Difficulties arose when I tried to tune in to today’s meeting of the Amherstburg Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAAC).

The September 24, 2020 AAAC meeting was advertised on the last page of this week’s River Town Times along with other meetings. A notation at the bottom includes text under the heading, Electronic Meeting Link http://www.amherstburg.ca/livestream.

I copied and pasted it but the link was invalid, as verified by a google search:

Your search – http://www.amherstburg.ca/livestreamRecycleYardWasteNorthZone519-736-0012 • http://www.www.amherstburg.ca 271 Sandwich St. South, Amherstburg, Ontario did not match any documents.

It would be so much easier for everyone to access the meetings on the town’s website if the video link was placed right next to the meeting, which it wasn’t. After navigating through a couple of links too many, I emailed  Kevin Fox, Committee Co-ordinator, who advised, The livestream for all town meetings is unchanged and remains http://www.amherstburg.ca/livestream.

It turns out the meeting was on zoom and there were technical difficulties with audio cutting out for several minutes and video disappearing.

Most annoying was the sound as though someone was constantly tapping on a microphone.

Most disappointing was that one member used the outdated “handicap accessible signs.”

Most frustrating was that members did not identify themselves prior to speaking when only audio was available. Also, I couldn’t find any listed accommodations for persons who are deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing.

Amherstburg, known for its history, not accessibility?

I officially began requesting an accessible website for the Town of Amherstburg, among other accessible amenities, in September 2002 and continued into 2016. Promises were made, as were statements that issues were addressed, but problems persisted.

Amherstburg was invited to hire esolutions when the County redesigned its site to meet accessibility standards in 2014. Leamington and Essex had already hired the web design company but Amherstburg declined. According to the town’s site, esolutions redesigned Amherstburg’s site in 2016, although it still has issues.

The new visitamherstburg.ca has accessibility issues that need to comply with provincial legislation.

Let’s Talk Amherstburg’s “website has been has been built by the team at Bang the Table Pty Ltd on behalf of Town of Amherstburg.”

How many sites do we need to pay for? Who is ensuring the town of Amherstburg complies with standards of equal access?

I do remind myself it took over a decade and a human rights complaint from me for the Amherstburg Public Library to be made accessible. Was money an issue then? NO, and I would need to be convinced it is now.

Here we go again. Candidates want to reach as many voters as they can with their promises and platforms and are increasingly relying on social media to do so.

However, just like the previous campaign, there are website accessibility issues.

If so little thought is given to being inclusive, how will these candidates indicate their commitment to identifying, removing, and preventing barriers and comply with legislation?

The province aims for an accessible province by 2025, while am800 reports that Amherstburg will focus on a historical feel.

Historically, the town of Amherstburg has not shown a strong commitment to ensuring equal access to persons with disabilities.

There are numerous examples of perpetuated barriers, from the town’s website to the town giving taxpayer dollars to not for profit organizations with barriers.

One of the most prolonged examples of a lack of commitment to barrier removal is the town of Amherstburg’s decade long resistance to making the library accessible.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission highlighted Linda Saxon v. Corporation of Town of Amherstburg (Settlement, H.R.T.O.) in its 2004-2005 annual report and summarized the case:

Linda Saxon v. Corporation of Town of Amherstburg (Settlement, H.R.T.O.)

“A settlement was reached between the Commission, the complainant and the respondent Town. The complainant made an initial complaint, on the basis of disability, because she was unable to access the Town’s library, which could only be entered via a number of stairs. The library has been renovated since the complainant filed her complaint. The Town has created a lobby at ground level with an elevator and automated doors. It also attempted to make modifications to a washroom to make it accessible. The Commission’s barrier-free design expert reviewed the renovations and found some remaining barriers, but approved of the elevator itself. The Town has agreed to implement a number of the Commission’s expert’s recommendations to improve accessibility at the Town library, namely:

• install handrails on either side of a ramp of a specified thickness;
• make level the threshold at an entrance;
• request the County Library to create an accessible after-hours book depository;
• install lever hardware on a door to the accessible washroom;
• remove a vanity unit to provide sufficient clearance in the accessible washroom;
• relocate the light switch, side grab bar, mirror, and paper dispenser in the accessible washroom; and,
• replace push buttons with push plates of a larger diameter that are easier to manipulate.

As part of the settlement, the respondent has also agreed to retain a qualified consultant to provide a mandatory training session for the members of the town council on the accommodation of individuals with disabilities.”

The handrails were not installed as agreed to; in September 2005, I notified the commission that I wished to file a breach of settlement complaint against the town of Amherstburg. Within days, the handrails were replaced with ones that complied with the Ontario building code.

The council of the day routinely ignored my requests for accessibility as a priority and resisted applying for grants that stipulated accessibility was a priority for funding approval. Council’s commitment to history was obvious when it donated $710,000. to the HMS Detroit, now defunct, while the taxpayers incurred rate increases as a result.

Hopefully, stepping back in time will not mean taking a step backwards or having history repeat itself with the town defending itself against human rights complaints because it resists barrier removal and inclusion.