Table of Contents
Editorial ________________________________
1
Features on People _______________________
1
Mary Foran
Carol Gouthro & Kelly Hall
Metro Deaf Darts Team
Summer / Fall Travels _____________________
2
Sue Doyle
Atlantic Cruise Travellers
Deaf Culture / Community __________________
3
Truro Deaf Dart Tournament
Newfoundlanders’ Great Community Spirit
Moncton Deaf Club
Workshop “Grow in Grace”
Announcement – Upcoming Events ____________ 5
NSDSA Membership & Hockey
DYANS Membership & Golf
DLNS AGM & Presentation
Texting 911 Workshop
EBAD Tournament 2015
47th ECAD Convention 2015
Celebration – Special Events ___________________ 8
Bill / Patti Hall (40th Anniversary)
Roland / Connie Legge (40th Anniversary)
Mike / Linda Perrier, proud grandparents
Obituaries – In Memory of Deaf Persons Passing ___ 9
Patricia Ruth Wright (nee How)
Douglas F. Mac Kay
Christmas Greeting __________________________ 9
Canadian Community News ____________________10
VRS Stakeholders (Board of Directors)
Executive Director position for VRS
------------------------------------------------------------
~ December may be the most
exciting time for every one as we are
celebrating the last month of 2014 ending
with the New Year eve traditionally in our
special ways with our families and friends –
trimming trees, indulging in wonderful foods, sweets, and
drinks; attending festive functions; taking walks in the snow;
gazing admiringly at coloured lights glittering on the trees;
exchanging Christmas messages online, on cards, or letters
with those you keep in touch with; watching favorite TV
programs; and giving gifts to needy families. Every one of
you DO enjoy a special gift of blessings during the holiday
season.
On behalf of the Deaf Community, I wish to congratulate
Mary Foran for her recognized commitment to the Deaf
Women Group, and the Nova Scotia ladies: Carol Gouthro
and Kelly Hall, and Metro Deaf Team respectively for
winning the challenge first and second place in their
category at the national deaf dart tournament. The
Newfoundlanders demonstrated a great community spirit by
attending the Canadian Deaf Dart Tournament.
It is important to include information about national actions
that affect the life of every deaf and hard of hearing person
in Canada. You will find the section “Canadian Deaf
Community News” at the end of each issue.
Since I don’t go to every event, or workshop planned for the
Deaf community, I need you to help write up a story or an
article and contribute to me for the collection of ECAD
News. It can be written about the event, someone you know,
or reflection on old days to keep the stories of the Deaf
community alive and archival-to-be. For the next issue,
email to me at my email address: kblaw@bellaliant.net.
With warmest regards for your New Year endeavors,
Kathern Lawrence, ECAD News Editor
-----------------Reminder for Readers ~ Deadline for submission of an
article or a story for quarterly issues: April 15 for May,
August 15 for September, and November 15 for December.
Features ~ People Achieving
Woman of the Year Award 2014
Susan Doyle
On Nov 15, 2014, the
DWG Committee: Susan
Doyle and Donna D’eon
presented the Woman of
the Year award to Mary
Foran of the Deaf Women
Group. We thanked her
for her great positive
Susan Doyle, Mary Foran (award recipient),
Donna D'eon
attitude, and also hard work
that she had done for
us. Thanks to the deaf ladies who came out to enjoy our day
at Steak & Stein in Halifax.
Note: Thanks to the committee: Donna D’eon, Susan Doyle,
Lori Fraser-Devoe, and Leanne Gallant for planning
different activities for the DWG. Although the committee
resigned, the DWG activities will continue with volunteers
undertaking plans in the near future.
Winning National Ladies’ Doubles
By Carol Gouthro
Here is a picture of Carol
Gouthro and Kelly Hall winning
Ladies Doubles at Canadian
Deaf Dart Tournament in
Ottawa. How the final game
played out. After the first two
games were won by Toronto
Association for the Deaf team,
Kelly Hall looked at me and said
Come on! Then I looked at
Eugene Cameron and said “I am
not giving up”. So we fought
back and won the next 2 games.
Then at the final game, we
competed so fiercely that it got very close and hot. Finally I
finished with a double 2. Lots of cheering rally from the
crowd. It was an amazing feeling to win. It was a very nice
comeback to win the championship (Ladies Doubles).
Here is the Metro Deaf
Darts League team
(MDDL) out of Halifax
that won the 2nd place
Mixed Team. They fought
a good game. Names are
David Connor, Mary
Green, Norma Strong and
Roland Witcher.
1
Summer and Fall Trip in 2014
Memorable Trip to Thailand
Susan Doyle
For my trip to Washington, D.C. and Thailand last in June
for 17 days, I flew to Baltimore to meet my childhood Bev
Buchanan. The next day, we flew from Dulles Airport to
layover at Abu Dhabi (UAE) and then landed in Bangkok.
What a 24-hour-long flight! We were with a few
international friends to attend Noppawan Thamsiriboon’s
wedding (Bev’s former Thai student when Bev was teaching
her in Thailand in 1995-1998
and she was a Gallaudet
student). We visited
Sethsatian School for the
Deaf in Bangkok (1st Deaf
school established in
Bangkok, Thailand in 1954).
It was a great pleasure to
meet Dr. Maliwan
Tammasaeng, (a retired
Susan Doyle and her childhood friend,
Bev Buchanan with beautiful Thailand
superintendent of Sethsatian
flower donned.
and now a volunteer chair
with Foundation of the Deaf on Sethsatian School Campus).
She received her doctoral degree from Gallaudet University
in Special Education in 1985 and she welcomed us at her
school. The Sethsatian School campus has a concrete
basketball court in the back with plenty of palm trees
surrounding new buildings with new air conditioning units.
Maliwan shared information that the deaf schools were
mostly supported by the Thai government with some
auspices from Foundation of the Deaf. In the center of the
campus, there’s an old estate house which belonged to a
member of a royal family. The person, who owned the land,
gave the property to the government especially to build a
school for the blind but eventually, they found out that they
already had one. So she decided to donate the land to school
for the deaf in 1954. The Setsatian School has enrollment of
less than 175 students. I was quite overwhelmed to see all
young deaf students. I often had to remind myself how to
to bow to people whom we greeted and they would bow
back to us each time when I walked by, getting up from the
seat or depart the room.
