Media

Alan Bridgeman speaks to Barrier-Free Manitoba's Broken Promise Campaign

Barrier-Free Manitoba - June 2 at 8:03am ·

Alan Bridgeman invites you to support Barrier-Free Manitoba's (BFM)  Broken Promise campaign in this short video. Alan, a computer science student at the University of Manitoba and member of the Provincial Council of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities, has supported BFM's campaign by creating a video message. (We've included the transcript below.) The landmark Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) promised significant progress toward full accessibility by 2023. That's just not happening. The promise is being broken.

Alan deserves better. So do you. We all do.

Please join in calling for better at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AMABrokenPromise

Here's the transcript of Alan's message:

“I'm Alan Bridgeman, I'm a member of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities Board. A barrier I face every day is a technological or information-communication technology one. And I’m one of the 200,000 Manitobans living with disabilities.
A barrier I face every day is a technological or information-communication technology one. And that’s to be able to use my assistive technology with existing and upcoming technology.

As a computer science student at u of man I face this barrier all the time. And, if there was some kind of standard that put accessibility as a feature on every technology that I use, in my day to day life - it would make my life a lot easier. The government's promise to make, they would make significant progress towards accessibility by 2023 - this has been broken.

And that's why I encourage you to go online and join our campaign. I deserve better, you deserve better, and so does Manitoba.” Student leaders like Alan play critical roles in work toward realizing a fully accessible Manitoba. As such, BFM also want to acknowledge and extend thanks to the Canadian Federation of Students - Manitoba and the National Educational Association of Disabled Students for their leadership and support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTUyBGik9qY
   
(Alan Bridgeman is the Manitoba Director of the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS). He also serves as Acting Secretary on the NEADS Board of Directors and Chair of the NEADS Communications and Social Media Committee)