Editor:
I tried to vote early at Elections Canada offices in our mall. These Elections Canada employees seem to have no idea of the accessibility needs of a blind person (a person who cannot see).
As I stood there with my white cane, I was asked for my driver’s licence (duh!). I then signed a document having received no explanation from the clerk as to what I was signing. The clerk handed a ballot to my guide, and informed her that I would not be able to use the voting booth to vote and that neither she, the clerk, nor my guide were allowed to help me fill in the ballot.
The choice we were given was to take the ballot out into the mall hallway so the clerk could not see me being helped. So, we got to fill out my secret ballot amongst however many mall patrons. Then my guide was allowed to take the ballot to the ballot box when it is me who is the damn voter. It is noteworthy that if we had not made these ridiculous adaptations, and if I had not had a guide, then voting in this election would have been totally inaccessible to a blind (cannot see) voter.
Shame on Elections Canada!
R.S. (Bob) Paulin, Sechelt
