Issues & Positions
- Health Care
- Audism
- Captioning and Video Accessibility
- Cochlear Implants
- Deaf Culture vs. Medicalization
- Definition of “Deaf”
- Diversity
- Education
- Employment and Employability
- Human Rights
- Immigration & Medical Admissibility
- Income Tax, Custom Duties & Postage Rules
- International Concerns
- Interpreting
- Language
- Literacy
- Official Languages
- Physician-Assisted Suicide / Physician-Assisted Dying
- Political Participation and Activity
- Seniors
- Social Security and Assistance
- Statistics on Deaf Canadians
- Technology & Technical Issues
- Telecommunications
- Terminology
- Transportation
- Universal Design
- Universal Symbols of Access
- Youth
International Concerns
The issue
Deaf people around the world suffer oppression and violations of their human rights.
CAD's position
All Deaf people must be given the same human rights and dignity that are given to non-Deaf people.
The Canadian Association of the Deaf is the Canadian representative to the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). Through our membership in the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, we are also supporters of Disabled Persons International. Both groups are recognized by the United Nations. While supporting DPI, the CAD agrees strongly with the WFD that only the WFD itself can be the appropriate international representative of the unique culture, language, and values of Deaf people. This is because we believe the Deaf are not a disabled group but a cultural group. The fact that non-Deaf society imposes communication handicaps upon us does not mean our deafness is a disability.
The Canadian Association of the Deaf supports the right of Deaf people in all countries to full and equal human rights, respect, and dignity. We condemn those countries which continue to deny Deaf people citizenship, property rights, education, employment, and civil rights. We oppose those countries which equate deafness with mental illness or spiritual evil, with the result that thousands of Deaf people are unjustly imprisoned, murdered, abandoned, incarcerated in mental hospitals, forcibly sterilized, and abused in other ways.
All Deaf people have a right to their natural language and culture, which is Sign language and Deaf culture. State efforts to suppress Sign and deny Deaf culture must be fought.
We encourage Deaf people to form their own national organizations. We support them in their efforts to obtain education, employment, and empowerment, and to acquire devices which will assist them such as TTYs.
Although the Canadian Association of the Deaf itself is unable to provide sponsorships or financial assistance to potential Deaf immigrants to Canada, we support their applications and we protest any attempt by Canada Immigration and Customs to reject them solely on the grounds of their deafness.
APPROVED: 26 MAY 2007
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The Canadian Association of the Deaf
303- 251 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1X3
(613)565-2882 Voice/TTY
(613)565-1207 Fax
www.cad.ca
The issue
Deaf people around the world suffer oppression and violations of their human rights.
CAD's position
All Deaf people must be given the same human rights and dignity that are given to non-Deaf people.
The Canadian Association of the Deaf is the Canadian representative to the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). Through our membership in the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, we are also supporters of Disabled Persons International. Both groups are recognized by the United Nations. While supporting DPI, the CAD agrees strongly with the WFD that only the WFD itself can be the appropriate international representative of the unique culture, language, and values of Deaf people. This is because we believe the Deaf are not a disabled group but a cultural group. The fact that non-Deaf society imposes communication handicaps upon us does not mean our deafness is a disability.
The Canadian Association of the Deaf supports the right of Deaf people in all countries to full and equal human rights, respect, and dignity. We condemn those countries which continue to deny Deaf people citizenship, property rights, education, employment, and civil rights. We oppose those countries which equate deafness with mental illness or spiritual evil, with the result that thousands of Deaf people are unjustly imprisoned, murdered, abandoned, incarcerated in mental hospitals, forcibly sterilized, and abused in other ways.
All Deaf people have a right to their natural language and culture, which is Sign language and Deaf culture. State efforts to suppress Sign and deny Deaf culture must be fought.
We encourage Deaf people to form their own national organizations. We support them in their efforts to obtain education, employment, and empowerment, and to acquire devices which will assist them such as TTYs.
Although the Canadian Association of the Deaf itself is unable to provide sponsorships or financial assistance to potential Deaf immigrants to Canada, we support their applications and we protest any attempt by Canada Immigration and Customs to reject them solely on the grounds of their deafness.
APPROVED: 26 MAY 2007
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The Canadian Association of the Deaf
303- 251 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1X3
(613)565-2882 Voice/TTY
(613)565-1207 Fax
www.cad.ca
