Over 40 members of the blind community and their supporters joined together on February 15 on the Legislative grounds in BC’s capital to tell government and the public that a 75 per cent unemployment rate is far too high; an absence of intensive blindness skills training in this country is appalling; the lack of public funding and public accountability for rehabilitation and training of blind people is a disgrace.

It was an historic event for blind Canadians. Thank you to those of you who made the time and the effort to stand in solidarity with us.

We took a big step towards changing things for blind people in BC and in Canada, and the rally was just the first of many steps in the coming months.

The CFB will continue to work to get blind citizens to NFB training centres, and to convince government they must take notice and give blind people the basic rights of citizenship: the chance to earn a living, to experience complete independence and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society.