Bev recruited me and
other people, including
native Thai friends to
join in the ASL
workshop for 2 days at
the school. I felt
honored to be part of
her workshop and the
first day, there was a
huge crowd of deaf
students plus teachers
from other deaf schools
outside of Bangkok,
Teaching ASL to a big crowd
interpreter students, and
TRS people who worked at
the relay center. They all came to our ASL workshop, we
had so much fun after Bev’s presentation at the end of the
workshop - fun games with ASL and Thai languages and
lots of laughter. After 2 days of workshop, I was amazed to
receive certificate of
appreciation from Dr.
Maliwan Tammasaeng
and it’s my first time to
receive this kind of
award from Thailand.
Before leaving south of
Thailand, Krabi, we went
on tour around to Grand
Parade, Damnernsaduak
Floating Market, Wat
Bang Kung Camp and also shopping in Bangkok with a
wonderful Thailand deaf woman, Parichat. She took good
care of us for 2 weeks.
Departing Bangkok, we rode on
a van with a deaf driver. The
trip was long as it took us 12
hours from Bangkok to Krabi
and Trang. Along the way, we
stopped at a few places and
stayed overnight at Hua Hin.
Also we stopped at another deaf
school, Thepparat School for
Beach in the background at the 396
the deaf in mid Thailand,
steps on the top of world in Hua Hin
located by the beach. We had
the chance to look around and talk to some staff members
and students for a short time. Even though the weather was
so hot and humid, it was
good to see a different
school. We wished to see
more deaf schools but our
timing was too short. We
had to be in Trang for
Noppawan and Apiyan’s
wedding. We stayed 2 nights
at Krabi and enjoyed the
adventures such as emerald
Elephant Village near Krabi
pool, shopping, at the beach.
We also rode on an elephant.
After leaving Trang, we drove all way up to Bangkok to
catch our flight back to Dulles, and I stayed another night at
Bev’s before flying back to my homeland in Halifax.
The trip was extremely wonderful as I really enjoyed
meeting Thailand people during Noppawan’s two wedding
events (Bangkok and
Trang), visiting deaf
schools too, taking tours
and best of all, eating
delicious Thai food. What I
missed the most was the
juicy mango flavoured with
warm rice, the Thai recipe
… Hopefully one day, I
will visit Thailand again! 
Cruise to Tropical Islands
Theona Anderson
We, 9 Atlantic Provinces people in a group: Iva Lethbridge,
Leonard Rafuse, Linda Perrier, Marlene Mac Lean, Mary
Foran, Judy Duschense, Vanessa Hopkins, Bob Anderson
2
and I, flew from Halifax to New Jersey to stay overnight on
October 22, 2014.
The next day we flew from N.J. to Puerto Rico to stay at the
hotel for two days. Meanwhile, we ventured out to visit the
city and different places, and to shop.
quarter-finals, semi-finals and then the championship game.
Congratulations to the first-place winners who were David
Conner and Sean Belangers of Halifax; second-place
winners were David Clark of Valley and Rod Lekas of
Moncton, NB; third place was captured by Kevin Conrad
and Mike Perrier of Halifax; and fourth place went to
Stephen Ward and Steven Cook of Truro. We also had 58
fans who came to watch the game, socializing and
supporting the teams.
Front row - Theona / Bob Anderson, Mary Foran, Linda Perrier; Back row - Leonard Rafuse,
Marlene Mac Lean, Iva Lethbridge
We went on a cruise called Jewel of the Sea – Deaf Freedom
Cruise, bringing a vacation pleasure to about 2,400 deaf
people from 25 countries. Our cruise sailed on October 25 to
November 1st to visit 5 different islands: Virginia Island,
Tertola, Antigua, Aruba, Curaeoa featuring beautiful
beaches, cave, and museums (old and new).
Bob / Theona dressing in Halloween
costumes; Photo credit: Danny Wojcik
/ Nancy Dillon
The cruise hosted exciting
parties in the evening: formal,
white night, Halloween,
pajamas, and Hawaii. We
dressed up according to those
events. We enjoyed meeting
different people in our or their
sign language. It was fun to
learn sign language from other
countries. We were thrilled to
meet all famous deaf TV and
film actors, singers, and stage
performer: Luke Adam, Sean
Forbes, Marlee Marlin, Troy
Kotsur, and John Maucere.
We threw a surprise birthday
party for Judy Shea. We gave her lovely gifts and a birthday
cake.
I want to thank Chad, Stephen and Steven for working with
me on the committee. A big thank you to the volunteers:
Polly Fisher, Sheila Johnson. Audrey Dorrington, Barbara
Ward, Cindy Gosbee, and Joyce Wilson for staying to work
all day to help make the tournament a success. Jason
Williams should be acknowledged for his work cleaning the
hall after the event finished.
The four teams from the Maritime Provinces: Valley team, 2
Halifax teams, and Truro team (16 players) went to Ottawa,
ON for the 2014 Canadian Deaf DART Championship on
November 5 to 8, 2014. It was an amazing tournament with
166 deaf dart players involved as mixed teams, double
women / men, and four women and men teams. We had a
great time meeting and challenging other players.
Congratulation to NS mixed team Roland Witcher, Mary
Green, Norma Strong, and David Conner who came out
second place; and NS double women Carol Guthro and
Kelly Hall who came first place!
We flew back to Halifax on November 2nd. We had
wonderful memories and experiences.
Deaf Culture / Community
Truro Deaf Dart Club News
Billy Fisher
The Truro Deaf Dart Club hosted their first 'Tournament" at
Debert Legion
Branch 106, Debert,
NS on Saturday,
Sept. 20th, 2014.
