Resources

Communication Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC) is offering a free online course, by and for individuals, who have communication disabilities

• May 10, 2018
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Communication Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC) is offering a free online course, by and for individuals, who have communication disabilities

Communication Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC) is offering a free online course, by and for individuals, who have communication disabilities, on ways to direct people to assist them communicating in their communities.  This course is for people who:

• have a communication disability (not caused primarily by hearing loss)
• want a person to assist them communicating in certain situations
• are over 16 years of age
• communicate using unclear speech, picture, symbol, letter board or communication device

The course is also open to people who want to support an individual to take this course. » Read the rest

Client wins landmark award of $200,000 for sexual assault

• March 1, 2018
• Kimberly Srivastava
• Comments Off on Client wins landmark award of $200,000 for sexual assault

9 years ago, our client filed an HRTO application detailing how she had been sexually assaulted, solicited, threatened, and harassed in her workplace and in her home. The assaults were perpetrated by her boss who was also her landlord. It was a long journey, but earlier this year we welcomed the Tribunal’s decision affirming the discrimination and pattern of victimization she experienced. » Read the rest

Laurie Beachell to serve on Canada Revenue Agency’s Disability Advisory Committee

• December 15, 2017
• BakerLaw
• 1 Comment

Bakerlaw congratulates Laurie Beachell on his selection for the Canada Revenue Agency’s Disability Advisory Committee (DAC). The DAC will serve as a forum for persons with disabilities to communicate their perspectives to the Canada Revenue Agency as it works to revise the way it administers the tax measures designed to support people with disabilities. » Read the rest

Liberals to scrap policy that rejects sick, disabled immigrants

• November 27, 2017
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Liberals to scrap policy that rejects sick, disabled immigrants

“Canada is committed to ditching a policy that rejects immigrants because they’re sick or disabled and could be a drag on the health system, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen says.

Calling it an “important and sensitive” issue, Hussen said the government will look at all options to revamp the 40-year-old policy, which bars entry to applicants when they could be costly to public health or social service systems. » Read the rest

Canadian Transportation Agency rejects Via Rail’s efforts to limit wheelchair, mobility access on trains

• November 16, 2017
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Canadian Transportation Agency rejects Via Rail’s efforts to limit wheelchair, mobility access on trains

Bakerlaw clients, Martin Anderson and Marie Murphy, continue their fight for increased capacity  for mobility aids on Via Rail trains.

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is rejecting Via Rail’s efforts to limit access on its trains for passengers using wheelchairs and other mobility aids.  » Read the rest

People with episodic disabilities in Canada: Who are they and what supports do they need to obtain and retain employment?

• November 12, 2017
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on People with episodic disabilities in Canada: Who are they and what supports do they need to obtain and retain employment?

The research study entitled, Episodic Disabilities in Canada – People with episodic disabilities in Canada: Who are they and what supports do they need to obtain and retain employment?,  provides important analysis and research to assist people with episodic disabilities in pursuing human rights applications. » Read the rest

David Baker’s Words of Caution for Applicant Counsel

• November 12, 2017
• David Baker
• Comments Off on David Baker’s Words of Caution for Applicant Counsel

On November 13, 2017, David Baker will be presenting his paper, “Words of Caution for Applicant Counsel” at the Ontario Bar Association’s program, Your First Application Before the Human Rights Tribunal. Among the critical pieces of advice discussed, is the following:

Applicant counsel owes a duty to their clients to advise them that the HRTO is increasingly denying Applicants accessible justice, particularly in large or systemic cases. » Read the rest

New federal legislation promises support for caregivers of people with disabilities

• October 25, 2017
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on New federal legislation promises support for caregivers of people with disabilities

The federal minister responsible for crafting Canada’s first national accessibility legislation, Kent Hehr, says the new law should be ready by Spring 2018, and should benefit not only people with disabilities, but their caregivers as well.

Read the full article, Canada’s first national accessibility law should be ready by next spring: Hehr, by Michelle McGuigge of the Canadian Press HERE (link). » Read the rest

David Baker reviews the new book, “Disabling Barriers: Social Movements, Disability History, and the Law”, edited by Ravi Malhotra and Benjamin Isitt

• October 20, 2017
• David Baker
• Comments Off on David Baker reviews the new book, “Disabling Barriers: Social Movements, Disability History, and the Law”, edited by Ravi Malhotra and Benjamin Isitt

Review (click HERE for the PDF version)

Disabling Barriers: Social Movements, Disability History, and the Law, ed. Ravi Malhotra and Benjamin Isitt

UBC Press, $32.95

The two editors of this valuable new addition to the small but growing literature on the law, history and politics of disability in Canada is most welcome. » Read the rest

McCreath v. Victoria Taxi (1987) Ltd., 2017 BCCA 342 – Blind British Columbia man loses discrimination case against taxi company

• October 16, 2017
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on McCreath v. Victoria Taxi (1987) Ltd., 2017 BCCA 342 – Blind British Columbia man loses discrimination case against taxi company

In a unanimous ruling on October 6, 2017, a panel of the British Columbia Court of Appeal held that Graeme McCreath, a blind man, was not discriminated against when he and his guide dog, Adrienne, were refused a taxi ride in 2014. » Read the rest