TORONTO —
The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) is calling on the executive to enact extra for blind Canadians, declaring that the Special Pollto vote by mail is ineffective to blind voters until they originate relieve from a sighted particular person, impeding their factual to vote in secret.
In a assertion Friday, the group mentioned it was as soon as time to repair the discrimination that leaves out these voters, saying they expected extra since this election follows the passage of the Accessible Canada Act, which aiming to introduce extra rules to relieve these with disabilities.
“In consequence of the pandemic, there are voters preferring to vote by mail,” the initiate mentioned. “For blind voters, for whom print is a barrier, the mail-in Special Ballot, which is a broadcast paper ballot, is proving problematic.”
Since ballots wish to be crammed out exactly in expose to be counted, a blind voter would want the support of a sighted particular person to envision they had crammed out the ballotaccurately.
“The inaccessible Special Pollrobs blind voters of the factual to vote in secret, which is a key theory of democracy,” the initiate states.
The initiate added that the requirement to upload scanned identification to register for mail-in ballots online also requires a blind voter to glimpse reduction from a sighted particular person, and that there is now not one of these thing as a information about candidates in Braille at come polls.
“We’ve been hearing that the mail-in ballotdirection of is now not one which can well maybe moreover be negotiated independently by all blind voters,” Heather Walkus, CCD 1st vice chair, mentioned in the initiate. “As this election follows the passage of the Accessible Canada Act, which promised no fresh barriers, that is all very disappointing. Blind voters had been watching for to finally tell their franchise in secret this election the identical as other voters.”
Elections Canada mentioned in an electronic mail assertion to CTVNews.ca that they’re “dedicated to responding to the diverse wishes of Canadians.”
They mentioned that amongst the accessibility companies they provide, they’ve signal language interpretation and enjoy redesigned the ballotto beef up readability for of us that use show mask readers.
Elections Canada added that they’ve a assortment of tools and companies for balloting in particular person, similar to dapper-print candidates lists on come polling and election days, and Braille lists of candidates on election day. There are also Braille balloting templates on the market on come polling and election days, they mentioned.
“We acknowledge that the special ballotdirection of is now not very wonderful for electors who are unable to be aware their very fill ballot,” the assertion persevered. “Somewhat than balloting by mail, electors who need reduction marking their ballotmay well maybe maybe contact their native Elections Canada space of job to perform an appointment to vote with the support of an election officer, who will complete their registration and be aware their balloton their behalf.”
This does now not address the advise of voters being entitled to a secret balloting direction of, CCD identified. The CCD initiate mentioned that they’ve been calling for other the manner to vote for years, similar to adding the power to vote by accessible balloting machines and digital balloting.
“We’re now not hunting for an stop to the paper ballot, nevertheless the addition of accessible balloting choices so as that everybody voters can tell their franchise independently and in secret,” Walkus mentioned.
The Accessible Canada Act, which got right here into attain in 2019, was as soon as intended to get rid of barriers and present better alternatives for disabled Canadians. It did now not particularly comprise promises for making the balloting direction of additional accessible.
Offer:
Mail-in ballots still inaccessible for blind voters, advocates say