We had nineteen
teams who played
well in the round
robin competition
with the top eight
teams going to
Event Committee: Billy Fisher, Kevin Conrad, Steven
Cook, Stephen Ward
Nova Scotia players: Front row – Mary Jane Mac Namara, Kelly Hall, Eleanor Mac Kendrick,
Norm Strong, Steven Cook; second row – David Cook, Collen Mackie, Mary Green, Sean
Belanger, Carol Gouthro; back row – Billy Fisher, Shawn White, Kevin Conrad, David
Connor, Roland Witcher, Eugene Cameron; Missing from photo – Chad Doucette
-----------
Great Community Spirit
Theona Anderson
Ottawa Deaf Sports Club hosted Canadian Deaf Dart
Championship on the week of November 5 – 9, 2014. One
hundred sixty-six (166) players from all provinces except
3
New Brunswick. About two hundred eighty (280) people
attended a banquet. 37 people from Newfoundland attended
the event. Four teams participated in the tournament and
showed great sportsmanship even though they lost.
Great news for the Atlantic Provinces – Nova Scotia will
host the Canadian Deaf Dart Tournament in 2016.
in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!” He had the
opportunity to talk to the Deaf Community in both
Fredericton and Moncton for 5 days the first week of
November. The presentation took place at Sunset Church,
429 Clements Drive, Fredericton, and at Glad Tidings
Church, 2460 Mountain Road, Moncton.
Listing characteristics of a changing person as based on
biblical verses, Pastor Dean presented examples of grace and
honor. We, who have acknowledged our weakness, go
through the process of our life as new persons. Like sinners
or biblical characters, we have become better persons trying
to do right things as follows:
Newfoundland Clan - about 25 people settled in Ontario to work, and others live in NL.
Moncton Association of the Deaf
Washer Toss Tournament
Mary Ann Cormier
 Openness - We need to be open to anyone whoever is.
 Acceptance - We need to accept anyone without
judging faults, and communicate with them.
 Trust - We need to trust anyone, showing confidence
in relationship with them.
 Learning - We need to learn from anyone to seek
information that changes needs by asking why.
 Understanding – We need to see other persons’
cultural differences and experiences
 Serving – We need to think of others first and doing
things for them.
We can learn from all the roles of humble Jesus who once
lived on earth in a human form to relate with people we
mingle.
Toward the end of the week, Dean talked about principles of
honor (respect). The honor demonstrated among people
would create good will in our Christian life; we would sense
wonderful life experiences through healing, restoration,
blessing, joy, hope, or/and wholeness.
In September, 11 people showed up for the annual Moncton
Washer Toss Tournament at Centennial Park, but only eight
ones played the washer toss game. The tournament was
based on the two-bracket chart so everyone had at least two
chances to play. Will Blakney won the first place, and Alban
Pitre, the second place. Afterwards, we had a BBQ hot dogs
and hamburgers cooked by Paul Cormier and Irv Mac
Donald.
Grow in Grace
By Kathern Lawrence
It was a great blessing to have Dean help us understand
biblical lessons through his explanations, especially in ASL,
our very own language, in the workshop. Let’s hope for
availability of an ASL pastor who would willingly serve the
Deaf Community in Atlantic Provinces.
Front row - Ken Nason, Frank LeBlanc, Raymond Dupuis, Ann Nason, Irv Mac Donald;
second sitting row - Albert Budd, Andrew Brown, Paul Cormier, Maryann Cormier,
Paula Raby, Kathern Lawrence; back standing row - Percy Anthony, Wanda Drysdale,
Alban Pitre, Dean Hardy (the pastor), Michael Raby; Missing persons from photo –
Susan and Trevor Steane
The Deaf Community in New Brunswick attended a special
Christian event. Ontarian Dean Hardy, a hearing child of
deaf parents (CODA) presented a worthy presentation
“Grow in Grace” based on the verse in 2 Peter 3: 17-18:
“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on
your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error
of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow
4
1.
Fill out the Golf clinic
registration form (attached)
2.
DYA Membership
(attached)
3.
NSDSA Membership
(attached)
Announcement – Upcoming Events
Nova Scotia Deaf Sports Association
Annual Membership Fee
5 DOLLARS MEMBERSHIP CARD
September 2014 – September
2015
The golf flyer is also attached for your information and it
has the dates on it.
If you have any questions/concerns or are interested in
registering, contact Jared Mac Neil (President of DYA) at
jared@dyans.ca
E-mail: _____________________________________________
Cheers,
Leanne Gallant
DYA Program Manager
City: _____________________
On behalf of NSDSA’s committee and DYA’s committee
Name: ______________________________________________
Province: _____________
Age: _____ Male/Female: ________ Subscribe (Yes/No): _____
------------------
Deaf/Hard of Hearing (HOH)/Hearing: ____________________
Sports Interest: ________________________________________
Ice Hockey League
DYA & NSDSA are pleased to host ICE HOCKEY for the
Deaf Community!
Sat, Jan 17th 11:30pm-1:00am at Forum
(2901 Windsor Street, Halifax)
Sat, Feb 21st 11:30pm-1:00am at Forum
Come and Have Fun!
It costs $20 per person /
event
And you don't have to
wear FULL gear, BUT
REQUIRED- HELMET
(policy has changed).
And Stick/Skate/Gloves.
And please let us know if you plan to be goalie (with full
gear).
For more info - contact info@dyans.ca
Matt Ayyash, President of NSDSA
Golf Clinic Jan 2015
DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING YOUTH
ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Youth Association are pleased to
host a golf clinic starting in January 2015. This golf clinic
will include four indoor golf sessions, one driving range and
golfing at Indian Lake for 9 holes for only $20.00!!!
This is for ANYONE from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
community. Deaf and CODAs/SODAs are priority, if we
have spaces left, AEIP/DSP/signers are welcome!
Membership Registration
When you complete the form, please send via email to
info@dyans.ca.
Name:
Required to join the golf sessions: (please get the forms
from Leanne Gallant).
_______________________________
Email:
_______________________________
Street Address: ____________________________
City:
_______________________________
5
Province:
_______________________________
Postal Code: _______________________________
Birthday: _______________________________
Gender:
Male ______
Female _______
Hearing Status:
Deaf ____ HH _____ Hearing __
Additional comments?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
You will learn how to register
your phone and how to help
other people register their
phones with their carriers.
