TESA RESPONDS TO THE UPCOMING DEBATE OF BILL 207: CONSCIENCE RIGHTS (HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS) PROTECTION ACT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, November 28, 2019 -- ALBERTA
TESA RESPONDS TO THE UPCOMING DEBATE OF BILL 207: CONSCIENCE RIGHTS (HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS) PROTECTION ACT
The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA), has been strongly advocating on behalf of all Albertans, with respect to Bill 207: Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act, including making a presentation to the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Public Bills, on November 21, 2019.
At the end of that meeting, the Committee’s final report recommended that Bill 207 not proceed, by a vote of 8-2. When asked about TESA’s thoughts on the Committee’s vote, Stephanie Shostak, a TESA Director/Board Member, said “We were pleased with the time and thoughtful consideration that the Committee members made in coming to their conclusions and of the Committee’s final report recommended that Bill 207 not proceed, based on their deliberations. That majority vote, which included 4 members of the United Conservative Party Caucus, gives a clear and overwhelming mandate to the legislature for their recommendation that Bill 207 not proceed.”
The Chair of the Committee requested concurrence of the Assembly in the final report on Bill 207, on Tuesday afternoon. When the Speaker asked for members who wished to speak to the motion for concurrence to rise, some members stood up. The Speaker then informed all members that the debate will take place next Monday, December 2, 2019 under the item of business Motions for Concurrence in Committee Reports on Public Bills Other than Government Bills.
“TESA appreciates and respects the process in which the Legislative Assembly of Alberta operates. We acknowledge that the process allows for member to stand up and debate on issues that are deemed important to them,” said Holly Tomm, TESA Director/Board President. “As of the writing of this letter, the minutes of the November 21, 2019 Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Public Bills have not yet been publicly published in Hansard,” said Tomm “so TESA has written a letter to Premier Kenney and to all the MLAs which included a copy of our presentation to the Committee, our letter to the Committee and a link to the meeting, presentations and vote so that they could be properly prepared for that debate on Monday.”
The Bill as written has the potential for board impacts to all Albertans, when it comes to providing health care. The Bill would include all health providers in Alberta, regulated under the Health Professions Act, and would allow to deny any Albertan health care services (and referrals), based on their conscience. This Bill also would remove the right of Albertans to make a complaint to the professional body of the Health Care Provider and it does not allow Albertans to pursue legal action against the Health Care Provider or religious health care organization. It also wants to amend the Alberta Human Rights Act by adding conscientious beliefs to the list of protected grounds, which would impact almost each and every Albertan as it would be applied to: goods, services, accommodation or facilities customarily available to the public; tenancy; employment practices; employment applications or advertisements; and membership in trade unions, employers' organizations or occupational associations.
TESA’s mission is to be a witness and a voice for matters concerning trans Albertans. “We are aware that many tarns Albertans already have challenges in accessing transgender health services and if we (trans Albertans) get a stone wall—no other referrals—no other information—we crawl back into our closets and we start harming ourselves," says Tomm.
More information about TESA can be found at http://www.tesaonline.org
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Please also see:
Bill 2017: Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/bills/bill/legislature_30/session_1/20190521_bill-207.pdf
TESA’s Letter to Premier Kenney with copies of the presentation and letter
Media contacts can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at
Holly Tomm, TESA Director/Board President, 780-717-2744
Stephanie Shostak, TESA Director/Board Member, 780-913-3098
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TESA RESPONDS TO THE UPCOMING DEBATE OF BILL 207: CONSCIENCE RIGHTS (HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS) PROTECTION ACT
The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA), has been strongly advocating on behalf of all Albertans, with respect to Bill 207: Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act, including making a presentation to the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Public Bills, on November 21, 2019.
At the end of that meeting, the Committee’s final report recommended that Bill 207 not proceed, by a vote of 8-2. When asked about TESA’s thoughts on the Committee’s vote, Stephanie Shostak, a TESA Director/Board Member, said “We were pleased with the time and thoughtful consideration that the Committee members made in coming to their conclusions and of the Committee’s final report recommended that Bill 207 not proceed, based on their deliberations. That majority vote, which included 4 members of the United Conservative Party Caucus, gives a clear and overwhelming mandate to the legislature for their recommendation that Bill 207 not proceed.”
The Chair of the Committee requested concurrence of the Assembly in the final report on Bill 207, on Tuesday afternoon. When the Speaker asked for members who wished to speak to the motion for concurrence to rise, some members stood up. The Speaker then informed all members that the debate will take place next Monday, December 2, 2019 under the item of business Motions for Concurrence in Committee Reports on Public Bills Other than Government Bills.
“TESA appreciates and respects the process in which the Legislative Assembly of Alberta operates. We acknowledge that the process allows for member to stand up and debate on issues that are deemed important to them,” said Holly Tomm, TESA Director/Board President. “As of the writing of this letter, the minutes of the November 21, 2019 Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members' Public Bills have not yet been publicly published in Hansard,” said Tomm “so TESA has written a letter to Premier Kenney and to all the MLAs which included a copy of our presentation to the Committee, our letter to the Committee and a link to the meeting, presentations and vote so that they could be properly prepared for that debate on Monday.”
The Bill as written has the potential for board impacts to all Albertans, when it comes to providing health care. The Bill would include all health providers in Alberta, regulated under the Health Professions Act, and would allow to deny any Albertan health care services (and referrals), based on their conscience. This Bill also would remove the right of Albertans to make a complaint to the professional body of the Health Care Provider and it does not allow Albertans to pursue legal action against the Health Care Provider or religious health care organization. It also wants to amend the Alberta Human Rights Act by adding conscientious beliefs to the list of protected grounds, which would impact almost each and every Albertan as it would be applied to: goods, services, accommodation or facilities customarily available to the public; tenancy; employment practices; employment applications or advertisements; and membership in trade unions, employers' organizations or occupational associations.
TESA’s mission is to be a witness and a voice for matters concerning trans Albertans. “We are aware that many tarns Albertans already have challenges in accessing transgender health services and if we (trans Albertans) get a stone wall—no other referrals—no other information—we crawl back into our closets and we start harming ourselves," says Tomm.
More information about TESA can be found at http://www.tesaonline.org
-- 30 --
Please also see:
Bill 2017: Conscience Rights (Health Care Providers) Protection Act https://www.assembly.ab.ca/ISYS/LADDAR_files/docs/bills/bill/legislature_30/session_1/20190521_bill-207.pdf
TESA’s Letter to Premier Kenney with copies of the presentation and letter
Media contacts can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at
Holly Tomm, TESA Director/Board President, 780-717-2744
Stephanie Shostak, TESA Director/Board Member, 780-913-3098
back to Newsroom | back to About