Category Archives: Accessibility

‘Fully Accessible’ Richmond Popcorn Company

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Candidate Linden Crain tweeted his congrats about The Richmond Popcorn Company’s October 8 grand opening. Even if it is unwelcome, I raise accessibility awareness at every opportunity so I tweeted, I’m not celebrating; it’s another one step barrier to a shop that may exclude some people with disabilities in Amherstburg.

I guess Dan Gemus saw it and replied, ‘Just so happens we have custom ramps on order for our building. They are scheduled to arrive any time now’ to which I responded, ‘Just so you know, Accessibility involves more than ramps.’ Besides, access delayed is access denied.

October 18, The Richmond Popcorn shop’s Facebook page states, “It was super important to us to make sure our non accessible building was fully accessible for the newest shop in town! We had to get a little creative, but we made it happen!”

October 20, I commented, I’d like you to explain how this is ‘fully accessible’ and by what or whose standards? the stop gap ramp company stipulates it is not intended to be a permanent fixture and should only be used when required. the permanent accessibility design should be incorporated at the design stage so it’s never an afterthought and full accessibility would include many more features than a ramp.

October 21 I went to check out the store but the ramp wasn’t out. There still would have been barriers though.

step barrier to Richmond Popcorn store entrance in Amherstburg, Ontario

Council Candidates: Accessibility Evaluation

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It seemed like ‘accessibility’ and ‘inclusive’ were new campaign buzz words, but it was very disappointing to discover that 18 of the 25 candidates may have excluded persons with disabilities. The town was to have provided accessibility information ‘to ensure equal opportunity for all electors to access your candidate information and to interact with you.’

A few ‘A’ words come to mind; acceptable applies to a few but then there’s awareness, attitude, and ableism.

One Guide covered print material, websites, physical spaces, audio/video media, one on one communication, accessible parking, barriers, customer service, budgets, service animals and a resource. 

I wonder if the candidates with accessibility barriers read it or read it and ignored it?

JUST THE FACTS

Stats Canada states one in five (22%) of the Canadian population aged 15 years and over had one or more disabilities, or approximately 5000 Amherstburg residents.

The Retail Council of Canada states over half of the Canadian population is affected every day by disabilities, or approximately 11,700 Amherstburg residents.

ACCEPTABLE

John Laframboise’s meet and greet at the K of C hall was accessible and I didn’t encounter any issues with Joe Shaw’s website.

BARRIERS

Not one candidate made the no e-scooters pledge. I expected a simple yes or no answer to a reader’s question: Will you remove barriers during Open Air weekends that block people with disabilities from driving to the bank, local stores, bars, and generally driving through town?

Some candidates were in favour of removing the barriers, some would modify the time frame, some didn’t answer and some have publicly supported it but didn’t answer. For those who are in favour of the barriers, how will they fulfill their obligation to remove barriers, if elected?

Some print materials were unacceptable and for those who want to continue relying on social media, I would encourage them to learn how to remove barriers.

CandidateMeet & GreetWebsiteFacebookTwitter
Cerasa, Frankx
Prue, Michaelxxx
Rozankovic, Bobx
Atkinson, Nancyxx
Gibb, Chrisxxx
Moore, Gregoryx
Sanson, Dennisxx
Allaire, Mollyxxx
Argoselo, Andrewx
Crain, Lindenxxxx
DiPasquale, Frankx
Kearsey, Taraxxx
Kretschmann, Holgerx
McArthur, Donaldxxxx
Renaud, Marcxx
Simone, Patriciaxxxx
Theriault, Gerryxx
Wightman, Lorixxxx

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Amherstburg Candidates And Accessibility: Chamber of Commerce

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I appreciated Mayoral Candidate John Laframboise holding his meet and greet at the K of C Hall in Amherstburg, while several other candidates held meet and greets in locations with barriers.

I was just as disappointed that the Chamber of Commerce used the stage, with its stairs, for the Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral Candidates’ Night on October 12, 2022.

stairs leading up to stage in hall for municipal candidate night in Amherstburg, Ontario 2022

Amherstburg Candidates And Accessibility: E scooters

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I asked; none of the twenty-five Amherstburg candidates for council would make the “No E–scooters Pledge.”

The AODA Alliance wanted electors to ask candidates for City Council or mayor anywhere in Ontario to pledge not to allow e-scooters. They endanger safety and accessibility for people with disabilities, seniors & others!