Class is limited to 25 people –
so register early!
If interested to go, email to DAANS
(daans@ns.sympatico.ca) AND say your cell phone carrier
name (Bell, Telus, Rogers, or another)
_________________________________________
Eastern Bowling Association of the Deaf 2015
Invites you to attend the
Annual General Meeting
~
Special Presenter
Paige Barnaby:
From School to Work
~
Thursday, December 11, 2014
6:30 pm
APSEA, Cafeteria
5940 South Street, Halifax
~
Interpreters Available
Everyone Welcome!
Refreshments will be served
For more information please contact Betty
MacDonald at: dlns@ns.sympatico.ca
TEXTING 911 Workshop
Texting 911 is coming to Nova Scotia in January.
Texting 911 is only for Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing
– not for hearing.
But - before you can text to 911 Emergency, you must
register your cell phone with your carrier (Bell, Telus,
Rogers, or another carrier).
EMO Nova Scotia and the phone carriers will hold a training
and registering event:
When? Thursday, December 4, 2014
Time?
6 – 8 pm
Where? NSCC Waterfront – Room #5334
Interpreters will be provided.
To register for this workshop, you must agree to help
other Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of hearing register their
phones too.
6
Cost of prizes based on the numbers of teams
Non-bowlers senior citizen (over 60):
Banquet & dance
Wheelchair
Deaf / Blind & Usher’s Syndrome
Dance only
Fan fees
Rental shoe fees
Trophies





Gold Slattery Trophy
Silver Don Sutherland Trophy
Bronze Cape Breton Trophy
4th place E.B.A.D. Trophy
5th place Hebert Campbell Plaque
PAYMENT:
Please send a certified cheque or money order payable to
EBAD Tourney ’15 & send with the registration form to:
EBAD Lottery Winners









$85.00
$55.00
$45.00
$20.00
$2.00
$2.25
High Singles
High Averages
Teams High Single
Men & Women Individual Singles
Sportsmanship
Crying Towel
Jackpot
50/50
Door Prizes
Andrew Brown, Treasurer
82 River East Dr.
Riverview, N.B. E1B 4Y3
E-mail address: acbrown76@rogers.com
Skype: Oilers96
-------------
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact Denise Coldwell, Chairwoman,
2015ebad@gmail.com
EBAD Bulletin – 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015 @ 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Captain and Assistant Captain Meeting
At Holiday Inn
Official EBAD Website:
http://deafatlantic.x10host.com/EBAD
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Warm up to bowl @ 8:30 AM
Game Start @ 9:00 AM
Booster: Andrew Brown
-----------------
Banquet at Holiday Inn Harbourview
Cocktail @ 5:30 PM
Dinner @ 6:30 PM
Award Presentation @ 8:00 PM
Dance @ 9:00 PM
EBAD Rules – Be sure to make a mixed teams of three (3)
men & two (2) women or two (2) men & three (3) women
New* One CODA Team (Mixed team rule applies above)
REGISTRATION FORM
Name: ______________________________
Address: ____________________________
____________________________________
Postal Code: _________________________
Vp, Skype, Cell phone _________________
Email ad: ___________________________
Team Name: (city / town / title; ie: Toronto Blue Jays)
Name of Bowlers
Each team except CODA Team is allowed one hearing per
team, hearing spouses, CODA, interpreter; all must be
involved in the Deaf Community. They are welcome to join.
Captain is responsible for your team to be full.
Individuals, if you want to bowl, but don’t have a team, you
can contact Andrew Brown, and you will be added to the
list.
Bowlers must be 19 years old and up to enter the tourney.
Deadline: April 30, 2015. Any late bowling entries will not
be accepted.
-------------TICKET INFORMATION
For bowlers: Bowling, banquet, & dance
$85.00
Deaf / Blind & Usher’s Syndrome bowler
$75.00
Senior Citizens:
Bowling, banquet, & dance
Buffet & dance
$80.00
$60.00
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
Name of non-bowlers: (Ordering tickets)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
__________________________ ($ ___________)
Deadline: April 30, 2015
EBAD Combo
May 15 &16, 2015
No. 15
7
ACCOMMODATION:
Headquarter at Holiday Inn
101 Wyse Road
Dartmouth, N.S.
B3A 1L9
Single / double bed
- $119.00 plus tax
Booking code under the name of Eastern Bowling
Association of the Deaf is DB7
Toll Free Reservation – 1- 888-434-0440
Direct Hotel Line – 902-463-1100
Email: reservation@hiharbourview.ca
All reservation must be guaranteed at the time of booking by
a credit card.
Celebration - Anniversaries, Births,
Birthdays, Weddings
Editorial note - please email the special dates of those
events: births, birthdays, and anniversaries of people in the
Deaf Community with details forwarded to me at
kblaw@bellaliant.net.
What would you let me know? … Who, where, when, what?
The news can be about the celebration of parents or
grandparents having a new member to the families; 40th 50th,
60th, 70th birthday and so; and wedding anniversaries – 25th,
30th, and so. It is not easy for me to keep track of everything
that has been happening so please inform me of wonderful
news. Also send me the news that someone in the
community is getting married. Your help will be greatly
appreciated. Thanks!
40th Wedding Anniversary
Booking deadline to redeem this rate: April 23, 2015
-------------Directions to the hotel can be seen on EBAD Website
My sincere apology - Please
accept my sincere apology
for not including the 40th
anniversary of Bill and Patti
Hall in the last issue. I also
apologize for the error in
the name of Judy Shea’s
husband. His name is Bill,
not John that was published
in the last issue (Sept.).
Hotel: Comfort Inn
466 Windmill Road, Dartmouth, N.S.
Room Rate Special Offer - $99.00
Reservation # - 902-463-9900 or 1-877-6433653
Cn249@outlook.com
Attention: Tell the hotel receptionist that you are staying for
the weekend for the EBAD tournament.
