All the comments by interpreters will be added in this post :

1-We all must sign a petition.The rest of interpreters who were not tested yet should refuseto be tested.United we bargain, divided we beg!!!!!


2-
Dear Friends,

(...) and (...) were discussing the latest CBC article regarding interpreters and he suggested that we should share it with everybody. Here is the argument. Please feel free to give us your suggestions. I would emphasize the we should focus on practical suggestions for action rather than just self-serving arguments and sympathy or complain with the interpreters’ cause.

Thank you,
(...)

April 29, 2010
Dear Fellow Interpreters,

Please do not forget to check the comments at the end of the article. They are very “enlightening” and give you a pretty good idea of what the general public thinks about us, interpreters—it is scary!
(...)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/04/16/court-interpreters.html

April 29, 2010
(...)
Comments are very interesting. It shows no understanding of the legal importance of understanding the procedure and the universal rights of citizens. Some people subsidize healthcare, transportation and welfare systems without using any of them. Otherwise we will have rampant crimes and hatred.

(...)

April 29, 2010
(...)
Dear (...),
You are right: “These people subsidize many services without using any of them, such as public transportation, etc...” and they don’t realise it or they don’t mind it. The argument is kind of trivial and I am not going to bother with it.
These comments are the “redneck-type” of remarks along the line of: foreigners (immigrants) come to “our” country, abuse our welfare system, commit crimes etc..., and “our” government pays for them out of “our tax money”. They have the same attitude toward us, interpreters, because they perceive us as a part of abusing “foreigners” or “immigrants”, and everything that goes with it. No wonder, we are treated with such resentment and in such condescending and humiliating manners by a lot of court and Ministry staff. I can’t help feeling that they hate our guts.

April 29, 2010
(...)
I guess we need to re-introduce ourselves i.e. we need a public relations campaign. It is also unfair to say we need this or that without paying for what we want to get whether in terms of money or effort, participation.
You only get what you pay for.

(...)

April 29, 2010

Dear (...),
Exactly, you put your finger on the right spot: We have to pay for what we want to get or achieve, in terms of money, effort, participation, etc... Are we interpreters really ready to pay for it? If not, then we should just shut up and take whatever they give us, including humiliation.

(...)

We interpreters all agree on these self-serving arguments, could argue for ever on how just our cause is and, of course, endorse and applaud one another. It is important to make the Ministry agree with us and give in to our demands. And that, as you said, requires effort, money, participation, etc...

The Ministry seems to be adamant (as always) on their decision. They don’t want to lose face. At this stage there is no face saving course of action and we are forced to swallow the venom they have cooked up for us: It can’t go on like this; something or someone has to give!

Pay attention to this part of the CBC report:

In a statement sent to CBC News, the ministry said it is recruiting new interpreters to help fill holes. And it defended the examinations.

"The new tests are specific to courts and are based on actual court documents and trial transcripts from Ontario court proceedings," the ministry said.

It appears that the Ministry is not backing off.
On Interpreters’ Participation:

According to the official numbers announced in the meeting (on Saturday, April 24th), out of 225 interpreters who sat for the test last year, only 46 have passed it fully and 69 passed conditionally. That means 110 interpreters failed completely and therefore their livelihood is gone. Yet, only 49 interpreters attended the meeting—I counted them carefully—and I could say more than half of them were the ones who have passed the test, fully, conditionally, or they were staff interpreters whose jobs are secure and didn’t even need to be there. Is this how much the failed ones care about their livelihood???

I got totally disappointed in our colleagues and disheartened. I began thinking: maybe the successful interpreters passed the test because of this positive attitude—despite the harshness of the test.
What we need and the only thing that could solve our problems is: BARGAINING POWER. And for that we need TO ORGANIZE and for that we need PARTICIPATION.
(...)