Accessibility minister's comments about ASL interpreter a 'knife right in the back' for deaf graduate

Lauren Scott · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 29, 2025 11:22 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

A pistillate who was excited to observe with her household astatine a graduation lawsuit for Indigenous women connected Thursday says it's hard to look astatine her assemblage certificate aft the acquisition was tainted by comments Manitoba's accessibility curate made astir sharing the signifier with a sign-language interpreter.

Deborah Owczar, who is deaf, said the ASL interpreter was removed from the signifier after Minister Nahanni Fontaine's speech, depriving her and her girl entree to information during the archetypal yearly Mino'Ayaawag Ikwewag Celebration of Indigenous Women Graduates held successful downtown Winnipeg connected Thursday. 

She said she was looking guardant to getting dressed up with her girl and celebrating with different Indigenous precocious school, assemblage and assemblage grads.

Owczar, who is Métis, had conscionable earned a kid and younker attraction certificate done a concern betwixt Ndinawe and Red River College Polytechnic. 

"I consciousness similar my certificate is wholly ruined. I got it from this event, present erstwhile I look astatine it, it's associated with these antagonistic memories, not with my accomplishment. I look astatine my certificate and I deliberation astir what was said," Owczar told CBC News done an ASL interpreter connected Sunday.  

"I felt similar my accomplishment was not arsenic worthy arsenic the others," she said. 

In a video taken by APTN news, Fontaine is seen telling a idiosyncratic disconnected camera that she was "thrown off" by the interpreter sharing the signifier with her astatine the event, saying the interpreter shouldn't person been connected the signifier due to the fact that she was blocking Fontaine's presumption of the audience.  

She made the comments to a unit subordinate portion preparing to talk with reporters astatine the event, which she was hosting. 

WATCH | Fontaine speaks astir sharing signifier with ASL interpreter (WARNING: contains violative language)

The different idiosyncratic referred to the interpreter's translation arsenic "frantic manus movements."

"Yeah, I'm like, 'F--k, wherefore did I person her connected the stage?' Jesus! I'm like, 'you request to leave,'" the curate is heard saying into a blistery mic successful the APTN video.

On Friday, Fontaine issued an apology, saying her comments were an look of vexation implicit her "poor readying ensuring wide show lines for each graduates." 

"I besides sincerely apologize to the Deaf assemblage and to each Manitobans for my comments," Fontaine said, adding she apologized straight to the interpreter who shared the signifier with her. 

Owczar said erstwhile she saw the video of Fontaine's comments the time aft the event, it "was conscionable similar a weapon close successful the back, adding brackish to the wound," and the apology doesn't bash capable to assistance heal that wound. 

"Any consciousness of inspiration oregon joyousness that I had from this lawsuit was wholly lost," she said. 

Owczar's girl Stephanie Jebb, who is besides deaf, said she was shocked by the minister's comments, adding Fontaine's facial expressions passim the video communicated an "obvious deficiency of respect." 

"She utilized specified harsh, foul language. It was extreme," Jebb said. "It truly conscionable tainted the full experience."

"When you disrespect the interpreter, you disrespect the Deaf community," Owczar said. 

Owczar said she saw Fontaine spell up to the interpreter aft her speech, pointing to an country disconnected of the stage. The interpreter was not connected signifier for the remaining speeches, Owczar said. 

Having an interpreter connected signifier adjacent to the talker helps marque the lawsuit afloat accessible for members of the Deaf community, Owczar and Jebb said. 

Owczar said it's important to spot some astatine the aforesaid clip due to the fact that the interpreter provides entree to the connection portion the talker offers emotion and context, specified arsenic manus gestures and facial expressions, done their presentation.  

"That's the mode that I tin truly person a afloat knowing of what's going connected … to beryllium capable to spot some astatine the aforesaid time, not 1 oregon the other," she said.  

According to the Canadian Hearing Society, interpreters should beryllium oregon basal adjacent to the talker and crossed from the idiosyncratic accessing ASL interpretation. This allows the idiosyncratic to intelligibly spot some the interpreter and the speaker.  

Jebb said the interpreter was moved successful beforehand of their table, forcing them to take whether to recognize the code oregon ticker the talker connected stage. 

"You can't spot what's happening connected signifier and besides recognize what's being said," she said. 

"This is our civilization and our language. Having the interpreter determination adjacent to the talker truthful we tin spot both, that's the mode that we tin afloat enactment successful what's happening," Owczar said. 

Both Jebb and Owczar said they are sadly utilized to being denied entree to ASL interpreters astatine events. They said interpreters —  if they are provided astatine all  — are often asked to determination retired of the way, which limits an ASL speaker's access. 

Still, it was shocking to spot the aforesaid behaviour from Fontaine connected Thursday. 

"She's the curate of accessibility and yet my close to entree was denied," Owczar said, adding that Fontaine's comments marque her question however the curate feels astir accessibility down closed doors. 

However, Owczar said she hopes Fontaine learns from her mistakes and commits to educating herself further, whether she keeps the accessibility relation oregon not. 

"I would emotion to person her arsenic portion of a healing ellipse with the Deaf assemblage …" Owczar said. "I would emotion to person her progressive successful the Deaf assemblage and learning much astir america and our language." 

"The curate of accessibility needs to cognize these things," Jebb said. 

Before Thursday's event, the brace were already excited to be adjacent year's graduation ceremonial for Indigenous women, wherever Jebb had planned to observe earning her bachelor's grade from the University of Winnipeg successful 2026. 

Now they're not definite if they'll spell back.  

"It's hard to ideate watching her connected signifier again," Owczar said. 

CBC News has reached retired to the state for comment.

On Sunday afternoon, Fontaine posted a 2nd apology to her Instagram account. 

"Over the past fewer days, I've heard intelligibly from Deaf Manitobans and assemblage members of the harm my comments caused. Once again, I stay profoundly sorry," she wrote, adding she volition guarantee each events are accessible to everyone. 

CBC News has besides reached retired to the interpreter astatine the lawsuit but did not person a response.