_____________________________________
47th ECAD Convention 2015
Eastern Canada Association of the Deaf Convention will be
held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on July 23 –
25, 2015. Details in the flyer will follow in the next issue
(May 2015).
Bill and Patti celebrated their
40th anniversary with their
children, and 5 grandchildren at a restaurant. They
made vows in Grimsby,
Ontario on July 6th, 1974.
They had known each other
from the school years at
Belleville School for the Deaf in Belleville, Ontario.
The Legge family joined in the
celebration of Roland and Connie’s
40th wedding anniversary at Daughter
Debbie’s property on Pine Glen Road.
They were wed at St. John’s United
Church on Victoria Street, Moncton on
October 18, 1974.
Best wishes to the Halls and the
Legges for the years of blessings ahead.
--------------Births
The ECAD board for the year 2013 – 2015 is composed of
the following persons: President Brenda Mulley-Rose,
Chairman Leonard Batten, Treasurer Ricky Keating, and
Secretary Gil Blunden.
Prince Edward Island is a very beautiful place to sightsee,
especially in the summer. It features all attractions – lovely
beaches, antique shops, camping sites, miles of grassy lands,
and other interests. Make your summer trip a part of your
plan before or after attending the ECAD Convention.
DON’T MISS THE FUN!
Mike and Linda Perrier
are very proud to
become grandparents
of the first child named
Alice. Daughter Denna
and Kevin Leigh are
the parents. At birth,
she weighed 7 pounds
10 ounces. Congratulations! May you enjoy every moment
of your time with the new member in your family.
8
Patricia Ruth Wright (nee How)
1943-2014
Wright, Patricia Ruth (nee
How), 71, of Dartmouth, N.S.
passed away at St. Martha's
Regional Hospital, Antigonish
on October 8, 2014.
Born in Springhill, she was a
daughter of the late Douglas &
Ruth (Potter) How
Growing up Pat attended schools for the Deaf in Halifax,
Belleville, New Jersey and Montreal. She dearly loved her
Mother and Father and had a special place in her heart for her
grandmothers and great aunts, who were very kind to her as a
girl. Pat was very demonstrative and loved to laugh and
socialize.
Chalmers Regional Hospital on Tuesday, November 18, 2014
at the age of 76. Born at Nashwaak Bridge, NB on July 1,
1938, he was the youngest child of the late Lawrence and
Viola (MacLean) MacKay. Douglas was the last surviving
member of his immediate family.
Douglas was affiliated with the United Church of Canada.
From working in the woods as a young man with his brothers,
his working career would vary from the Marysville Cotton
Mill to working as a Pressman in the printing Industry to a
Dishwasher in Ontario and then returning to Fredericton to
work at Colonial Manufacturing, UNB and Provincial
Artisans. Douglas always had a strong work ethic and
provided well for his family.
Douglas loved to socialize. Spending time with his family and
friends was always a highlight of his day. He was an avid Dart
Player, a hockey player in his younger years and a favorite
pastime was bowling and cheering on his favorite hockey
team, the Montreal Canadiens.
She lived independently and worked for many, many years in
Ontario and Nova Scotia at data entry and file management.
She created many colourful crocheted throws; enjoyed cards,
dominoes and absolutely loved doing cryptograms. The
greatest joy in her life was her son Joel, who married Lori,
and together they brought her two beautiful granddaughters.
Douglas leaves behind his wife of 18 years, Corliss
(Underhill) MacKay; a much loved and cherished daughter,
Fay Ann Ryan (Edward Hood) of Nashwaak Bridge; two
adored granddaughters, Amy and Bridgette both of Nashwaak
Bridge as well as numerous nieces and nephews and a very
special friend, Allie Burns of Toronto.
She is survived by her son Joel (Lori), Midhurst, Ontario,
sister Susan, Arlington, Virginia, brother Dwight (Lucille),
Pomquet, granddaughters, Ava and Emerson. The family
wishes to express their great gratitude to the staffs of the QEII
Health Science Centre and St. Martha's Regional Hospital for
the very kind and compassionate care they gave to Patricia.
Besides his parents, Douglas was predeceased by his first
wife, Emily Elizabeth (Manoryk) MacKay (1991); a son-inlaw, Frederick Wallace "Wally" Ryan (2004); brothers
Arthur, Darrell, Merton, Frederick, Stanley, Marven, Olin and
sisters Mavis MacKay and Joyce Langille.
A private interment at a later date. Funeral arrangements are
under the direction of C.L. Curry Funeral Services,
Antigonish.
Online condolences: www.clcurry.com
-------------------Douglas F. MacKay
1938-2014
The passing of Douglas Franklin
MacKay of Fredericton and
formerly of Nashwaak Bridge,
NB occurred at the Dr. Everett
You are invited to Bishop’s Funeral Home, 540 Woodstock
Road, Fredericton, to visit with the family of Douglas
MacKay and share some memories with them on Thursday,
November 20 from 7 to 9 PM and then again on Friday,
November 21 between 2 to 4 in the afternoon or between 7 to
9 in the evening. A celebration of the life of Douglas MacKay
will be held from Bishop’s Funeral Home Chapel on
Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 11:00 AM. Pastor Gordon
Mowry will officiate. Interment will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions to the Parkinson Society-Fredericton
Area or the Saint John Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Inc.
would be appreciated by the family.
-------------------------
Christmas Greeting from the Community
Fredericton Women Group at the retreat camp: Front row – Wensday Dedam , Susan Steane, Chrissy Montgomery, Julie Kilbride, Ruth Read,
Tanya Rowna Stewart, Sharon Fitzpatrick; back row - Carrie Durand, Carol Anthony, Joyce Wilson, Martha Cox-Frenette
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We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year. Good tidings we bring to you and your kin; Good tidings
for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Canadian Deaf Community News
CANADIAN ADMINISTRATOR OF VRS
Nov. 21, 2014
To: Interested Parties
Subject: Canadian Administrator of VRS – Call for Stakeholders
Dear Sir or Madame,
This letter is being sent to you by the Interim Board of Directors of the Canadian Administrator of VRS (CAV)
Inc., a new organization that is currently being established to oversee the delivery of video relay service (VRS)
in Canada. We would like to provide you with information about this new organization and to inquire whether
your group may be interested in becoming a Stakeholder of the CAV in order to participate in the selection process
to determine the individuals associated with the CAV's permanent Board of Directors. There is no fee for being
a Stakeholder. If your group is interested in becoming a Stakeholder, we invite you to contact us to express your
interest at the contact information below.
