Latest news with #deafCommunity
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tentative agreement reached between Canadian Hearing Services, striking workers
A tentative agreement has been reached between CUPE 2073 and Canadian Hearing Services. The workers have been on strike since April 28. No details of the deal will be released until workers review it and vote on it on Monday. If approved, employees could be back on the job on Monday, July 14. "Our members are incredibly eager to get back to jobs they love," Mara Waern, president of CUPE 2073 said. "The deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing communities all supported us throughout this strike, walking our lines, sharing their stories and now it's our turn to support them by providing them kind of services they deserve." CUPE 2073 represents about 200 workers in 18 different communities across Ontario.
CTV News
07-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Tentative deal reached in Canadian Hearing Services strike
It's been eight weeks since 200 Canadian Hearing Service workers walked off the job, workers across the province who support people in the deaf community.
Globe and Mail
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Manitoba's Accessibility Minister apologizes for ‘demeaning' comment about sign-language interpreter
Manitoba's Accessibility Minister is apologizing after she was heard on video using 'demeaning' language while questioning why a sign-language interpreter had been placed on the stage with her at a recent event. Nahanni Fontaine was preparing to speak with reporters during a gala celebrating Indigenous graduates in late June when she made the off-the-cuff comments, voicing her frustrations using an expletive with a member of her staff, which was captured on a hot mic. Over the past week, Ms. Fontaine, who is also Families Minister in Premier Wab Kinew's government, has been told by many deaf Manitobans and community groups that they have lost trust in her ability to represent them, and that she should step down from her position as Accessibility Minister. Ms. Fontaine declined interview requests from The Globe and Mail, writing in a statement that she is sincerely apologetic. 'During a private debrief with my staff, I was reflecting on my public speaking performance and remarked I had been distracted by the interpreter's hand movements. I was expressing frustration on my poor planning,' she said. 'My comments were unacceptable.' Mr. Kinew said it has been tough to see people being hurt by Ms. Fontaine's comments. But he emphasized that he remains in the minister's corner. 'Our minister has apologized and is putting in the work with the community,' the Premier told reporters at an unrelated event Friday. 'It's with the greatest of humility that I want to ask folks in the deaf community to keep working with her.' At the gala, the first annual Mino'Ayaawag Ikwewag Celebration of Indigenous Women Graduates, Ms. Fontaine agreed with her staffer, Ryan Stelter, when he compared American Sign Language (ASL) to 'frantic hand movements.' Using a four-letter profanity to express exasperation about not having a clear sightline of the audience because of the interpreter, Ms. Fontaine was captured on video saying: 'Why did I have her on the stage? Like, Jesus, I'm like, you need to leave.' The interpreter was removed from the stage for other speeches. Deborah Owczar, who is Métis, was one of the women being honoured, having received a certificate in child and youth care from Red River College Polytechnic. She attended with her daughter, Stephanie Jebb, and had repeatedly requested ASL interpretation for the event. Ms. Owczar and Ms. Jebb, both of whom are deaf, told The Globe that watching Ms. Fontaine kick out the interpreter was humiliating and disrespectful. 'My right to communication access was taken away. I no longer felt like I belonged in that room,' Ms. Owczar said. 'She has lost my trust – and the trust of many.' The mother and daughter said they felt exhausted and demoralized as they attempted to follow the proceedings. 'We were made to feel invisible. It turned a moment of empowerment into one of erasure,' Ms. Jebb said. 'Her reaction made it clear that she lacks both experience and cultural humility.' Ms. Owczar said Alex Krosney, the chief of staff for Ms. Fontaine, sent an apology note to her late last week, shortly after her family had spoken with The Globe and other media outlets. She said it felt insincere and 'read more like a generic PR response than a genuine effort to reach out or make amends.' She worries the incident was just one harmful stereotype about deaf people caught on camera. 'It seems this kind of behaviour may be typical for her,' she added. 'It also makes you wonder what she says behind closed doors.' Jo-anne Jones, president of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association's Manitoba chapter, agreed, suggesting it illustrates a broader pattern. 'It's just so very demeaning, unbelievably so. I'm no longer sure she's the right minister for this job,' Ms. Jones said in an interview. 'This is a person who should be very comfortable with interpreters. Saying you're distracted by ASL is the equivalent of saying you're distracted by a person speaking in English or Cree next to you, helping others understand your very words.' Shawna Joynt, president of the Manitoba Deaf Association, said she held a meeting with Ms. Fontaine on Wednesday, where the minister committed to 'learn and make improvements from this huge misstep.' Using ASL in a transcribed video statement to The Globe, Ms. Joynt said the association will 'continue to be by her side' in an advisory capacity. 'We know this will not sit well with everyone,' she said.