Amherstburg Candidates And Accessibility: Facebook

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The following candidates use Facebook, that I’m aware of, but may have issues that prevent some people with disabilities from accessing their information:

Mayoral candidates:

Michael Prue
Bob Rozankovic

Deputy Mayoral candidate:

Nancy Atkinson
Chris Gibb
Gregory Moore
Dennis Sanson

Councillor candidates:

Molly Allaire
Andrew Argoselo
Linden Crain
Tara Kearsey
Donald McArthur
Marc Renaud
Patricia Simone
Gerry Theriault
Lori Wightman

The town was to provide candidates with accessibility information.

Amherstburg Candidates And Accessibility: Twitter

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Some of the candidates use twitter but can everyone access the information?

Deputy Mayoral candidate Chris Gibb’s account is used for Gibb Insurance but some town events are promoted.

The following Councillor candidates may have issues that prevent some people with disabilities from accessing information:

Linden Crain
Tara Kearsey
Holger Kretschman
Donald McArthur
Marc Renaud
Patricia Simone
Lori Wightman

Amherstburg Candidates And Accessibility: Websites

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Candidates have increasingly relied on websites to generate their campaign platforms and promises of representing everyone, but can everyone access the information?

2014: only three candidates created websites – all had accessibility issues.

2018: I mentioned website accessibility issues generally.

2022: twelve candidates created websites that I’m aware of.

I found no issues with Deputy Mayoral candidate Joe Shaw’s site.

The following may have issues that prevent people with disabilities from accessing information.

Mayoral candidates:

Michael Prue
Frank Cerasa

Deputy Mayoral candidate:

Chris Gibb
Dennis Sanson

Councillor candidates:

Molly Allaire
Linden Crain
Tara Kearsey
Donald McArthur
Patricia Simone
Gerry Theriault
Lori Wightman (c 2018)

Edited: to include Dennis Sanson’s site

Amherstburg Candidates And Accessibility: Meet And Greets

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The following candidates should have known better than to hold meet and greet session in these locations since the town was to provide them with accessibility information.

Downtown Espresso Cafe wouldn’t allow my comment to be posted, but it was advertising the following candidates’ meet and greets. step up barrier into Downtown Espresso Cafe Amherstburg, Ontario

Linden Crain launch July 14

Frank DiPasquale August 30 6 to 8 pm
September 27 6 to 8 pm

Lori Wightman September 13 6 to 8 pm

Molly Allaire September 22 6 to 8 pm

Patricia Simone October 2 11am to 2 pm

Donald McArthur October 3 6 to 8 pm

Gregory Moore October 5 6 to 8 pm

Holger Kretschmann October 6 6 to 8 pm

Artisan Grill

step up barrier into Artisan Grill Amherstburg, Ontario

Michael Prue  October 3 7 to 9 pm

Speck’s

step up barrier into Speck's restaurant Amherstburg, Ontario

Nancy Atkinson September 21

Accessibility Awareness And Candidate Accountability

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The Downtown Espresso Cafe is advertising candidate meet and greet sessions. Out of concern that persons with disabilities may be excluded because of the step, I posted to You know you are from Amherstburg when…. a Facebook group “for all who grew up in the great town of Amherstburg, Ontario Canada!!!”

Notification: “Your comment was automatically declined based on certain criteria in this group.”

‘See feedback’ revealed: These rules come from the group admins.

1 No Promotions or Spam
Absolutely no sale posts of any kind unless you have approved it by the admin first. Certain posts will be allowed based on the discretion of the admin.

2 No Hate Speech or Bullying
Make sure everyone feels safe. Bullying of any kind isn’t allowed, and degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity will not be tolerated.

3 Be Kind and Courteous
We’re all in this together to create a welcoming environment. Let’s treat everyone with respect. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required.

I then wrote the same comment on the Downtown Espresso Cafe Facebook page and it was deleted.

Other than ‘the candidates should know better,” everything else in the comment was quoted from the town’s information.

The candidates should know better. The step to get in can make this inaccessible. From the town’s 2022 Municipal Election Draft Accessibility Plan: “The Town of Amherstburg will provide Candidates with the Candidates’ Guide to Accessible Elections produced by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO). The Town will also incorporate accessibility information and messaging into Candidate Information Packages and Candidate Information Sessions.”

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CBC: Municipal election candidates need to make accessibility part of their platforms

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In this CBC News Opinion, Kevin McShan writes, The city of Windsor is at an inflection point, and there’s one fundamental question left for the candidates to answer in the upcoming municipal election: who’ll make accessibility a cornerstone of their platform?

The burgwatch’s candidate questionnaire included, what does accessible mean to you?Of the twenty five Amherstburg candidates, two answered.

If ‘those’ campaigning to represent everyone will be responsible for preventing and removing barriers but will not commit to doing so, no votes from me.