We are currently preparing videos of this letter in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes
québécois (LSQ). These videos will be distributed once available.
The Canadian Administrator of VRS: Bringing VRS to Canadians
The CAV is a not-for-profit organization that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) recently determined would be established to oversee the delivery of VRS in Canada. The
CAV will engage independent VRS service providers to deliver services to Canadians across the country in both
ASL and LSQ, and ensure that VRS is provided in accordance with CRTC requirements. The CRTC has provided
that VRS in Canada will receive funding of up to $30 million each year, to be paid by contributions from
telecommunications service providers (TSPs).
A number of steps need to take place before the CAV can launch VRS in Canada:
1)
Determine the Corporate Structure of the CAV: The first step toward launching VRS involves determining
the corporate structure of the CAV. The Interim Board of Directors has designed a proposal for the corporate
structure of the CAV that is currently being considered by the CRTC. We expect that the CRTC will issue
a decision on the proposal in the near future. Once the corporate structure of the CAV has been approved,
further steps can be taken to set up the CAV.
2)
Establish a permanent Board of Directors for the CAV: Once the corporate structure of the CAV has been
determined, the Interim Board of Directors will run processes to select individuals associated with the CAV's
permanent Board of Directors (see the section below, Selecting the Permanent Board of Directors: The
Role of Stakeholders).
3)
Set up VRS: The permanent Board of Directors of the CAV will then take steps to contract with independent
VRS service provider(s) to provide VRS in both ASL and LSQ across the country.
It is the goal of the Interim Board of Directors to establish the permanent Board of Directors as soon as possible
after the CRTC issues its decision with respect to the corporate structure of the CAV. Once the permanent Board
of Directors is in place, a number of months will be needed before VRS can become operational.
Selecting the Permanent Board of Directors: The Role of Stakeholders
The permanent Board of Directors of the CAV will be structured to benefit from perspectives of the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing (DHH) community, sign language interpreters, TSPs and the Canadian public.
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Stakeholders will play an important role in selecting the individuals who will bring these perspectives to the CAV
Board of Directors. Groups that register with the CAV as Stakeholders will be entitled to nominate and vote for
candidates to serve in roles that align with their interests. For example, the Board of Directors will include
individuals who provide perspectives from the DHH community. These individuals will be selected by
Stakeholders groups that represent the interests of DHH users. These groups will register as DHH Stakeholders
of the CAV, and as DHH Stakeholders, they will be eligible to nominate and vote for candidates who will sit on
the Board of Directors to provide the perspective of DHH users.
Similarly, individuals who will bring the perspectives of TSPs and sign language interpreters to the Board of
Directors will be selected by telecommunications companies and interpreter groups, respectively. TSPs will
register as TSP Stakeholders of the CAV to participate in the election of individuals who will bring TSP
perspectives to the Board of Directors, and sign language interpreter groups will register as Interpreter
Stakeholders of the CAV to participate in the appointment of individuals who will bring the perspectives of sign
language interpreters to the Board of Directors.
In order to register as a DHH Stakeholder, a TSP Stakeholder, or an Interpreter Stakeholder, DHH groups, TSPs
and sign language interpreter groups will need to meet specific eligibility criteria. These criteria are still being
considered by the CRTC and have not yet been finalized.
The Process for Becoming a Stakeholder of CAV
If your group represents the interests of DHH users, sign language interpreters, or is a TSP, and is interested in
becoming a Stakeholder of the CAV, we would invite you to let us know by sending a short message to info@cavacs.ca.
In your message, please indicate the following information:
-
The name of your group;
The name and contact information (phone number/email) of the appropriate person at your group for us to
contact; and
Identify which type of Stakeholder your group would like to register as, whether as a:

DHH Stakeholder;

TSP Stakeholder; or

Interpreter Stakeholder.
-
Once the corporate structure of the CAV is approved by the CRTC (as discussed above), we will formally register
Stakeholders to participate in the election of individuals to be associated with the permanent Board of Directors.
By expressing your interest now, we will automatically send your group a Stakeholder Registration Form to
complete once the registration period begins.
Please feel free to share this letter with other groups that you believe may be interested in becoming a Stakeholder
of the CAV.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to send them to "info@cav-acs.ca"
We hope you will consider becoming a Stakeholder of the CAV and we look forward to hearing from you.
Yours truly,
[ Original signed by F.
Folino ]
[ Original signed by J.
Daniels ]
[ Original signed by G.
Birch ]
Frank Folino, BA
(Hons.)
Jonathan Daniels
Gary Birch, O.C., Ph.D.,
P.Eng
Director, Interim Board
CAV
Director, Interim Board
CAV
Director, Interim Board
CAV
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POSITION PROFILE
CANADIAN ADMINISTRATOR OF VIDEO RELAY SERVICES
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Client Organization: Canadian Administrator of Video Relay Services
Position Title: Executive Director
Location: Ottawa (or other location in Canada as determined)
Background and Context
Over the years, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)1 has taken a
number of decisions to promote the accessibility of telecommunications services to people with disabilities. In
April, 2014, the CRTC announced that Video Relay Services (VRS) will be offered nationally to American Sign
Language (ASL) and Langue de signes québécoise (LSQ) users to better facilitate conversations between people
who are Deaf or hard of hearing and other Canadians, and vice versa. It is estimated that there will be
approximately 20,000 primary users of VRS in Canada, and that VRS may be available as early as the fall of
2015.
