To all citizens in Canada,

My name is Mark Selvidge and I am a Traumatic Brain Injury survivor as of March 16, 2001. At the age of 11 I had to relearn everything all over again like an infant. As a result of all my hard work and determination, I am now becoming an advocate for people with brain injuries. I am doing this with partial right-sided paralysis and no vision from 90° right in either eye. As a result, I can’t obtain my driver’s license. So, I am advocating on behalf of people who have a visual disability.

I have been researching Tesla and the advances in autonomous cars., such as X-Matik (https://x-matik.com). Both companies have level 2-3 semi-autonomy in their units.

The TESLA can now navigate dirt roads, with no lines! Teslas can also avoid and stop if it encounters an obstacle.

These advances could be classified as a modification to a vehicle to allow a visually disabled person to drive. Transport Canada and Health Canada have come together in an agreement to allow certain modifications to be done to a vehicle to allow those with a physical disability have the freedom of driving. They even allow those people who have a much slower physical and mental speed be able to drive. Be it a disabled person or an elderly person.

I believe that I am being discriminated against based on my disability. And Canadian law states that this discrimination is not tolerated.

Please refer to the following a link from the Canadian law Justice website. “2 The purpose of this Act is to extend the laws in Canada to give effect, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, to the principle that all individuals should have an opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have and to have their needs accommodated, consistent with their duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.-https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/h-6/fulltext.html

I hope this act of discrimination comes to an end. It is not right!

Sincerely,

Mark Selvidge

Mark S