Hello! This is DeafDots, 7 June 2024.
Bringing alerts & news reports at intervals for all Deaf Canadians.
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[ANSELMO]: Vancouver Community College celebrated 50 years of serving
the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, Hard of Hearing, and Visually Impaired Adults
on May 17, 2024. Four departments at VCC who have played key roles
are the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) program, ASL Deaf Studies (DADS),
Visually Impaired Program (VIP) and Interpreting Services (IS).
[ANSELMO]: Wayne Bottlinger, an instructor and administrator at VCC
convinced the Vancouver Vocational Institute to enroll nine students
in vocational office skills programs. This led to launching
the Program for the Deaf at VCC to equip Deaf and Hard of Hearing students
with the skills they need to achieve the personal, career or
education success they envision and deserve.
[ANSELMO]: VCC works with industry to ensure that VCC students have
direct access to employers. According to information VCC provided
to DeafDots, the unemployment rate for VCC’s ASL and Deaf Studies
students is 12.2% which is below the national average.
The top occupations are in the food industry, education and early
childhood care, retail, social services, and administrative services.
VCC, the program is really under the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program
that provides work-related programs. It used to be known as JRP -
Job Readiness Program but the name has changed to EESC -
“Essential Employment Skills Certificate”. This program has managed
to get jobs for students with employers, practicum for 5 weeks twice
at two different sites to give a taste of work experience.
It has been successful in placing students in work opportunities.
[ANSELMO]: In DeafDots June 9, 2023 program we reported that
the BC Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills
would provide $655,000 to move the Interpreter Training Program
from Douglas College to Vancouver Community College.
We were fortunate that VCC’s key people upstairs - our Dean and
our Vice-President have good networking with the government,
the Minister of Advanced Education which provides funding.
When Douglas College closed their program, they provided funding
to help with transition of the program to VCC. They agreed
to support and it has been really beneficial. The program
at Douglas College just closed this month. Now the full ITP
will start this fall meaning first year students will move
to the second year. How many new students will enter the first year,
we do not know yet but should know more shortly. I would say right
now about 10 but it may end up being 15 or 20. We don’t know yet.
[ANSELMO]: To celebrate VCC’s 50th year of serving the Deaf Community,
VCC hosted a celebration at its Broadway campus on May 17 with special
guest speakers, displays, an Indigenous Drumming/Singing Group,
and a cake-cutting ceremony. Donations were accepted during
the event with 100% going to the VCC Foundation to support student
scholarships and awards. VCC has two campuses with over 15,000 students
who are hearing, Deaf, Aboriginal and International learners.
[ANSELMO]: Sign Language Institute Canada (SLIC) has issued a report
on the legal status and statistics of Canada's sign languages.
Recommendations made in the report includes a proposed Sign Languages
Language Act, expanding the Official Languages Definition, signing
the World Federation of the Deaf's Charter of Sign Language Rights
for All, advocating for Deaf-led sign language resources in education,
and advancing curriculum development.
DeafDots interviewed the two key people who worked on this report.
Findings of the report: Language - ASL, LSQ, ISLS - Indigenous Sign Languages,
and MSL. ISLS has three languages: Intuit, Plains, Oneida and
Intuit sign languages. Statistics show 38 million people live in Canada
of which 38,000 use sign language. Based on all provinces. Legal -
the Accessibility BC Act and Accessibility Saskatchewan Act supports
sign language, and the governments who recognize sign languages
in Canada are British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and
Ontario. In addition, Ontario recognizes ASL and LSQ as languages
of instruction under Ontario Education Act. Fourthly, WFD provides
a tool kit to advocate for sign language including position paper
where they list findings to support our report.
Sign Language Institute Canada (SLIC) under the Canadian Cultural
Society of the Deaf distributed a report, "Legal Status
of Sign Language Statistics in Canada". It reports on different
sign languages in Canada - ASL, LSQ, MSL, and Indigenous Sign Languages
across Canada. How many Canadians learn and use sign language daily
across the country? Many universities, colleges, governments
in each province, federal government and Accessible Standards Canada
have asked us, municipalities; research non-profit organizations
keep asking us how many Deaf Canadians use sign language? Are there
laws related to sign language? So many questions. This is why
we decided to do this report to get the information out.