VRS is currently available in at least nine other countries and is funded from a variety of sources and provided
through many different models. In deciding how to implement VRS in Canada, the CRTC had to take into
consideration the distinct characteristics of the Canadian marketplace, including two official languages, two
corresponding sign languages, a relatively small population spread unevenly over a large land base, six time
zones, and a unique Canadian telecommunications regulatory context.
The CRTC opted for a model in which VRS would be offered by an independent, centralized, third-party VRS
administrator - the Canadian Administrator of VRS. VRS is to be available nationally, in both ASL and LSQ,
and will be funded by telecommunications service providers through contributions to the existing National
Contribution Fund2, which will be capped at $30 million annually.
For many Canadians who are Deaf or hard of hearing, ASL or LSQ is learned early in life and, in many cases, is
their first language. VRS will make it possible for them to communicate with ease in their language of choice,
thereby decreasing barriers to communication.
The Role and Opportunity
The inaugural Executive Director of the Canadian Administrator of VRS (CAV) will successfully develop, lead
and manage the new corporation under the direction of the CAV Board of Directors and the CRTC, and will
strategize and determine how VRS will be provided and implemented across Canada, within the parameters set
by the CRTC. To review the detailed requirements for the VRS administrator as well as the requirements for
VRS, please see Appendix A.
This is an exciting and well-funded opportunity for the inaugural Executive Director of CAV. S/he will have the
opportunity to design a regime from the ground up, incorporating lessons learned from others around the world,
that does not currently exist and that will become an archetype for other nations. With an annual budget of $30
million, this person will have an opportunity afforded few others in the world – to create and implement a VRS
scheme that is comprehensive and yet does not suffer the same design flaws (from an incentive perspective) as
found in other countries. The net result will be to bring to Canada a much needed and highly anticipated service
that will improve the lives of Deaf and hard of hearing Canadians.
As the chief executive for CAV, the Executive Director will be responsible for the following broad objectives:
Governance: collaborate with and support the Board of Directors in its governance role, including
ional advisor to the Board on all aspects of the corporation's activities;
ndate.
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Program and Service Delivery: develop, implement and monitor the performance of VRS service (both the
platform infrastructure as well as the VRS service providers), including
) of VRS and separately VRS platform;
quirements are met by both CAV and with any party with which it contracts.
Communications and Public Relations: use both formal and informal strategies, media and channels to
communicate with and keep all stakeholders informed of progress, including
telecommunications service providers, the CRTC, the Board, contracted providers, and the Deaf and hard of
hearing communities;
t to objectives; and
service will be available.
Financial, Risk and Asset Management: apply responsible and sound financial and risk management practices,
including
statements, and reporting areas of interest and concern to the Audit Committee and Board;
cial information reporting to the Audit Committee;
image and good will; and
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate has the following experience, skills, knowledge and attributes:
practices and challenges of implementation and launch, along with corresponding tactical components such as
RFPs and budgets.
-of-hearing individual who has credibility with these communities.
-building and stakeholder management skills; diplomatic, and effective at negotiating
for results.
ctices and ability to forge an effective working relationship with an
inaugural Board of Directors.
-oriented person with proven ability to successfully launch a new service; balances innovation,
creative thinking and foresight with strong planning and implementation skills.
effectively fulfill on a national VRS
mandate.
necessary.
credibility with ease.
Contact Information
Should you have an interest in exploring this further or have any questions regarding this initiative, please
contact:
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Tim Hewat, Partner
Direct: 1 416.596.2050
Email: thewat@amropknightsbridge.com
Chris Sawyer, Senior Consultant
Direct: 1 416.640.4312
Email: csawyer@amropknightsbridge.com
Katherina Cameron, Project Coordinator
Direct: 1 416.928.4643.
Email: kcameron@amropknightsbridge.com
-----------------------------
Amrop Knightsbridge
250 Yonge Street, Suite 2800, Toronto, ON M5B 2L9
About Amrop Knightsbridge
Proudly Canadian, Amrop Knightsbridge is a leading executive search firm with offices across Canada and in
the U.S. and partner offices around the globe. Amrop Knightsbridge is an integral part of Knightsbridge Human
Capital Management Inc., a human capital management organization comprising teams of specialists with an
integrated perspective across recruitment, leadership and organizational development, learning, and career and
workforce management. Solutions are customized to fully meet client specific needs, maximizing investments
in people and achieving optimal organizational and business productivity and performance. Knightsbridge has
been recognized over multiple years as one of Canada’s Top 50 Best Managed Companies. Further
Knightsbridge information is available at www.amropknightsbridge.com
Knightsbridge Human Capital Management Inc. is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity in
employment within our firm and within the services we provide to clients. We recognize the important role we
play in promoting and encouraging tolerance, diversity, inclusiveness, respect and fairness.
----------------Requirements for the VRS administrator
1) Establish and monitor a national VRS system that meets the requirements set out below or otherwise set out
by the Commission.
2) Operate in accordance with its bylaws, mandate, and any other corporate documents approved by the
Commission.
3) Develop and file with the Commission, for information, the processes it will follow for:
a) resolving complaints between VRS users and itself or any VRS provider(s), with a mechanism to escalate
complaints to the Commission;
b) recording and maintaining VRS usage and demand data (including monthly reports generated by the VRS
technology platform) so that any trend analysis may be completed regarding call traffic patterns sorted by day
and by hour, call volume, call duration, wait times, abandoned calls, technical areas, and other related issues;
and
c) recording and maintaining data with respect to the provision of VRS, including, at a minimum: quality of
service measures; financial accountability measures; and the number and nature of (i) complaints and inquiries
(including those related to operator service and technical errors or technology compatibility), and (ii) operators
(including the number of operators hired, the average wage rate and availability, and certification requirements).
4) Develop and file with the Commission, for information, privacy and confidentiality standards for the
provision of VRS.
5) File any information requested by the Commission with respect to its operations.
6) Develop and file with the Commission, for information, a proposed education and public awareness
campaign to encourage the adoption of VRS by users with and without disabilities, including institutions (e.g.
financial institutions). The campaign must include (i) the proposed role of TSPs and proposed measures of
success, and (ii) targeted education efforts to inform consumers about how to access 9-1-1 services using VRS
as well as when VRS is not available. The proposal must be filed either at the same time the administrator seeks
funding for service or earlier.
