WEBVTT

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[Anselmo]: Hello! This is DeafDots,
12 March 2021.

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

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[Anselmo]: At
the end of January,

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the Greater Vancouver Association
of the Deaf (GVAD) posted a vlog on

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its Facebook to alert Deaf people to
be aware of investment opportunities.

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GVAD president Forrest
Smith was concerned that it

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may be a scheme that potentially
exploits vulnerable Deaf people.

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After people posted personal
attacks on one another,

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GVAD removed the vlog.

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In a February 1 vlog,

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Smith explained that GVAD
couldn't please anyone:

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people said to leave the vlog,
others said to take it off,

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that GVAD should
not impose its opinion.

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What was it about?

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The controversy began when people in
BC were reacting to buzz about a company,

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“OnPassive” and “GoFounders”.

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DeafDots did an investigation and
found that these companies were

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based in the U.S.,

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and a sizable number of Deaf
Americans also got involved.

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After DeafDots made inquiries,

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we were contacted
by an American.

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[Jeremy]: Hello,
I am Jeremy Williams.

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I am one of the GoFounders
member of ONPASSIVE,

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a one-stop business solution
and IT technology company

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registered
around the world,

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one of my roles is to promote
and support the company.

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As a Deaf leader,

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I make sure that my Deaf equals
and founders have access to

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information through
American Sign Language, ASL.

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[Anselmo]: Dun & Bradstreet,
a business credit company in the U.S.

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lists OnPassive LLC,
with headquarters in Orlando, FL,

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having started in 2019 and
currently has a total of 8 employees,

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and is expected to earn
$114,296 USD this year.

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[Jeremy]: Our company will
expand with over 50 products

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and keep
adding new ones.

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Our first big project is that was
just released is O-Cademy - which

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will make education accessible
to everyone around the world.

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O-Cademy would empower teachers
to have equal and better pay.

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[Anselmo]: Their first product,

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"O-Cademy" was launched on Feb
15th; they say the platform would

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empower students and tutors to
a one-stop solution for all online

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education related services.

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It's like Uber in Education...

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[Anselmo]: Ash Mufareh,

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49 is hearing and has been
co-founder of "OnPassive" and

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"GoFounders" since July 2018.

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Born in Alabama,

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his goal is to use Artificial Intelligence
(AI) and Information Technology (IT)

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to automate digital marketing,

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online learning and back
office work - in businesses,

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education,
technology and home life.

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He is following popular Internet
automated technology models i.e.

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Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb.

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[Anselmo]: There are two groups:
OnPassive is a “business solution

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platform” making the products.

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The second GoFounders group
is enlisting supporters to purchase

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"Founder membership" for $97
USD + taxes during prelaunch.

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Founder members could
get "residuals for life".

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It's as if you are buying
shares in a company,

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or investing in Facebook,
Google or Zoom.

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Except OnPassive and GoFounders
are not public corporations.

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GVAD in BC was concerned that Deaf
people would pay the fee without

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assurances of whether these
companies would succeed.

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Like investing in a business,

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it involves possible financial and
legal risks which each Deaf person

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should consider
before getting involved.

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[Anselmo]: On February 14th,

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the first formal meeting of “Canada
Deaf Grassroots Movement” (CDGM)

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was held on zoom.

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After being launched
informally one year ago,

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this national group is
still in its beginning stage.

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[Kimberly]: We,
the grassroots people...

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Deaf and hard of hearing... Deaf-blind,
we are the real people,

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raw people and it is important
that our voices be heard by the

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government and Deaf
organizations across Canada.

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[Anselmo]: What for CDGM?

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[Kimberly]: This CDGM
started just about one year ago.

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At that time,

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CAD was not sharing information
or sending newsletters about what

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what's happening inside CAD and
what was taking place on national

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level and the federal government
after the ASL & LSQ communities

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lobbied for the
Canada Accessible Act.

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CAD was communicative and Deaf
Communities across Canada was

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receptive but
then it faded away.

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Where is the information?
Is it blocked?

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For that reason I launched CDGM
with the purpose of seeing more

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information and transparency across
Canada for any Deaf organization,

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no matter if local,
provincial or federal level...

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and we expect to work
with these organizations,

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no matter in which province if
it is related to a group within the

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province to contact that provincial
organization to work with us also.

