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Young Manitoba athletes to get sign-language interpretation after human rights complaint

Sep 30, 2013

Following is the story as reported in the September 30, 2013 online edition of the Winnipeg Free Press.


Young athletes to get sign-language interpretation after human rights complaint

Deaf children who play sports will now get sign language interpretation during games after the provincial government agreed to pay the cost after a human rights complaint.

The Manitoba Human Rights Commission announced today that the province’s Sport Secretariat through its agency Sport Manitoba has agreed after mediation to pay up to $40,000 per year so deaf children can communicate with coaches and game officials.

"Interpretation services will now be provided to deaf children at every step of amateur sports activities from try-outs to competitions," Kyra Zimmer, a parent who filed the human rights complaint, said in a statement today.

The province’s Family Services and Labour Minister, Jennifer Howard, who is responsible for persons with disabilities, said "the province is committed to the full inclusion of Manitobans where they live, learn, work and play.

"ASL interpretation for deaf children participating in amateur sport is an important step in meeting this goal."

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