Canada grants Royal Assent to Bill C-81 recognizing ASL, LSQ, and ISL

On Friday, June 21, the Canadian Governor General granted Royal Assent for Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act, which includes recognition of ASL, LSQ, and Indigenous Sign Languages as the primary languages of Deaf people.

This is the final step in the legislative process and turns the bill into official law. This is the crowning achievement of the months-long effort of the Canadian Association of the Deaf, Deaf indigenous organizations, and other Deaf/disability rights activists.

Indigenous Sign Languages was also recognized in another bill that received Royal Assent, Bill C-91, the Indigenous Languages Act, which aims to recognize and preserve Indigenous languages.

CAD/ASC President Frank Folino told “The Daily Moth” in an interview two months ago that sign language recognition can lead to more employment opportunities for Deaf people in the federal sector.

Folino also said last month that the next step after Royal Assent is to establish regulations that will be in force in two years.

The ACA aims to remove barriers for disabled people in federal jurisdictions by 2040, but the work is to start without delay.

Once again, congratulations to Canada.

CAD: http://bit.ly/2x8RtSo

ILA: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-indigenous-languages-act-receives-royal-assent-824167442.html

Folino/Moth Interview: http://bit.ly/2J3RpJk

Bill C-81 Approved by House of Commons: http://bit.ly/2YbxD4H