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Last Sunday,

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we hosted our first CDGM meeting
but not all provinces were represented,

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some were absent or representatives
had not yet been secured.

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[Anselmo]: Is it the same
as DGM in the USA?

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Kimberly says yes.

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DGM was launched in 2015.
Its purpose?

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To empower Deaf people and
provide means for Deaf voice.

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There is a second CDGM
group in Ontario formed in 2016.

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[Barbara]: What's the purpose
that the community could do...

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gather resources,
share experiences,

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and could work together to build
more strength than organizations

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and agencies as they
both really need us.

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We could pinch organizations and
agencies to help us by advocating

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for us in dealing
with the government.

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[Anselmo]: How would
the community do this?

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[Barbara]: The
proper steps for us,

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the Deaf grassroots
needs are varied,

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many of us grassroots have
roots representing all of us.

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Who would be
representing the grassroots?

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The organizations and agencies.

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They can help pull us up
for our same common vision.

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Here in Canada,
for example, I list 3 things...

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AEE,
for an idea,

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1) A for accessibility,

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2) E for education,

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3) for employment

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[Anselmo]: Barbara participated
in the first CDGM meeting as one of

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the representatives for Ontario
and they will work together.

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Both point out that Deaf people
don’t really understand or know how

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to file complaints
with the province,

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Human Rights,
or on the federal level.

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The impact of COVID-19
pandemic especially on

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Deaf people has been huge.

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[Kimberly]: The goal is to have a
representative in every province,

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and each representative would
recruit people to be on their committees.

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They would advocate within
their provinces whereas we

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on a national level could provide
help to ensure they had all the

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necessary resources,
support or information.

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Collaborating and
unity is the key.

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Along with representatives
in each province,

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the Indigenous community
would also form its own group.

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It won't be part of the provincial
groups as Indigenous peoples have

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their own issues with the band,

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the Affairs of First Nations so
they would have representation.

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Of course AFN would work
with our federal government.

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Everyone, their voices should
be heard.

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Period.

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Without any favoritism or leeway
as to who can and cannot be part,

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we have no interest in it.

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Anyone is welcome,
regardless.

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If you don't understand
or don't know how,

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we will teach and we will empower
you to succeed for yourself!

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[Anselmo]: People
need a support system.

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Hopefully CDGM will be a big step
towards linking Deaf communities

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with provinces and
national organizations.

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[Anselmo]: Hi Nicole,

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were you able to find out more
about a club for people to get

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together to read Deaf books?

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[Nicole]: Yes,
it is called “Deaf Book Club”,

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launched recently by Saskatchewan Deaf
and Hard of Hearing Services (SDHHS).

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Anyone across Canada who
is interested in books related to

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Deaf gather on zoom
to discuss books.

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Patricia Spicer
is coordinating it.

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I asked her why
she started the group.

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[Patti]: Hearing people
have Book Clubs.

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There should be more people in the
Deaf Community who like to read books.

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Hearing books? No,
read Deaf books...

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Deaf topics, by a Deaf writer,
or involves Deaf people.

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[Nicole]: The Deaf Book Club meets
every Wednesday and reviews one

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book during the month,

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and SDHHS provides Voice/ASL
interpreters so both Deaf and

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hearing people can participate
in weekly online discussions.

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Patti says all sorts
of people participate:

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Deaf instructors,
ASL interpreter students, Deaf seniors,

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Deaf who love to read,

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Hard of Hearing people who
want to learn Deaf culture,

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ASL and history,
Hearing allies.

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[Rochelle]: The Deaf Book Club
is terrific as we can gather to

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discuss our
perspectives on that book.

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I am always fascinated with their
perspectives on the same book...

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their experiences and stories,
their insights,

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thoughts and being able to question
and discuss back and forth.

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The book that I appreciated
the most is "Deaf Daughter,

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Hearing Father" because it gave me
a chance to actually meet them both

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on zoom and share more
moments than what is in the book,

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it was touching.

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You should join!

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[Nicole]: The group reads and
discusses several chapters of the

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book each week,
then on the last week,

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they would invite the author or
someone involved in the book

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to
make an appearance.

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So far they have read "Deaf
Politician - The Gary Malkowski Story"

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by Richard Medugno
featuring Gary Malkowski,

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first Deaf Canadian politician,

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and "Deaf Daughter,
Hearing Father" by Richard Medugno

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about his Deaf daughter,
Miranda.

