TESA responds to trans rights Bill C-279 passing Parliament
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Wednesday, March 20, 2013 -- ALBERTA
TESA RESPONDS TO TRANS RIGHTS BILL C-279 PASSING PARLIAMENT
The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA) applauds Canada's Parliament for passing Bill C-279 to offer explicit protection for gender identity in the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code.
"The Ontario TransPulse Project survey[1] showed that trans Canadians were experiencing a high level of discrimination despite the protections supposedly available under the existing legislation, thus the need for explicit inclusion provided by C-279," says Angela Reid, a TESA board member and community advocate. "Although Alberta-specific data isn't available, as a facilitator of a trans support group, I'm aware that these types of stories are all too common."
As amended, Bill C-279 adds the phrase "gender identity" to both the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, allowing for explicit inclusion of trans-identified people.
In a submission to the federal Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, TESA affirmed its support for Bill C-279. TESA noted that as early as 2000, the Canadian Human Rights Act Review Panel chaired by former
Supreme Court Justice LaForest recommended "that gender identity be added to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination in the [Canadian Human Rights] Act" and that "[the Review Panel] agree[s] with the view that transgendered individuals are protected on the ground of sex or the combined grounds of sex and disability. However, to leave the law as it stands would fail to acknowledge the situation of transgendered individuals and allow the issue to remain invisible."[2]
TESA also congratulates Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Randall Garrison for championing the work of now-retired MP Bill Siksay after a prior trans rights' bill (C-389) died in Senate after an election call. The MP's achievement of all-party support for Bill C-279, including four Conservative cabinet ministers, is to be applauded.
"The fact that the Bill enjoyed broad support from all parties, including members of the governing party, is a strong statement in favour of equality for all Canadians," Reid says.
With the successful passage of Bill C-279 through Parliament, TESA encourages Canada's Senate to likewise acknowledge the need for explicit protection of trans-identified Canadians.
REFERENCES
[1] Marcellin, Scheim, Bauer & Redman (2013). Experiences of Transphobia among Trans Ontarians. Trans PULSE E-Bulletin, 3 (2). Retrieved from http://transpulseproject.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Transphobia-E-Bulletin-6-vFinal-English.pdf
[2] LaForest, Black, Dupuis, & Jain (2000). Promoting Equality: A New Vision [report by the Canadian Human Rights Act Review Panel]. Ontario, Canada: Attorney General of Canada. [Chapter 17(d)]. Retrieved from http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/J2-168-2000E.pdf
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TESA RESPONDS TO TRANS RIGHTS BILL C-279 PASSING PARLIAMENT
The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA) applauds Canada's Parliament for passing Bill C-279 to offer explicit protection for gender identity in the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code.
"The Ontario TransPulse Project survey[1] showed that trans Canadians were experiencing a high level of discrimination despite the protections supposedly available under the existing legislation, thus the need for explicit inclusion provided by C-279," says Angela Reid, a TESA board member and community advocate. "Although Alberta-specific data isn't available, as a facilitator of a trans support group, I'm aware that these types of stories are all too common."
As amended, Bill C-279 adds the phrase "gender identity" to both the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, allowing for explicit inclusion of trans-identified people.
In a submission to the federal Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, TESA affirmed its support for Bill C-279. TESA noted that as early as 2000, the Canadian Human Rights Act Review Panel chaired by former
Supreme Court Justice LaForest recommended "that gender identity be added to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination in the [Canadian Human Rights] Act" and that "[the Review Panel] agree[s] with the view that transgendered individuals are protected on the ground of sex or the combined grounds of sex and disability. However, to leave the law as it stands would fail to acknowledge the situation of transgendered individuals and allow the issue to remain invisible."[2]
TESA also congratulates Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Randall Garrison for championing the work of now-retired MP Bill Siksay after a prior trans rights' bill (C-389) died in Senate after an election call. The MP's achievement of all-party support for Bill C-279, including four Conservative cabinet ministers, is to be applauded.
"The fact that the Bill enjoyed broad support from all parties, including members of the governing party, is a strong statement in favour of equality for all Canadians," Reid says.
With the successful passage of Bill C-279 through Parliament, TESA encourages Canada's Senate to likewise acknowledge the need for explicit protection of trans-identified Canadians.
REFERENCES
[1] Marcellin, Scheim, Bauer & Redman (2013). Experiences of Transphobia among Trans Ontarians. Trans PULSE E-Bulletin, 3 (2). Retrieved from http://transpulseproject.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Transphobia-E-Bulletin-6-vFinal-English.pdf
[2] LaForest, Black, Dupuis, & Jain (2000). Promoting Equality: A New Vision [report by the Canadian Human Rights Act Review Panel]. Ontario, Canada: Attorney General of Canada. [Chapter 17(d)]. Retrieved from http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/J2-168-2000E.pdf
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