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PRESS RELEASES

For Immediate Release April 13, 2005

DEAF CHALLENGE MOVIE INDUSTRIES

On April 14, 2005 at 10am, the movie theatre, studio and distribution industries, including Famous Players, AMC Theaters, Universal Studios Canada, Paramount Pictures Canada, Cineplex Odeon, and Alliance Atlantis Cinemas will appear before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario at 400 University Avenue, 7th Floor, Toronto.

The Tribunal will be ruling on a motion put forward by a few of the industry defendants to add Rainbow Cinemas & Magic Lantern Theatres as additional defendants in these proceedings, and to possibly set dates for a final hearing.

Three Deaf complainants, namely Nancy Barker, a University of Toronto student, Gary Malkowski, Vice-President, Employment Services Development at The Canadian Hearing Society and Scott Simser, a lawyer, along with representatives of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, allege that the movie theatre, studio and distribution industries have failed to accommodate deaf, deafened and hard of hearing movie-goers by not providing 100% captioning on movies in theatres.

In the light of proposed Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, these movie theatres, studio and distribution industries have a legal obligation and duty to accommodate movie-goers with disabilities, including deaf, deafened and hard of hearing individuals.

"The movie theatre, studio and distribution industries must make movies in the theatre accessible to Deaf movie-goers who deserve to enjoy the same movie entertainment as all individuals in Canada," said Chris Kenopic, President, Canadian Association of the Deaf. "The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom guarantees equal access to information to all Canadians, including those with disabilities. Failure to provide 100 percent accessible in the movies and theatres is in direct contravention of the charter and is discriminatory against Deaf people on the basis of the disability."

"Captioned movies are a right, not a privilege for any person with hearing loss who buys a ticket", stated Jennifer Jackson, Executive Director, Ontario Association of the Deaf. "If the situations were reserved and most movies were shown without sound effects, there would be an outcry. It's time for the movie industry to ensure that every movie shown in Ontario is accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people"

"The current level of rear-window captioning is unacceptable. The captioned theaters that currently exist only show the most popular movie of the month," said Miguel Aguayo, President, Canadian Hard of Hearing Association-Ontario Chapter. "As citizens, people with hearing loss have a right to the same freedom of choice that people without hearing loss enjoy."

"We urge the movie theatre, studio and distribution industries to make movies in the theatre accessible to deaf, deafened and hard of hearing movie-goers so they may enjoy the same movie entertainments as all members of society," says Kelly Duffin, President and CEO of The Canadian Hearing Society.

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