In the early 1970s I was employed as a braille transcriptionist at the CNIB Maritime Division headquarters in Halifax. A sighted person was my reader.
We were transcribing a Handicrafts Manual one day and were dealing with the subject of chair caning. At one point in the manuscript reference to “reseating a chair” was made. I don’t know what I was thinking of at the time (I think it happened to be payday), but I spelled “reseating” as follows: receipting.
I was spelling it that way as I wrote it down when my reader broke out into a big guffaw. As a result of that goof, I had to redo the page and I was more than halfway finished at the time. Needless to say, I didn’t live that one down for a while.
Want to share your story like Robert did? Email us at insight@cnib.ca.
Read more articles from the April, 2019 issue of Insight:
Yesterday, at local celebrations held across Canada, 24 new partnerships (including 15 guide dogs, one buddy dog, two ambassador dogs and six brood dogs) formally graduated as part of the CNIB Guide Dogs class of 2026. Watch the ceremony and meet the class of 2026!
CNIB scholarships are here to support your personal and professional aspirations. Whether you're just starting out in a cool apprenticeship, diving into skilled trades, or levelling up with continuing education, there are multiple scholarships, bursaries, and other educational awards available to people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision. It doesn't matter where you are on your journey – from youth to adults – a scholarship or bursary is waiting just for you.
TORONTO, January 5, 2026 – January is Braille Literacy Month in Canada, a time to recognize braille as a cornerstone of literacy, learning, and independence for people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision. To mark the month, CNIB is partnering with THE TEN SPOT® to launch Braille Nails, a national fundraising initiative that invites Canadians to support braille literacy through creativity, conversation, and giving.
To mark the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, CNIB and the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) have launched a free resource to help teachers introduce accessibility and inclusion concepts to primary-grade students. Aligned with commonly identified provincial and territorial educational priorities, Classroom Accessibility Allies is packed with hands-on activities, from a simple accessibility checklist to a student worksheet and action plan, designed to guide students through a structured, process of identifying, addressing and reflecting on barriers to accessibility.
CELA and NNELS have taken important leadership in raising concerns about the proposed repeal of the legislative clause that has long protected free postage for accessible materials. CNIB proudly stands with them and has co-signed their letter to the federal government and Canada Post. We remain committed to working together as a community to ensure that people who are blind can continue to access the materials they rely on.
In the early 1970s I was employed as a braille transcriptionist at the CNIB Maritime Division headquarters in Halifax. A sighted person was my reader.