WEBVTT

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Hello! This is DeafDots,
14 April 2023.

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Bringing alerts & news reports
at intervals for all Deaf Canadians.

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Don’t forget to subscribe,
like, and follow

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DeafDots to get
new video updates!

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[ANSELMO]: CAV has announced who
will replace Sue Decker who was its first

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Executive Director and CEO and launched
Canada Video Relay Service in 2016.

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DeafDots reported last December 2022
that Sue Decker would be retiring.

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After Sue Decker’s retirement announcement,
a nationwide search was conducted

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through an independent recruiting firm,
LHH Knightsbridge, which managed

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the recruiting process. We were
pleased to receive strong interest

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in the position, and CAV’s Board
of Directors worked closely

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with Knightsbridge to screen
and interview the candidates.

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On behalf of the Board, I am pleased
to announce that after

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a thorough search, Suzanne
Laforest has been selected as CAV’s

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next Executive Director and CEO,
effective April 1, 2023.

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[ANSELMO]: Until CAV’s announcement
as new Executive Director,

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Suzanne had been with CAV
as its Director of Operations

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for Video Interpreter Providers working
primarily with LSQ interpreters.

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Before that she was Executive
Director of SIVET, a primary provider

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of sign language interpreting
for LSQ for CAV. During her term,

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SIVET built two new call centers.

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I am honored and grateful to the
Board of Directors for giving me

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the opportunity to manage CAV
in tandem with a talented, dedicated,

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and committed team. With a goal
to promote awareness of Video Relay

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Services, I plan to build on the work
achieved so far and look forward

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to making further innovative
improvements to this one-of-a-kind

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telecommunications service.
I am excited and look forward

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to serving Canada VRS
that meets the needs

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of Canada’s Deaf and
Hard-of-hearing community

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[ANSELMO]: Suzanne has been
involved with a variety of services

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throughout the Canadian Deaf
and Hard of Hearing community

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for over 18 years. As a Deaf
Canadian who uses four languages

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including LSQ, ASL, French,
and English, she is in a stronger

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position to provide leadership and

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represent both the ASL and LSQ
communities in Canada.

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[ANSELMO]: On March 6, ASL Community
of Niagara (ASLCN) in Ontario shared

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on its Facebook an announcement
from St. Catharines mayor Mat Siscoe

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that "City staff had been working
with Avril Hertneky, a member

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of the Deaf community, on ways
to reduce communication barriers

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in City facilities." The mayor
mentioned the Community, Recreation,

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and Culture Services department
for their hard work, and credited

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Avril for sharing her experiences,
ideas and reminding us

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of the importance of taking time
to communicate, connect,

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and invest our efforts into
barrier-free communication.

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[ANSELMO]: More details were
shared on March 13, when the City

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of St. Catharines in Ontario
announced a pilot program.

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"To improve the communication
resources for the Deaf community,

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new American Sign Language (ASL)
signage was being installed

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at the entrances of select city
recreational facilities and parks."

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The ASL signs were placed
at entrances to seven city

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recreational facilities. Plans
also include installing

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ASL signs at select
parks this summer.

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[ANSELMO]: On March 15, Paul Moreau,
president of ASL Community

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of Niagara (ASLCN) posted
a personal tweet to @St_Catharines

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saying the ASL signage is
"riddled with errors. I've been

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in touch with the city trying
to get this issue resolved..."

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[ANSELMO]: DeafDots asked Paul
what on the ASL sign was

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"riddled with errors". He said:
"Illustrations are erroneous.

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Also, they used stock
images for some of the signs

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in the bottom half. The sign
for the letter X showed hand

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movement, which is not accurate.
The sign for the letter N

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is missing a part of the
thumb resting on the palm,

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and the signs for H and G
should be shown from the front,

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not the back. The sign for D
also had an error,

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with the illustration
showing the middle finger

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going upward instead
of the index finger."

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[ANSELMO]: Paul also mentioned
some signs, like play and cold,

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should be positioned in front
of the torso, with the hands

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facing each other, not forward. 
There are more errors that

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we plan to discuss with City
staff in an upcoming meeting."

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DeafDots reached
out to the city of St. Catharines

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to ask what the status
of the ASL signs at this time.

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The City has temporarily removed
the signage from our recreational

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facilities. We are
reviewing the situation

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to address any changes
that may be required.

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[ANSELMO]: Paul said he was
disappointed with the quality

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of the ASL illustrations
and that Deaf individuals

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with expertise in ASL studies
should have been consulted

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to ensure that the quality
meets public standards,

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as well as organizations such
as Sign Language Institute Canada.

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DeafDots asked St. Catharines
who would be involved moving

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forward with the ASL
signage review process.

