Blind Student Barred from University Program

Another human rights complaint is in the works after a blind student was barred from an English-immersion program by the University of New Brunswick.

Students of the intensive summer course are not permitted to speak French during its five-week duration, both in class and out in the community of Fredericton, where they are encouraged to communicate with anglophones in local shops and restaurants.

But Yvan Tessier’s guide dog only understands French commands.

Tessier, who lives in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, attends Saint Paul University in Ottawa, where he studies religion. He was awarded a bursary to take the English-immersion course and sent the payment in the spring. He says that when he later let the university know he had a vision disability, the university responded that it did not have time to prepare properly for his needs, and turned him away.

University officials say they’ve allowed guide dogs into the program in the past, but only with the provision that the dogs learn English commands. A spokesperson insists Tessier is welcome to apply for the program in the future – once his dog is trained in English.

Tessier told CBC News that it would take months to retrain his dog in English. He had expected to be able to use French with his dog while he speaks English with everyone else. “I’m really disappointed and hurt,” he said.