate invited Canadians with disabilities to participate in their research projects. I can tell you that fairly recently one of them was bold enough to invite someone to be a part of one of their research projects and then had the nerve to state in one of their letters that there would be no compensation.
In short, the embarrassing pattern of requesting and asking Canadians with disabilities to share their lived and hard earned expertise in return for no financial compensation needs to stop as soon as possible. There is a famous Chinese proverb that says “cheap things no good.”
So if we consider this, it would bluntly mean that our expertise and knowledge are no good because it is cheap! It is not worth anything because all of these entities continue to extract our expertise and knowledge at no cost!
Hard lessons to learn and digest but I as the eternal optimist will continue to make things better than possible wherever and whenever I can!
Just my two cents for today.
Image =3D 2021 learning and education theme. A woman dances atop the numerals 2021 learning, seeking and documenting everything that she finds.
To learn more about me as a sight loss coach visit www.donnajodhan.com
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.
Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
Blog
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting http://www.donnajodhan.com
You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
reetings from our business desk and I’m Scott Savoy getting ready for the holiday = season.
Ah yes! November it is and all’s well with the world!
Today I am pleased to share our president’s editorial with you and for today Donna J. Jodhan has something very serious to share with you.
It’s all about whether our Accessible Canada Act is toothless or toothful!
Please enjoy this wonderful November weekend.
+++++++++++++++
Is the Accessible Canada Act toothless or tooth full
By Donna J. Jodhan
I was truly hoping that I would not need to weigh in on this very interesting question. However, truth be told; it has become a very burning question over the past few months and we should not be blaiming the pandemic for contributing to all of this.
When the ACA was made legislation in June 2019, there were so many Canadians with disabilities who had very high hopes for its ability to solve several problems such as ensuring that federal government departments would change their attitude from one of not listening to attitudes of collaboration, engagement, and a willingness to work with stakeholders to create a more accessible and inclusive environment for Canadians with disabilities. Above all, transparency and accountability.
Sadly enough, this attitude on the part of some high profile government departments seem to be still present and I can only say that I have personally witnessed some very high profile federal government departments continuing to wilfully and recklessly ignore the guidelines of the ACA.
I am very reluctant to identify these so-called culprits but I am not sure what else to do. There are a few departments however that have picked up the mantle and have decided to show leadership. I congratulate Elections Canada for their leadership and I also congratulate Via Rail for fully adhering to excellent customer service.
I unfortunately call out the following departments for their poor attempts to follow the guidelines and for failing to even give it a decent try. These departments continue to show little transparency and accountability. Most of all, little or no respect for accessibility and inclusiveness.
Statistics Canada and the Canada Border Security Agency are two departments that I have personally been dealing with over the past two months and I can only describe their efforts as embarrassing, shameful, and an unwillingness to engage.
Only time will tell as to whether the ACA is toothless because of its inability to deal with departments such as those mentioned here or will they have the teeth to enforce the regulations.
I can only hope that these two culprits find a way to change their ways.
Just my two cents for today.
Image:
An illustration depicts the word TEAMBUILDING under which are 6 icons which read Team Spirit, Inspiration, Goals, Competence, Support and Motivation.
To learn more about me as a sight loss coach visit www.donnajodhan.com
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.
Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business = ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
Blog
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting http://www.donnajodhan.com
You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Happy new year from our Sterling Creations Business Desk and I’m Scott Savoy welcoming you to 2022.
I hope that everyone enjoyed their festive season as best as they could and I look forward to continuing to bring you our weekly editions.
For this week I am delighted to kick off 2022 with our president’s first editorial; Donna J. Jodhan reflects on what have we learned!
Great reading to start things off.
Happy 2022 from me and the team!
+++++++++++++++
What did we learn for 2021
By Donna J. Jodhan
There are so many things that I can mention here but for now I am going to do my best to list the more important things and not to clutter our minds.
To start with, I learned that it does not matter if I pay my bills or taxes; Government departments and utility companies will continue to do what they have been doing for so or too many years. This being to ignore the rights of Canadians with disabilities when it comes to providing information, services, and products equally to all Canadians.
It seems as if they do not follow the strands of philosophy that clearly state that if it is not accessible, it is not acceptable. One of the most glaring examples for 2021 is the inaccessible Arrive Can app. In addition, if a work around is needed in order to make something accessible, then it is definitely not acceptable. =
Speaking of the Arrive Can app, I learned over the past few months that the relevant Federal Government departments somehow conveniently forgot to ensure that this app was accessible to seniors, Canadians with disabilities, and those without cell phones, those who are not technically able to use an I device, and those without Internet connections. We need to convince the Canadian Border Service Agency and Public Health Canada that they need to include the requirements of those groups as stated above.
