AMI denounces treatment of its employees and the community it serves

AMI’s vision is to establish and support a voice for Canadians with disabilities, representing their interests, concerns and values through accessible media, reflection and portrayal.

Furthermore, AMI supports its employees, and the community it serves, when their human rights are violated. 

Recently, Beth Deer—AMI This Week’s Edmonton-based Bureau Reporter and documentary host—was denied transportation by a ride sharing company because she is a guide dog user. 

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Beth—who was born with optic nerve hypoplasia and latent nystagmus and lost her sight in 2014—and her guide dog, Patronus have been denied transportation. 

Nor is it the first time an AMI employee has been treated this way.

Earlier this year, Victoria Nolan—AMI This Week host, Paralympian and CNIB Guide Dog spokesperson—was delivered by cab to the wrong Victoria, B.C., address and the driver sped off, leaving her stranded. Then, just days ago, Victoria and her family were initially turned away when they attempted to book a hotel room in Ucluelet, B.C.

Human rights legislation prohibits discriminating against a person with a disability who is working with a service animal.

“Part of AMI’s mission is to empower Canadians who are blind or partially sighted,” David Errington, AMI President and CEO, says. “It’s appalling that members of our staff or any member of the community we serve continue to be discriminated against and denied their basic human rights.”

AMI spotlights the lives of Canadians with disabilities, including the mistreatment they may face, through AMI-audio programming in NOW with Dave Brown, Kelly and Company, The Pulse and original podcasts, and AMI-tv series like AMI This Week, Beyond the Field, Our Community, Employable Me and original documentaries. 

Stream AMI content anytime on AMI.ca or the AMI-tv App for Apple and Android.