Canadians with disabilities score human rights win

Donna Jodhan's inspiring triumph on the eve of the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

Ottawa (2 Dec. 2010) – On the eve of Dec. 3, the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), Canadians with disabilities have won a major victory in ensuring that government information becomes more accessible for people with sight impairment.

Earlier this week the Federal Court of Canada released a landmark decision concerning the right of Canadians with disabilities to access government websites.

Justice Michael Kelen ruled that the Canadian government must post key website content in a usable format for blind and partially-sighted Canadians.

This victory is the result of the courageous and persistent actions of blind activist Donna Jodhan.

Justice Kelen concluded the government breached Jodhan's equality rights by its "system-wide failure" to provide the same services to the visually impaired as it does to those who can see.

"She has been denied equal access to, and benefit from, government information and services provided online to the public on the Internet and this constitutes discrimination against her on the basis of her physical disability, namely that she is blind," wrote Justice Kelen.

Specifically, Kelen found the government is not living up to its own 2001 accessibility standards.

In a rare move, the justice said he will oversee implementation of Ottawa's online retrofit and warned that the court will intervene if the government fails to act.

The National Union of Public and General Employees is pleased to profile and pay tribute to Jodhan and her successful human rights complaint as an especially appropriate way to highlight the objective behind IDPD, which is celebrated each year on Dec. 3.

NUPGE has also produced a poster in its series - 'One Good Idea Deserves Another - Full Human Rights for All’ - to help celebrate and mark the occasion. The union invites members and the public to download and distribute the poster as widely as possible. Please click on the graphic in this article or the link below.


(2010-12-2/nupge.ca)