[nfbwatlk] what you can do to help with guide dog legislation here

[Mary ellen]

Several of you have asked me what you can do to help us with our guide dog
legislation.  Though it would appear on the surface that there is little out
of province people can accomplish, I believe you can make a difference.

 

According to the BC legislative calendar on line, Bill 17, the guide and
service dog act, will be dealt with by the committee of the House and
enacted into law on April 29.

 

A letter from you raising issues about certification would be particularly
helpful.  Here are just some of the points that would be helpful to us.  

 

Visitors to British Columbia should not have to apply for temporary
certification in order for their rights to be protected.  If certification
becomes the morm for residents, out of province visitors will face
difficulties when visiting even though regulations state that certification
is not required from out of province visitors.  The only way this problem
can be solved is to clearly state that failure to produce provincial
registration cannot be used as a reason to deny access.  In that case, what
is the value of provincial certification?

A simple law making it illegal to impersonate a guide or service dog will do
as much to protect the public as a certification requirement. Laws against
impostors address the real problem without endangering access rights. 

Currently access to places of public accommodation for people with guide and
service dogs is a right; the new legislation refers to access as a
privilege.

Visitors to British Columbia whose access rights are violated need to have
an effective and immediate means of seeking redress.  No language in the
current bill provides for ticketing of access rights violators.  Must
visitors file human rights complaints?  If so, do visitors to the province
have standing to file complaints and must they return to the province, at
their own expense, to engage in mediation or hearings?

All reputable schools are not part of IGDF or ADI, specifically including
IGDF and ADI in either the law or the regulations would by definition deny
certification to many competent handlers and their dogs.

Some people have chosen to work with privately trained dogs, and have done
so quite effectively for years.

People from out of province are now being told that temporary certification
is available should they wish to avail themselves of it, but that it is not
required.  However, if certification is the norm here and businesses begin
routinely asking for it (a serious problem in itself) then out of province
visitors will begin having significant access problems.

 

Thanks for agreeing to help.  You needn't comment on all the issues I
mentioned; in fact, it would be better if you didn't.  Like a box of mixed
chocolates, pick one!

In a separate email I will send you a message I sent to the CFB list with
the addresses of relevant government officials and a press release we
circulated. I know the press release has already been sent.  Please pardon
the duplication; it's at the end, so you can skip over it if you don't want
or need a refresher.

 

Mary Ellen