Any action short of this can only be described as reckless and willful.
Their lack of transparency, responsibility, and accountability need to be swiftly and firmly addressed both by the present government and by organizations or and of persons with disabilities and seniors.
I also learned that too many entities continue to place heavy requests on Canadians with disabilities to share their expertise and knowledge in return for no financial compensation. Just ask the Canadian Transportation agency, the Canadian Human Rights Commission and other high profile Federal Government Departments why they continue to flout the rights of Canadians with Disabilities choosing instead to continue with a very unfair practice. Or should I ask them how they plan to rectify this glaring glitch?
However, these departments are not the only offenders. Both Federal and provincial entities continue to be a part of this trend with no end in sight. Just ask Elections Ontario if they pay Ontarians with disabilities when they hire them to sit on their advisory group. Or just ask other entities if they pay members of their advisory groups whenever these members so selflessly share their expertise and knowledge.
Just ask certain universities in Ottawa if they plan to compensate invited Canadians with disabilities to participate in their research projects. I can tell you that fairly recently one of them was bold enough to invite someone to be a part of one of their research projects and then had the nerve to state in one of their letters that there would be no compensation.
In short, the embarrassing pattern of requesting and asking Canadians with disabilities to share their lived and hard earned expertise in return for no financial compensation needs to stop as soon as possible. There is a famous Chinese proverb that says “cheap things no good.”
So if we consider this, it would bluntly mean that our expertise and knowledge are no good because it is cheap! It is not worth anything because all of these entities continue to extract our expertise and knowledge at no cost!
Hard lessons to learn and digest but I as the eternal optimist will continue to make things better than possible wherever and whenever I can!
Just my two cents for today.
Image 3D 2021 learning and education theme. A woman dances atop the numerals 2021 learning, seeking and documenting everything that she finds.
To learn more about me as a sight loss coach visit www.donnajodhan.com
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.
Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
Blog
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting http://www.donnajodhan.com
You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/autho= rdonnajodhan
reetings from our business desk and I’m Scott Savoy getting ready for the holiday season.
Ah yes! November it is and all’s well with the world!
Today I am pleased to share our president’s editorial with you and for today Donna J. Jodhan has something very serious to share with you.
It’s all about whether our Accessible Canada Act is toothless or toothful!
Please enjoy this wonderful November weekend.
+++++++++++++++
Is the Accessible Canada Act toothless or tooth full
By Donna J. Jodhan
I was truly hoping that I would not need to weigh in on this very interesting question. However, truth be told; it has become a very burning question over the past few months and we should not be blaiming the pandemic for contributing to all of this.
When the ACA = was made legislation in June 2019, there were so many Canadians with = disabilities who had very high hopes for its ability to solve = several problems such as ensuring that federal government departments = would change their attitude from one of not listening to attitudes of = collaboration, engagement, and a willingness to work with stakeholders = to create a more accessible and inclusive environment for Canadians with = disabilities. Above all, transparency and = accountability.
Sadly = enough, this attitude on the part of some high profile government = departments seem to be still present and I can only say that I have = personally witnessed some very high profile federal government = departments continuing to wilfully and recklessly ignore the guidelines = of the ACA.
I am very reluctant to identify these so-called = culprits but I am not sure what else to do. There are a few = departments however that have picked up the mantle and have decided to = show leadership. I congratulate Elections Canada for their = leadership and I also congratulate Via Rail for fully adhering to = excellent customer service.
I = unfortunately call out the following departments for their poor attempts = to follow the guidelines and for failing to even give it a decent = try. These departments continue to show little transparency and = accountability. Most of all, little or no respect for = accessibility and inclusiveness.
Statistics = Canada and the Canada Border Security Agency are two departments that I = have personally been dealing with over the past two months and I can = only describe their efforts as embarrassing, shameful, and an = unwillingness to engage.
Only time = will tell as to whether the ACA is toothless because of its inability to = deal with departments such as those mentioned here or will they have the = teeth to enforce the regulations.
I can only = hope that these two culprits find a way to change their = ways.
Just my two cents for = today.
Image:
An illustration depicts the word TEAMBUILDING under = which are 6 icons which read Team Spirit, Inspiration, Goals, = Competence, Support and Motivation.
To learn = more about me as a sight loss coach visit www.donnajodhan.com
To reach = me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.
Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s = blogs and editorials.
Donna = Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogs= pot.com
Weekly features on = how to increase your success with your business = ventures
http://www.ste= rlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about = accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreation= s.ca/blog
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers = Series by visiting http://www.donnajodhan.com
You can follow me on twitter = @accessibleworld
and chat with me on = Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on = Facebook at www.facebook.com/autho= rdonnajodhan
Like us on Facebook = at www.facebook.com/autho= rdonnajodhan