Deaf Métis student says emailed apology from Manitoba minister isn’t good enough | APTN News
Thirty years after finishing high school and raising six children, Deborah Owczar found herself graduating college with a certificate in child and youth care.
She said the trauma informed program instilled a sense of pride in her as an Indigenous woman who grew up in foster care. It was also accessible as a deaf person who speaks American Sign Language, or ASL.
“So many people who are not deaf or hard of hearing, they don’t understand what we’re going through. They don’t understand our day-to-day life,” she says.
Owczar recently celebrated her hard work at a graduation ceremony for Indigenous women with her daughter Stephanie Jebb, who is also deaf.
The ceremony was hosted by the province of Manitoba and hosted by Nahanni Fontaine, the Minister for Gender Equality.
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Tags apology aptn Deaf deaf life emailed good isnt Manitoba Métis minister National news student
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oh look, entitled drama queens in the comments are upset about a human being just acting normal….
@Dragonstar-p5c
Canadian government shouldn't be in charge of Indigenous people. In my European settler opinion (which is way less valid) I feel indigenous people should be completely in charge of their land. The Canadian government should not be involved and Indigenous people should have their own country. Please correct me if you're Indigenous.
@TheresaAbreu-o4c
This asshole even sweared. >.> I'm more into anarchy and I hate the government. They're so 2 faced…
@TheresaAbreu-o4c
How much welfare does she get?
@jeepstuff4004
Unforgivable. This woman is a horrible human being.
@M.E.M.O.10-50
The public has CLEAR expectations that the minister responsible for the Accessibility and the Gender & Equality portfolios MUST have a fundamental understanding of various disabilities, the types of reasonable accommodations they require, and the core principles of intersectionality & disability justice. They are expected to know WHY and HOW to apply these principles to ensure equitable access to information & services, because they SET THE STANDARD for accessibility within the public and private sectors.
The comments made by this minister, Nahanni Fontaine, show her profound misunderstanding of the application and purpose for having an ASL interpreter present and visible for the event. While the minister’s speech may have been beautiful and meaningful, NONE of that matters if your intended audience cannot hear it. From now on, disability advocates will be watching her now to see how she will demonstrate her recommitment to her constituents. As a believer in restorative justice, I sincerely hope Nahanni will take all necessary steps to take accountability by reeducating herself and ensuring all future events are designed with accessibility from their inception.
Solidarity with Deborah Owczar, Stephanie Jebb, and the entire deaf community. 💖♥️💖♥️
@GottaLovePartyin
no maybe another cheque or two and all is forgiven
@gordmorris3368
I wonder why nobody is asking for her resignation?
@priyarai9237
Racism is faced by many eople from every community. I am black vidible minority and i am bring yelled by first nation people, bullied by them they throw garbage on my ptoperty and after telling them politely they come aggressively at you and gang up on you. These people are tenents but so aggressive. So i stopped caring for my property. They would cut down my plants, trespassing. Police is of no use. So first nations aboriginals themselves drscriminate sgainst others.
@priyarai9237
Wow the priorities of these manatees 🦭
@magicicle
The interpreter was moving her hands… In the crowded banquet hall…? How dare she!? Everyone knows that one can only give a speech if all the attendees remain perfectly still throughout.
@swiftxrt
oh please , use your race more ,, so tired of this ,, stop whining
@doxipunk
If the Accessibility Minister was a dude this would never have happened. Just saying…..
@Nebb0
Probably could have just moved her to a different location if she was standing somewhere that bothered you 😂😂
@jg6264
I am so sorry this happened to you and your event attendees..😢the injustice and discrimination continues..
@brendapebo2473
There's always room to learn and to grow but if Fontaine doesn't recognize she has been incredibly rude and hypocritical to her position then she doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt to continue in it. A written apology with no engagement, no eye contact, fails the precise humanistic accessibility she is supposed to foster.
@cwl3392
Ahh someone wants attention they must get in on this 😂
@Prepped-for-war
YIKES.
@bamjern61
People are so use to getting government cheques that’s all they look for…..
@darkknight6333
Nothing is ever enough for these people…
@Viewher3
Save yourself some bother. Never apologize to these people. They are never satisfied.
@floxy20
0.1% native lmao
@moeveggies2292
Very good news piece. How disgusting for a government “representative” in this day and age to be so ignorant. Thanks to APTN for bringing attention to this.
@sfuta2005
How out of touch with your job can you be ? If she isn't replaced with a more qualified individual who understands the job better than it will be a sad reflection on this government.
@kenpierard5161
I’m from Sagkeeng fn the chief is also a Fontaine. Ej Fontaine he’ll not sign a document that would support my son who lives with a disability and will for the rest of his life. I’ve also met nahanni fontaine in person several times but she probably doesn’t remember me because she thinks to highly of herself unacceptable & gross behaviour both of them
@riversidesagkeeng30
If an apology isn’t enough though, what is ?
@kimberlyrogers9953
👍
@wadewishloff870
I bet the taxpayer paid for her education.
@chrislucas213
Nahanni Fontaine is not a nice woman or sincere Minister. There was an event at St. John’s Park in Winnipeg a few years back on Truth and Reconciliation Day. She showed up and was demanding to be allowed to park her car in the park because there were no spots available on the streets nearby. There is no parking available in the park itself. A City employee there refused her and pointed out that there were Elders with canes, walkers and wheelchairs who had to park a couple streets away but weren’t complaining and demanding to be allowed to park inside the park. She stormed off, returned on foot, was there for maybe 20 minutes for photo opportunities and then left. She couldn’t have cared less about the what the meaning of that day represented and felt no need to show any actual support for the event. Meanwhile, another Indigenous Minister, Bernadette Smith, was there almost the whole day showing her support for the event and those who attended. Smith is an amazing Minister and a true ally for the Indigenous people in Winnipeg. Nahanni should not be re-elected. She is nothing but a poser who only cares about the status and perks that come from her position.
@tjjames9846
Fontaine is aweful
Self absorbed
Selfish
How can she be an Accessibility Minister
Kicking an ASL interpreter off the stage
It’s disgusting behaviour by a minister
Fontaine needs to resign immediately
This is a disgrace
@rainorshine7816
"What"
@PoliteArsehole