7) Introduce ASL and LSQ services on the same day and demonstrate that it has made all reasonable efforts to
ensure that both services are equally comprehensive regardless of whether ASL and LSQ customers are served
by the same or separate VRS providers. The administrator is not to limit one service to ensure its equality with
the other service.
8) Ensure that staff and any advisory panels that may be struck to advise the Board of Directors include the
perspectives of both the ASL and LSQ communities.
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9) Ensure that the total of all VRS-related costs does not exceed $30 million annually for a fully subscribed,
full-time service.
10) File an application for annual funding with the Commission, demonstrating that all the requirements set out
for VRS have been or will be met.
11) On a date set by the Commission before the VRS review, file with the Commission, for approval, modified
or updated:
a) quality of service standards;
b) complaints resolution guidelines, including service standards; and
c) reporting requirements.
12) Where all or some of the VRS is provided by a VRS provider, the administrator must include in any RFP,
and in any resulting contract, a requirement that a VRS provider must:
a) provide a service (or a portion of a service) that complies with (or allows the administrator to comply with)
the requirements in this Appendix or otherwise established by the Commission;
b) provide to the administrator, or to the Commission directly, any information with respect to its operations for
monitoring or review purposes, including any data collected or reports generated;
c) handle and monitor customer complaints in accordance with the mechanism established by the administrator;
d) record the following information in relation to the services provided:
i. operators (including the number of operators hired, the average wage rate and availability, and certification
requirements);
ii. demand data (including, at a minimum, detailed call traffic patterns sorted by day and by hour, call volume,
call duration, abandoned calls, and average wait time); and
iii. complaints and inquiries data relating to operator service and underlying technology.
e) indicate the price the VRS provider will charge to customers for long distance calls and any ancillary
services. Bids should also indicate whether or not long distance calling cards are compatible with the service,
and if so, identify which calling cards are compatible;
f) limit its contract term to a maximum of four years, with the option of an extension, in order to allow for
possible changes resulting from the Commission’s review of VRS; and
g) co-operate with the administrator and with any other VRS providers to ensure seamless transitions at the
beginning and the end of the contract term.
13) In developing VRS, the administrator should consider the following:
a) interoperability with other jurisdictions’ VRS systems to the extent possible, to facilitate point-to-point calls
internationally;
b) interoperability between VRS and MRS, as described in the ITU Total Conversation standard;
c) promotion of consumer choice in end-user devices that are current, off-the-shelf, and popular; and
d) separation of the technical and operator elements of VRS.
Minimum requirements for the VRS developed by the VRS administrator
14) Provide video relayed calls in both ASL and LSQ.
15) Use telephone numbers that conform to the NANP and provide universal access to and/or from the PSTN.
16) Use a single (common) VRS technology platform nationally that can support multiple VRS providers.
17) Use non-proprietary VRS technology based on current (i.e. evolving) industry-accepted technical protocols.
18) Use a specialized platform for VRS unless the key features of this decision become available on nonspecialized platforms.
19) Provide some service every day of the week, targeting a minimum of 72 hours of operation per week, by the
end of year one of VRS operation.
20) Target hours of operation that serve the highest traffic times, if operating VRS on a restricted schedule.
21) Be capable of expanding its hours of operation.
22) Include the ability for VRS users to make point-to-point calls (i.e. calls between VRS users without the use
of an operator).
23) Create a database of VRS users, accessible to the administrator, that includes users’ address information and
has a mechanism for users to update their information through customer service and online.
24) Provide access to 9-1-1 service during the hours of operation of VRS using the same approach that the
Commission has mandated for nomadic VoIP 9-1-1 services, as set out in Telecom Decisions and 2007-44.
Specifically:
a) the VRS operator must act as the intermediary between the VRS user and the 9-1-1 call operator at the PSAP;
b) 9-1-1 service must be provided using the incumbent local exchange carriers’ tariffed emergency call routing
operator service so that the VRS operator has priority access to PSAPs across the country;
c) customers must be informed when they register for VRS, and when they initiate a 9-1-1 call outside of VRS
operating hours, of the hours when 9-1-1 service is unavailable via VRS and how to reach 9-1-1 during those
hours;
15
d) an onscreen notification must appear when a VRS user tries to place a 9-1-1 call during hours when VRS is
not operational; and
e) each VRS user’s address information must be entered into a database and automatically provided to the VRS
operator during a 9-1-1 call made via VRS.
i. The user-provided address information is to be used as a last resort, in situations where the VRS user is unable
to provide or confirm their location.
ii. VRS users must have the capacity to update their address information for 9-1-1 purposes through customer
service and online.
25) Use a screening process to ensure that operators are qualified sign language interpreters, meaning that they
can interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any necessary
specialized vocabulary.
26) Be provided to registered VRS users upon user self-certification of hearing or speech disability and their
signing a user agreement. This agreement must be in plain language and must outline, at a minimum, user selfcertification of a hearing or speech disability, privacy and confidentiality policies, fair usage policy, information
on 9-1-1 access, and a billing agreement for ancillary and long distance services. This user agreement must be
signed before services are rendered.
27) Have a user technology interface and written materials provided to the customer that are in plain language
and are offered in the official language of the customer’s choice.
28) Be provided at no additional cost to the customer.
29) Ensure that ancillary services such as call display, video mail, etc., where offered, are billed to customers
who subscribe to these services at rates similar to those charged for corresponding voice services.
30) Offer VRS users long distance services at rates similar to those charged for other long distance services.
Long distance calls initiated by VRS users are to be billable to the user, based on call duration.
---------------1 The CRTC is the administrative tribunal that regulates and supervises Canada’s broadcasting and
telecommunications in the public interest.
2 The National Contribution Fund was created in 2001 to subsidize local telephone service in areas where the
cost of providing this service is higher. Companies with over $10 million in annual telecommunications
revenues contribute to this fund.
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