Gender identity bill passes second reading

Government on path to enshrining rights of trans Canadians

OTTAWA- New Democrat LGBTT Critic Randall Garrison (Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca) is celebrating the second reading passage of his Private Member’s Bill, C-279, which would add gender identity to the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code. The bill passed last night

“This legislation has been a long time in the works. Many people from all parties and the wider communities across the country have come together and worked hard to move this forward,” said Garrison. “We know that there is still work to do in committee but this shows Canadians that there are people on all sides of the House who view equal rights of Transsexual, Transgender and Gender Variant Canadians as basic human rights.”

Now that the bill has passed second reading, it will go to the Justice and Human Rights Committee for further debate. It is expected to come back for third reading and the final vote when the House resumes in the fall.

“We are working to ensure that all Trans people have equal access to health care, housing, employment and are able to live free from discrimination, harassment and violence,” said Garrison. “These are rights that any person would want for themselves, their own families and friends.

“These are human rights, not special rights, and that why this is such an important fight.”