Barrier Free Manitoba

Discussion summaries of the MAAC's meetings of May 14th and May 28th have now been posted.

May 14th Meeting

This was the first MAAC meeting following the May 8th public consultation event. The major topic of discussion reported are key points that MAAC members felt emerged from the event. Based on the summary, it remains unclear to us that MAAC members came away from the event with the same primary messages we had heard.

The discussion summary as posted on the DIO website as of June 6, 2012. No attendance information was made available in the summary.

ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, May 14, 12:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.
ROOM 208, 401 YORK AVENUE

The Chairperson opened the meeting with a discussion of the public consultation event of May 8. He noted that overall the consultation went well. He reminded the Council that the deadline for its recommendations is fast approaching, and Council members will need to continue to dedicate themselves to the task.

The Council members took turns providing a debriefing of the public consultation even held on May 8th. Comments included:

Positive feedback was heard regarding the inclusion of education and training opportunities in the discussion.

Members of the public enquired on using alternative media (such as video blogs) for keeping members of the public informed.

The event was well organized and well facilitated.

Throughout the discussion, there was a lack of specifics on the ‘how’ accessibility is to be achieved whereas most agreed on the general purpose of the legislation.

Attendees seemed favourable toward the process, although there was a lack of awareness of the ongoing work of the Council.

Good discussion and debate took place regarding compliance; between those who favoured penalties and those who favoured incentives.

The Council then began going through draft recommendations that had been prepared to this point, with the goal of revising/finalizing them based on the public input received at the May 8th consultation and subsequent responses provided before the June 5th deadline. These draft recommendations will make up the basis of the Advisory Council’s June 16th report to the Minister.

May 28th Meeting

The discussion summary as posted on the DIO website as of June 6, 2016. No attendance information was made available in the summary.

ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, May 28, 12:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.
ROOM 612, 401 YORK AVENUE

Sarah Lugtig of Civil Legal Services joined the Council to discuss the Harmonization Committee Report and her prepared legal opinion to questions posed by the Council. The Harmonization Committee was established to determine how accessibility legislation and the standards that flow from it would work in harmony with guidelines of the Manitoba Human Rights Code (MHRC). The report was broken into a number of questions. Sarah presented the committee’s main findings. It was agreed the Council and MHRC continue to work together as legislation moves forward.

The Council resumed discussion of Council Recommendations and Public Input. Suggested recommendations gathered from submissions and the public consultation on May 8 was inserted in bold for discussion and consideration from Council. Further recommendations from recent submissions will be incorporated into the document for consideration by the Council at the next meeting, scheduled for Monday, June 4.