By: Shannon Kinch
Know Your Rights has finally made its way to Atlantic Canada, and we couldn’t be more excited! Made possible through generous funding from Law Foundations in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario, the Know Your Rights a project that is designed to educate and empower people who are blind, partially sighted or Deafblind to better understand their rights, navigate their provincial legal systems, and self-advocate to challenge discrimination.
As part of the project, CNIB has developed plain language legal information handbooks in the areas of education; employment; housing; healthcare; transportation; built environment, the COVID-19 pandemic, and government and consumer services.
One of the highlights of the project was the filming of the public education videos. While filming in the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, we accidentally set the fire alarm off! Fortunately, airport staff were extremely patient and allowed us to continue filming.
In addition to educating individuals about their rights, we’re also working to educate legal professionals about how to properly accommodate people who are blind or partially sighted. We recently delivered a Continuing Professional Development session for legal professionals across Atlantic Canada. Fifty-four people attended the event and heard panellists, including Jim Maher, a long-time CNIB volunteer and associate with Budden & Associates, Carey Majid, the Executive Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission, and Tarah Sawler, a 2023 articling student with McInnes Cooper.
The Know Your Rights Atlantic project would not have been possible without the work of our passionate volunteers and the partner organizations (McInnes Cooper, Pro Bono Students Canada, PLIAN and LISNS) who contributed their time and expertise to support us in making these resources available to people across Atlantic Canada.
To learn more about the Know Your Rights, visit www.cnib.ca/knowyourrights. Plans are underway for the development of a Nova Scotia webpage – stay tuned for more information!