Deaf Culture in Canada

   

    There are over 357,000 members of the Deaf community in Canada, but that number is slowly shrinking. Because, in the context of Deaf culture, "progress" can be both a good and a bad thing.

Schools for the Deaf

    Before the 1830s, Deaf culture did not exist in Canada. Anyone born deaf was isolated from society. But with the opening of Canada's first Deaf residential school on June 15, 1831, Deaf children were finally able to meet others like themselves.

    From there, the Deaf community grew until there were schools for the Deaf all across Canada. Children who had previously seen a future of isolation and dependence, now saw a future of communication, social connections, and the possibility of employment.

    After their education, many Deaf people chose to live near their schools so they could stay in touch with their friends. They created societies, clubs, and organizations that bound them into tightly-knit communities that formed the basis of modern Deaf culture.

    Some schools taught sign languages from different colonists, bringing American, French, and British Sign Language to Canada. However, most schools favoured teaching Deaf kids to "speak", particularly with those who weren't profoundly deaf. It wasn't until the 1970s and 80s that institutions started switching from oralism programs to sign language. Additionally, there were reports of abuse and cultural genocide in the early years of deaf residential schools.

Sign Languages

    Today, Canadians mostly use American Sign Language and Langue des Signes Québécoise (an evolution of Langue des Signes Française), though there are different "dialects" and "accents" (styles and variations of signs), depending on the region.

    Throughout Canadian history, Deaf people have been fighting for their rights and freedoms, including having sign languages recognized as primary languages.

    On May 13, 2019, Bill C-81 finally classified ASL, LSQ, and Indigenous Sign Languages as such.

    However, Indigenous sign languages are still largely ignored and have been fading out of existence ever since colonization.

Scientific Advancement

    Nevertheless, the greatest reason why the Deaf community is shrinking isn't laws or freedoms—it's scientific developments. With the best intentions, inventions like cochlear implants have shaken the Deaf community.

    As long as people are profoundly deaf and have the necessary nerves, cochlear implants can "cure" deafness.

    But to the Deaf community, deafness isn't a disability—it's a part of who they are. So cochlear implants do nothing but reduce the number of people in their community, and threaten their culture.

Today

    But associations such as the Canadian Association of the Deaf work to keep Deaf culture alive and improve the lives of those with deafness or hearing loss.

    Much of Deaf culture is centred around the arts and sports. There are dozens of initiatives and organizations that keep Deaf culture thriving, including the Deaf Arts Series, the Canadian Deaf Sports Association, and the Deaflympics.

    

    

    So with the help of initiatives such as these, and the understanding and cooperation of all people, Canadian (and global) Deaf culture can be taken seriously and preserved for all generations to come.

Sources

Carbin, Clifton F., and Dorothy L. Smith. “Deaf Culture | the Canadian Encyclopedia.” Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca, 16 Dec. 2013, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/deaf-culture. Accessed 1 Oct. 2021.

Chiadmi, Meriem. “People’s History of Canada: The History of Deaf Communities in Canada | Opinions.” Thelinknewspaper.ca, 7 Jan. 2020, thelinknewspaper.ca/article/peoples-history-of-canada-the-history-of-deaf-communities-in-canada. Accessed 1 Oct. 2021.

‌Malebranche, Mary, et al. “Deaf Culture and Health Care.” Canadian Medical Association Journal, vol. 192, no. 50, 13 Dec. 2020, pp. E1809–E1809, www.cmaj.ca/content/192/50/E1809, 10.1503/cmaj.200772. Accessed 1 Oct. 2021.‌