As of August 1, 2022, bakerlaw has joined forces with Ross & McBride LLP.
Our team is excited to become part of the formidable group of human rights, employment, and constitutional lawyers at Ross & McBride. Our current and future clients will continue to receive the personalized, high-quality representation that has become synonymous with bakerlaw, and will benefit from the collaborative, cross-functional approach to complex issues that both we and Ross & McBride value. With the added resources of larger, full-service firm, this collaboration will allow us to take on new clients for the first time since October 2021. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact us at contact@rossmcbride.com
The content on this page is no longer being updated here. For news and updated content you can find it on the Ross & McBride News page.
The Need to move Beyond Policy Remedies
- April 25, 2019
- BakerLaw
- Comments Off on The Need to move Beyond Policy Remedies
Persons with disability often face a Catch-22 when seeking funding from government assistance programs. To be eligible for the assistance programs, the applicants must show proof of a severe limitation in functional capacity. When an applicant can demonstrate this limitation, the funding they receive is based on the degree of limitation they face. » Read the rest
UN World Autism Awareness Day
- April 2, 2019
- BakerLaw
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April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day! In observance of this day, the United Nations is hosting a panel discussion at the UN Headquarters in New York City addressing “Assistive Technologies, Active Participation”. The discussion will be live from 10 a.m » Read the rest
CRTC mandates standard for quality, accessibility and functionality to message relay services
- March 14, 2019
- Anoop Kalsi
- Comments Off on CRTC mandates standard for quality, accessibility and functionality to message relay services
On December 14, 2018, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) took steps to improve the quality and access to message relay services.
These services enable Canadians with a hearing or speech disability to make and receive telephone calls using text with the assistance of a relay operator. » Read the rest
David Lepofsky, Disability Organizations Call on Federal Government to Improve Bill C-81
- February 26, 2019
- Laura Lepine
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On January 9th, 2019, the Chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance (“AODA Alliance”), David Lepofsky, sat down with CTV “Your Morning” host Kelsey McEwen to discuss the federal government’s Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act.
Since the bill’s inception, the federal government has stated it is meant to reflect the principle “nothing about us without us!” » Read the rest
Revisiting Clark v. Clark
- December 5, 2018
- Anoop Kalsi
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In 1982, surrounding talks around the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Justin Clark began a battle for what would ultimately become a pivotal movement for Canadian disability rights. 26 years ago, on November 25, 1982, Judge John Ross Matheson rendered his historical ruling which determined that Justin Clark was mentally competent and able to make his own decisions. » Read the rest
Devaluing Ontarians with Intellectual Disabilities
- November 28, 2018
- Laura Lepine
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The Ontario government has announced a change to the Employment Standards Act that will have a significant, negative impact on Ontarians with intellectual disabilities: a delay to the end of sheltered workshops.
“Sheltered workshops” are places where people with disabilities are employed for incredibly low wages (under $2.00 per hour). » Read the rest
Technological Accessibility: The Future Begins with Federal Government Websites
- August 16, 2017
- BakerLaw
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In June 2017, the University of Pennsylvania Press published Disability, Human Rights, and Information Technology, edited by Jonathan Lazar and Michael Ashley Stein. The work is a collection of essays discussing barriers and accommodations for persons with disabilities in an increasingly technologically-driven world. » Read the rest
The Challenges of ‘Glass Ceiling’ Litigation
- January 5, 2015
- BakerLaw
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“it is not a question of whether this discrimination is motivated by an intentional desire to obstruct someone’s potential, or whether it is the accidental by-product of innocently motivated practices or systems. » Read the rest
“Canadians Should not be Provided Public Support to Kill Themselves”
- September 2, 2014
- BakerLaw
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Toronto, ON, August 29, 2014 — “It’s not worse than death, and people who are mislead into believing it will be should not be offered public support to kill themselves”, say two leading disability rights organizations who will be opposing attempts to strike down statutory provisions designed to prevent counselling or assisting anyone, disabled or not, to die. » Read the rest
Charter Challenge to Canada Student Loan Program
- July 31, 2014
- David Baker
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This week the Toronto Star published the column “Deaf-blind woman tests Canada’s equality guarantee” (link to article). The column outlines the plight of Jasmin Simpson, who is blind and deaf and who graduated with 60% more student debt due to the increased time it took her to complete her B.S.W. » Read the rest