This report helps federal Members of Parliament, provincial
legislators in each province, MLA, MPP, MNA in Quebec to realize
credible information that can help develop future policies and
legislation, for example a Sign Language Act law. It could help
the Canadian Human Rights Commission, provincial human rights,
territories, universities and colleges, ASL Deaf Studies,
LSQ Studies, and Interpreter Training Programs to become aware
of statistics on sign languages in Canada and legal recognition
in each province. That's how this report will benefit and help.
The report says in addition to 38,000 Deaf Canadians
that use sign language as their primary language. There are an additional
3.8 million Canadians who are second language learners, hard of hearing,
Children of Deaf Adults (CODA), people with disabilities or aging
individuals with different degrees of hearing learning and using
sign language. They quote this statistic from Canadian Centre
on Disabilities Studies, 2021.
International Week of Deaf People, WFD usually announces annually in September.
This year, this fall September 22-29 will be IWD. On September 23,
the United Nations International Day of Sign Languages, we will hang
a flag, blue with yellow stripes representing our sign languages
as national languages of Deaf people. This report will help governments,
territories and provinces to add flags to recognize our sign languages in Canada.
[ANSELMO]: SLIC’s report says that sign languages are not yet recognized
at the federal level in Canada, and that the Canadian Association of the Deaf
(CAD) has been campaigning to get it recognized to ensure equality
of communication access for Canadian Deaf people.
[ANSELMO]: I saw video on Facebook selling “ILY” mugs to raise money
for a Deaf Camp in Okanagan Valley, BC. I asked Robyn Mackie,
our DeafDots street reporter to tell us more about it.
[ROBYN]: Okanagan Valley Association of the Deaf (OVAD) is hosting
their first ever CNIWT Deaf and HH Family Camp in West Kelowna
this August. It was supposed to be held last year but was canceled
at the last minute due to a major fire.
Last year OVAD planned its first Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and
Family Camp in Okanagan. We looked forward and were excited until
the day before when it had to be canceled due to a State Emergency
announcement that travel was not allowed, and to stay home.
This caught us off guard. What's more, several of our volunteers
involved in the Deaf Camp had to evacuate. That meant
we didn't have enough volunteers. The State Emergency
announcement said no one could gather, and to stay home.
That meant all the food and the items, what to do with them?
We refunded all money to those who registered for the Camp last year.
And all the food we donated to the firemen, emergency responders and
those evacuating the fires. Who supported this, the parents,
we gave it all away. We had to accept which was hard.
Now we look forward to this year's Camp!
[ROBYN]: To help raise funds for this year’s Camp, Linda came
up with the idea of selling this attractive 'I Love You' design
on a wine tumbler. Linda is a Deaf long-time resident.
This mug is blue, white and black. The "I Love You" is a Deaf sign
known worldwide. "ILY", a famous Deaf sign!
"I Love You", stainless steel. OVAD, Okanagan Valley Association
of the Deaf is fundraising to support the Summer Camp.
[ROBYN]: Why is it important to you to have the Deaf/HOH Children's
Camp and why are you passionate about it? How does this Deaf Camp benefit?
Why the camp is important? Many Deaf and hard of hearing children
live far apart. They are isolated. The Camp is intended to pull them
all together to socialize and boost their self-esteem,
meet new and old friends. The benefits of going to Camp
is language accessibility, signing in ASL and benefiting from interpreters,
and many resources. Importantly, exposure for everyone there.
Because I love everyone! Especially children who are Deaf and hard of hearing.
One mug sells for $35 each, 2 for $65.
[ROBYN]: Linda has lived in Osoyoos, a town in Okanagan Valley for 27 years.
Okanagan Valley is in south-central British Columbia. It was originally
home to the Okanagan First Nations and the area is now one
of the largest producers of fruit and wine in Canada.
OVAD is a non-profit association that provides social, sporting,
and educational support to Deaf, Deaf-Blind, Hard of Hearing,
and CODA families in the Okanagan, Kootenay, and Shuswap Regions.
I spoke with an OVAD representative about their 37 years of service
to the Deaf Community.
The Deaf community in Okanagan is about 300 Deaf people.
Not all are in one group but in different groups spread throughout.
[ROBYN]: Who provides support to Deaf and hard of hearing children?
DCS - Deaf Children Society of B.C. continues to support outreach services
throughout Okanagan Deaf and hard of hearing children from ages 0-5.
We continue to provide support - teaching ASL, Deaf mentoring and
supporting families, DCCW - Deaf Community Cultural Wealth.