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Gary Malkowski,
Richard Medugno and Miranda Medugno

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joined the Deaf Book
Club’s group discussions!

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The Club is currently reviewing

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"Bravo! Miss Brown: Without Sight
and Sound" by Joan MacTravish.

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Joan, who is believed to be
the first intervenor in Canada,

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is 100 years old and is
scheduled to join with her daughter

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in the
group discussion!

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In April,
they will review "Voice" by Adam Pottle.

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[Patti]: In the future,

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I am thinking of
3 important things:

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making more Deaf books
known;

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raising awareness about Deaf Culture,
ASL history,

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and Deaf & Hearing writers;
and creating Deaf Book libraries

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all
over North America.

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[Anselmo]: Thanks,
Nicole.

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It would be interesting
to meet Joan!

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[Anselmo]: In 2014, British Columbia
announced the Accessibility 2024 plan.

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We have 3 years left.

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What's happening?

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The plan was to make the province
“the most progressive province in

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Canada for people
with disabilities by 2024".

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The plan also included
making internet access in B.C.

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"the most accessible in Canada."

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There are more than 926,100
British Columbians over the age of

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15 with some form of disability.

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This represents
24.7% of the population.

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As the population ages,

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the number of people with
disabilities and the severity of

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their disabilities
are likely to increase

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[Anselmo]: The BC Human Rights Code
allows people to make individual

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complaints when
their rights are violated,

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but it does not resolve
systematic problems.

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Having this Accessibility
Legislation would reinforce and

00:24:22.564 --> 00:24:31.212
strengthen the rights of
persons with disabilities.

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In what ways?

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it would create mechanisms
such as accessibility standards

00:24:42.876 --> 00:24:50.109
to address
systematic barriers.

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The B.C. Government held
province-wide public consultations on the

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development of proposed accessibility
legislation between Sept. 16

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and Nov. 29, 2019.

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Thousands of BC
citizens expressed ideas,

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stories, their struggles,
and also their successes.

00:25:32.926 --> 00:25:38.960
What is it like to live with a
disability and navigating obstacles

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.572
and the need for inclusion.

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[Anselmo]: Over 52 special interest
groups and 5 local government

00:25:53.561 --> 00:25:58.569
entities submitted comments.

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DeafDots recognized one
Deaf-related group on the list:

00:26:07.841 --> 00:26:16.082
Wavefront Centre for
Communication Accessibility.

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In their submission,

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Wavefront supports the need
to ensure the standards and

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regulations are developed together
with stakeholders including

00:26:40.121 --> 00:26:47.901
specialized organizations
such as themselves.

00:26:47.901 --> 00:26:58.890
"It's also important that those
with direct lived experience of a

00:26:58.890 --> 00:27:12.808
disability have a strong voice at the
table when these standards are developed."

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That was in 2019…
that’s two years ago…

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What’s
happening now?

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[Forrest]: Good news for all of
you in BC - the Minister of Social

00:27:29.854 --> 00:27:36.244
Development and Poverty Reduction
(SDPR) has informed us that they

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will be submitting
legislation this Spring!

00:27:40.544 --> 00:27:43.411
Accessibility BC Act (ABCA).

00:27:43.411 --> 00:27:47.527
This spring!
This is exciting news.

00:27:48.030 --> 00:28:00.964
[Anselmo]: The Accessibility
Secretariat in Victoria BC confirms that

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"We are now working to develop
and introduce comprehensive

00:28:08.676 --> 00:28:15.557
accessibility legislation
in Spring 2021.

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We will also engage
with advocates,

00:28:21.407 --> 00:28:30.821
communities and businesses
to ensure the new accessibility

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legislation is effective
and well-understood.”

00:28:38.285 --> 00:28:44.613
What should the
Deaf community do?

00:28:44.613 --> 00:28:59.188
GVAD president Forrest Smith is leading the
"Deaf Accessibility Caucus" (DAC) coalition.

00:28:59.188 --> 00:29:08.933
Over 30 people attended their
first meeting on February 5th.

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Smith has appointed five
people to lead the caucus,

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network, make proposals, research,
write and help identify priorities.

00:29:31.299 --> 00:29:39.444
DAC is also building alliances
with diverse groups including

00:29:39.506 --> 00:29:48.291
senior citizens,
Muslim, LGBTQA+,

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DeafBlind,
and people of color.

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