National Post
23-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Union Calls for Mediator and Offers Media Blackout While Canadian Hearing Services Still Refuses to Bargain
Article content TORONTO — No interpreters, no mental health counsellors, no access to hearing aids, and no bargaining for more than a month: that's the situation as a strike at Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) grinds into its ninth week. Article content CHS and CUPE 2073 – representing more than 200 workers who support deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Ontarians – last met on May 21. CHS left bargaining without tabling an offer, considering workers' proposals, or offering more dates to negotiate. They made clear that they'd only return to the table, if workers agreed to a media blackout, among other demands. Article content In the intervening weeks, political and community pressure has mounted on CHS with several ONDP MPPs voicing concern and deaf and hard of hearing organizations pointing to the impact on their communities. CHS, meanwhile, still refused to bargain. Article content In the interest of resolving a strike that's actively harming deaf Ontarians, CUPE 2073 made their greatest overture to CHS in offering a media blackout. In a letter delivered to CHS' lawyers on June 17, CUPE mapped a path toward a freely negotiated settlement, with both parties jointly paying for an external mediator for a block of days and a media blackout for the duration. Article content CHS did not respond to the letter. Article content 'If CHS wanted to end this strike, if they wanted us back at work restoring services to deaf Ontarians, they'd be at the table. We've tried everything to get back to negotiations because we know how much pain this disruption is causing. CHS hasn't shown any urgency and it's impossible to interpret that as anything other than a lack of consideration for the challenges deaf people face,' said Mara Waern, president of CUPE 2073 and an employment consultant with more than three decade's experience at CHS. 'The community wants an end to this strike. Workers want an end. The only party that's refusing is CHS.' Article content This is the second strike in CHS' history – and the second to occur under the leadership of Julia Dumanian. The last strike took place in 2017 and was only settled after 10 weeks through the involvement of a third-party mediator. Article content CUPE 2073 members are eager to negotiate and remain focused on a multi-year deal that invests in services and helps them catch up after years of falling behind inflation. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Union Calls for Mediator and Offers Media Blackout While Canadian Hearing Services Still Refuses to Bargain
TORONTO, June 23, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--No interpreters, no mental health counsellors, no access to hearing aids, and no bargaining for more than a month: that's the situation as a strike at Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) grinds into its ninth week. CHS and CUPE 2073 – representing more than 200 workers who support deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Ontarians – last met on May 21. CHS left bargaining without tabling an offer, considering workers' proposals, or offering more dates to negotiate. They made clear that they'd only return to the table, if workers agreed to a media blackout, among other demands. In the intervening weeks, political and community pressure has mounted on CHS with several ONDP MPPs voicing concern and deaf and hard of hearing organizations pointing to the impact on their communities. CHS, meanwhile, still refused to bargain. In the interest of resolving a strike that's actively harming deaf Ontarians, CUPE 2073 made their greatest overture to CHS in offering a media blackout. In a letter delivered to CHS' lawyers on June 17, CUPE mapped a path toward a freely negotiated settlement, with both parties jointly paying for an external mediator for a block of days and a media blackout for the duration. CHS did not respond to the letter. "If CHS wanted to end this strike, if they wanted us back at work restoring services to deaf Ontarians, they'd be at the table. We've tried everything to get back to negotiations because we know how much pain this disruption is causing. CHS hasn't shown any urgency and it's impossible to interpret that as anything other than a lack of consideration for the challenges deaf people face," said Mara Waern, president of CUPE 2073 and an employment consultant with more than three decade's experience at CHS. "The community wants an end to this strike. Workers want an end. The only party that's refusing is CHS." This is the second strike in CHS' history – and the second to occur under the leadership of Julia Dumanian. The last strike took place in 2017 and was only settled after 10 weeks through the involvement of a third-party mediator. CUPE 2073 members are eager to negotiate and remain focused on a multi-year deal that invests in services and helps them catch up after years of falling behind inflation. :pp/cope491 View source version on Contacts Jesse MintzCommunications Representativejmintz@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
