Gary Malkowski
Encyclopedia
Gary Malkowski is a former Canadian
provincial politician. He represented the riding
of York East
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1995, as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party
. He was Canada's first deaf parliamentarian, and the first deaf parliamentarian in the world to address a legislature in a sign language
, specifically American Sign Language
.
, Ontario
, Malkowski went to E. C. Drury School for the Deaf
, in Milton, Ontario
. He was further educated at Gallaudet University
in Washington, D.C.
, receiving a Bachelor of Arts
degree in psychology and social work, and a Master of Arts
degree in rehabilitation counselling. He was cited in Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges for his work in advancing student rights. After graduating, he worked as a vocational rehabilitation counsellor and deaf culture
instructor for the Canadian Hearing Society, as well as teaching continuing education courses in politics and culture for deaf adults at George Brown College
. In 1989, he was presented with a Community Action Award by the Ontario government. On May 13, 2011, he will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
degree from Gallaudet University; he will also deliver the commencement address that day.
, and Malkowski defeated Liberal incumbent Christine Hart
by 789 votes in the Toronto
area riding of York East
. When Bob Rae
's government took office following the election, the very first law passed was to permit Malkowski's sign language
interpreters to stand on the floor of the legislature. Malkowski was named parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Citizenship on October 1, 1990.
In 1993, Malkowski became parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education and Training. In 1994, he introduced the Rae government's Ontarians with Disabilities bill, which aimed to improve service accessibility for people with disabilities. In doing so, Malkowski became the first politician in the world to introduce a piece of legislation in sign language. The bill did not pass.
In the 1995 election
, the governing NDP were reduced to just 17 seats, and Malkowski lost to Progressive Conservative John Parker by 3,263 votes. He has not sought a return to politics since this time.
government in 1998 as ineffective.
Author Richard Medugno has published a biography, Deaf Politician: The Gary Malkowski Story and a play, Bigger Dreams, about Malkowski. In 2004, Malkowski began a campaign to have major theatre companies install closed-captioning services for deaf patrons.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
provincial politician. He represented the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of York East
York East
York East was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons at different times, and a provincial electoral district. It was located in the province of Ontario.-Federal electoral district :...
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1990 to 1995, as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
. He was Canada's first deaf parliamentarian, and the first deaf parliamentarian in the world to address a legislature in a sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
, specifically American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
.
Background
Born in HamiltonHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Malkowski went to E. C. Drury School for the Deaf
E. C. Drury School for the Deaf
The Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf is a provincial school in Milton, Ontario with residential and day programs serving elementary and secondary deaf and hard-of-hearing students. It shares a campus with the E.C...
, in Milton, Ontario
Milton, Ontario
Milton is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Milton received a tremendous amount of awareness following the release of the results of the 2006 Census, which indicated that Milton is the fastest growing municipality in the Greater Golden...
. He was further educated at Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, receiving a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in psychology and social work, and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in rehabilitation counselling. He was cited in Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges for his work in advancing student rights. After graduating, he worked as a vocational rehabilitation counsellor and deaf culture
Deaf culture
Deaf culture describes the social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values and shared institutions of communities that are affected by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication. When used as a cultural label, the word deaf is often written with a...
instructor for the Canadian Hearing Society, as well as teaching continuing education courses in politics and culture for deaf adults at George Brown College
George Brown College
George Brown College is a public, fully accredited college of applied arts and technology with three full campuses in downtown Toronto, Ontario...
. In 1989, he was presented with a Community Action Award by the Ontario government. On May 13, 2011, he will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
degree from Gallaudet University; he will also deliver the commencement address that day.
Politics
The NDP won a majority government in the 1990 provincial electionOntario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, and Malkowski defeated Liberal incumbent Christine Hart
Christine Hart
Christine Hart is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1986 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson....
by 789 votes in the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
area riding of York East
York East
York East was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons at different times, and a provincial electoral district. It was located in the province of Ontario.-Federal electoral district :...
. When Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
's government took office following the election, the very first law passed was to permit Malkowski's sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
interpreters to stand on the floor of the legislature. Malkowski was named parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Citizenship on October 1, 1990.
In 1993, Malkowski became parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Education and Training. In 1994, he introduced the Rae government's Ontarians with Disabilities bill, which aimed to improve service accessibility for people with disabilities. In doing so, Malkowski became the first politician in the world to introduce a piece of legislation in sign language. The bill did not pass.
In the 1995 election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, the governing NDP were reduced to just 17 seats, and Malkowski lost to Progressive Conservative John Parker by 3,263 votes. He has not sought a return to politics since this time.
After politics
He is now vice-president of consumer, government and corporate relations for the Canadian Hearing Society. In this role, Malkowski opposed disabilities legislation proposed by the Mike HarrisMike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
government in 1998 as ineffective.
Author Richard Medugno has published a biography, Deaf Politician: The Gary Malkowski Story and a play, Bigger Dreams, about Malkowski. In 2004, Malkowski began a campaign to have major theatre companies install closed-captioning services for deaf patrons.