Accessibility

Donna Jodhan's web accessibility Charter Challenge against the Federal Government has been covered by a number of major media outlets. Bakerlaw's David Baker and Meryl Gary are in Federal Court from September 21st-23rd arguing Ms. Jodhan's case.

The governments of many countries, including the United States, EU member states and Australia have already made their websites accessible to blind users. Canada's Federal Government is refusing to follow suit, despite the fact that accessible sites are easy and inexpensive to build and maintain.

Bakerlaw will soon be headed to federal court with client Donna Jodhan. Jodhan, who is among approximately 10 per cent of the population with vision disabilities, is asking the government to provide vision impaired Canadians with equal access to government information and services online. Bakerlaw hopes to compel the government to update its web accessibility standards and ensure its websites are accessible to all Canadians.

The Canadian Press today reported on the case of Bakerlaw client Donna Jodhan, a blind MBA who is challenging the Government of Canada over its inaccessible jobs websites (see below for the recent press release on her case).

Click here to read the full story on the CBC's website.

Bakerlaw's one person, one fare case has received extensive media coverage in the wake of a recent Federal Court of Appeal ruling that rejected a bid by Air Canada and WestJet challenging the one person, one fare policy.

The Canadian Transport Agency ruled early this year that airlines must provide severely disabled Canadians with and additional airline seat without charge for a medical attendant or if their condition requires it.

Click here to read the CBC's coverage.

The Globe & Mail today reported on the landmark decision in the landmark one person, one fare case. Bakerlaw has been representing Joanne Neubauer, the Council for Canadians with Disabilities and the estate of Eric Norman, a complainant who has since died, on the case.

Click here to read the full story on the Globe's website.

The Toronto Star today reports on the anticipation ahead of today's upcoming ruling in the landmark One Person, One Fare case, in which the Canadian Transportation Agency will rule on whether severely disabled Canadians will be permitted to travel by air without having to pay for a second seat, for an attendant or other use, to accommodate their disability.

Bakerlaw is representing Joanne Neubauer, the Council for Canadians with Disabilities and the estate of Eric Norman, a complainant who has since died, on the case.

CTV today reported that the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld a decision by federal regulators that will force Via Rail to make their passenger rail cars more wheelchair accessible. Bakerlaw acted as legal counsel to the citizens groups behind the case.

Click here to read CTV's full coverage on their website.

CTV today reported on the Supreme Court of Canada's ruling to uphold a decision by federal regulators that will force Via Rail to make their passenger rail cars more wheelchair accessible.

Bakerlaw represented the citizen's group behind the case, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.

David Baker is quoted in the story, nothing that "there's not a single wheelchair accessible rail car in the country at the present time. In the United States there is not a single rail car that is not wheelchair accessible."