[ROBYN]: Why does OVAD do the Deaf/HOH Camp and how important is it?
OVAD hosts the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Camp which is key because
we know Vancouver usually has camp sessions in their areas.
Here in Okanagan, children live far apart. They do not often gather
so the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Camp in the Summer is great to support
families, support children of all ages who could be Deaf or hard of hearing
and diverse, also CODA, grandparents and family members are all welcome
to congregate and enjoy meeting new friends, learning something new and
also supporting parents to support each other.
It will be a lot of fun and a success!
[ROBYN]: While researching OVAD, I read media reports about a human rights
complaint that OVAD filed against St. John Ambulance which was settled
in February 2020.
OVAD settled with St. John Ambulance. Before COVID, it was chaotic not having
interpreters rights, no interpreters showed up and not meeting Deaf demands.
Now it has gone smoothly and a success since the settlement.
We all are now satisfied with the provisions of interpreters
provided and it is working champs!
[ROBYN]: Thanks Linda and Dellalee. I hope the fundraising is successful.
Anselmo, why don’t you get an “ILY” mug?
[ANSELMO]: The ILY mug looks lovely but I have no room for another mug
on my kitchen shelves, I have too many mugs! I hope you did buy yours?
[ANSELMO]: If you are looking to purchase a home in Vancouver,
DeafDots introduces you to Brooke Gamas, Vancouver's Realtor for The Deaf.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Brooke is an ASL interpreter.
What led you to become a licensed Realtor?
I had a personal interest because I bought a presale condo.
I felt like I was signing various documents without full comprehension,
I wish I knew more about what I was signing. Similarly with family and
friends who needed support during transactions. To become a Realtor,
you must become a member - first taking a course at University of British Columbia
Sauder School of Business. After passing the exam,
there is a practicum, then you register your License to become
a member under BCFSA, (BC Financial Services Association),
and BCREA, British Columbia Real Estate Association.
Annual renewal is required with professional development
credits including Ethics and Law courses.
[ANSELMO]: What is the role of a Licensed Realtor and how does working
with you benefit a Deaf client instead of other hearing realtors?
Most realtors have a background in sales. I however, started
in a chocolate shop which yes it involves sales but then I became
a lifeguard and also entered the exercise industry.
That didn’t involve sales or recruiting clients.
My ethics and background derives from interpreting.
I have been in the field for 10 years. I am an ally,
supportive and accommodating, understanding of other viewpoints and,
most importantly, I provide clear communication.
It’s easy to work with hearing clients because they are familiar
with real estate terminology and can read legal jargon.
They will breeze through dense documents. On the other hand,
for the Deaf community I don’t want them to feel rushed
into signing documents away without fully understanding.
I would interpret into ASL allowing full comprehension before proceeding
with signing docs. I never assume people's level of comprehension;
I'll always take my time. That's the benefit of working with me.
[ANSELMO]: How did you get involved and decide to study
to become an Interpreter? Did you meet any Deaf person
before entering the Interpreter Education Program?
When becoming an interpreter, I didn’t have any Deaf friends or family members.
In my first ASL class I remember being surprised the instructor was Deaf.
Thinking to myself, how would we learn? But it was so natural and
easy which in hindsight, I see how it made sense to have a Deaf teacher!
I became invested in ASL and became an interpreter! Mind you, originally
I was studying to become a nurse. My parents scolded me a bit
but then accepted my new career choice.
[ANSELMO]: Real estate prices have gone up significantly making
it harder for people to qualify and purchase suitable housing.
What advice do you advise Deaf clients to factor when looking
for a property? What are the common avenues that Deaf clients
take to purchase property?
Yes, I agree it’s expensive. Here there are rules under CMHC -
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation - which requires
a minimum of a 5% deposit. You have to save and be prepared to pay the deposit.
When working with Deaf compared to hearing clients,
I feel their experiences are similar. They are motivated and want to buy.
I investigate which area they want, their budgets, what their
needs are versus wishes for a home. First step for most folks
is a pre-sales which requires smaller deposits which are broken down
over longer timelines. I caution you it's important to have a Realtor
with you because developers will try to rush you in a sale without possibly
including parking, storage, and other items to your benefit.
Ideally you have someone with you to advocate on your behalf.
[ANSELMO]: I agree, and also find a realtor who knows sign language!
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