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City staff has worked
collaboratively with Avril, a local

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deaf community advocate,
and will continue to work

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with the deaf community, and
Avril, on reviewing the signage

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and future opportunities
where we may partner together

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and really create an inclusive
and barrier-free

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environment
for all of St. Catharines.

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DeafDots asked Avril how
she got the idea for the City

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to put up the ASL signs.
She declined to respond.

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[RAE-MAIRI]: DeafDots announced
on December 23, 2022 that CUPE 2073,

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the union for workers at Canadian
Hearing Services, had been

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in negotiation to agree
on a new employment contract.

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DeafDots recently got information
a representative at CUPE 2073

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announcing end of these
contract discussions,

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and that a final contract
has been released.

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The CUPE 2073
representative said it was

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a very difficult round of bargaining.
They were not able

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to incorporate the items they
wanted in the 3-year contract,

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but remain committed
to serving the community.

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CHS released this
video statement.

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Canadian Hearing Services (CHS)
and CUPE Local 2073 finally

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have a new collective union
contractual agreement.

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This announcement happened
on January 23, 2023 in Ontario.

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We are celebrating a new 3-year
contract between CHS and

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CUPE Local 2073 members.
This new agreement allows for CHS

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to continue to provide important
programs and services

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for Canadian Deaf and Hard
of Hearing people. With this very important

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support from CUPE Local 2073 Members.
Julia N Dumanian the CPS CEO says,

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“CHS is thrilled to have reached this
new agreement which ensures

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that Canadian Hearing
Services will be able to continue

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to deliver best-in-class products
and services that thousands

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of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals
and their families rely on.

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I extend my thanks and
congratulations to the negotiating teams

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for reaching an agreement
that meets the approval

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of both our organization
and our unionized staff.

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[RAE-MAIRI]: CUPE 2073 says they
remain committed to increasing

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the representation of Deaf
workers at CHS. Mara Waern,

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CUPE 2073 president reminded the
community about their commitment

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to working with clients and
fighting to improve services for all.

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[ANSELMO]: Metrolinx is a provincial
government agency in the Greater

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Toronto and Hamilton area that
operates GO Transit - trains and buses,

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and UP Express, and the PRESTO
transit fare payment system.

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Metrolinx has an accessibility
committee that provides input

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on policy and procedures related
to accessibility. In January,

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Metrolinx sent an invitation
for applications to serve

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on the Metrolinx Accessibility
Advisory Committee (AAC).

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[ANSELMO]: Metrolinx Media Relations
shared with DeafDots that

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AAC members represent the
interests of Deaf and Hard of Hearing

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individuals, either by personal
experience, professional experience,

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or family experience. DeafDots
contacted Canadian Association

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of the Deaf (CAD-ASC) as they had
forwarded the announcement email

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from Metrolinx seeking new AAC members
with very short notice of the deadline.

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This question is best answered
straight from Metrolinx.

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We have questions - the first
one is why did they not include

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Deaf media organizations?
Why weren’t Provincial deaf organizations

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included when the advertising
letters were sent out?

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What would be your policy if someone
completed your application late?

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Finally, would there be
exceptions or accommodations

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if a provincial deaf organization
wanted to fill out the application?

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[ANSELMO]: Their website still
encourages people to contact them

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if they want to learn more about
applying for involvement with the AAC.

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However, there seems to be
no definite representation of Deaf people

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other than what Metrolinx says.

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Does CAD have a representative
on the committee?

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Metrolinx is a provincial
crown organization. Currently,

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there is no representative
from the CAD-ASC board. However,

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if a provincial organization
requests CAD-ASC to provide

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representation support, then
we will send someone from the board

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who will be more than happy
to help out. Also as the President,

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I have some concerns about the
failure to meet the needs of Deaf,

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hard-of-hearing, Indigenous, and
Deaf-Blind community members

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due to barriers, and
frustrations with interpreters.

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There is no way to meet
the accommodations we need.

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How important is it for Metrolinx
to support Deaf representation?

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It is very important to have CAD-ASC
encourage support to proceed.

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We want more equality, accommodations
and support. That is our goal

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for everyone. CAD-ASC will support
any requests for extended time

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for provincial or northern organizations
to complete the applications.

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We need to work together to
listen and give mutual respect.

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It takes teamwork
for organizations to succeed.

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Thank you, Shawna, the Deaf
community needs to be involved

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in all accessibility decisions that
would shape the future of Canada.

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Thank you for watching DeafDots.

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Please send your news
suggestions through

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our website www.DeafDots.ca
or email to news@deafdots.ca.

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Don’t forget to subscribe,
like, and follow

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DeafDots to get
new video updates!

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