600 reasons why Canada needs to pass transgender rights laws

[Dominatrix ♥]

human-rights laws. The Transrespect Versus Transphobia Worldwide project has compiled more than 600 reasons why this needs to change—now.

On May 17—the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia—the Transgender Europe-backed research project announced that it's documented 604 murders of transgender people reported since January 2008. The project has put data about many of these homicides—such as the shooting death of New Jersey's Victoria Carmen White in September 2010—on an interactive map on its website.

Brazil registers the largest number of killings of transgender people, at 247. The United States claims the second largest total, with 42 murders. Mexico and Venezuela each have 32 homicides. Many other countries on all continents, save for Antarctica, are home to reported killings.

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http://www.straight.com/article-395705/vancouver/600-reasons-why-canada-needs-pass-transgender-rights-laws

[Ann Onymous]

Absent a showing that ALL 600+ had a bias as motive, then it is NO reason...not to mention that NOTHING passed would have served to prevent the murder from taking place.  Murder is still murder...well, ok, occasionally manslaughter and occasionally even criminally negligent homicide, with a dose of self-defense justifications (and yes, I am aware of some transsexual persons who have been killed in self-defense as that particular person was in the act of committing a crime of violence). 

[Steph]

While not specifically mentioned we are still protected under the Canadian Human Rights act, and lawyers can successfully defend us under this act should we be discriminated against.

Furthermore I believe that every Province has a Rights Commission (or something similar) where grievances can be submitted. In Ontario here is an extract from their Code:

Ontario's Human Rights Code
The Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code) provides for equal rights and opportunities, and freedom from discrimination. The Code recognizes the dignity and worth of every person in Ontario, in employment, housing, facilities and services, contracts, and membership in unions, trade or professional associations.
People who are discriminated against or harassed because of gender identity are legally protected under the ground of sex. This includes transsexual, transgender and intersex persons, cross-dressers, and other people whose gender identity or expression is, or is seen to be, different from their birth-identified sex.

Here is the Prohibited Grounds for Discrimination from the Canadian Human Rights Act:

3. (1) For all purposes of this Act, the prohibited grounds of discrimination are race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for which a pardon has been granted.

Notice the word "Sex" in both?  This is how we are protected.  We don't need more legislation. It's illegal to murder in Canada anyway and I don't see how legislation would have prevented any murder.  Hmm maybe if we brought back the death penalty.

[eli77]

Ontario is one of two provinces with those protections read into the Human Rights Act. There are other provinces.

[Dominatrix ♥]

While not specifically mentioned we are still protected under the Canadian Human Rights act, and lawyers can successfully defend us under this act should we be discriminated against.

Furthermore I believe that every Province has a Rights Commission (or something similar) where grievances can be submitted. In Ontario here is an extract from their Code:

Here is the Prohibited Grounds for Discrimination from the Canadian Human Rights Act:

Notice the word "Sex" in both?  This is how we are protected.  We don't need more legislation. It's illegal to murder in Canada anyway and I don't see how legislation would have prevented any murder.  Hmm maybe if we brought back the death penalty.

very true , thanks

[Miniar]

I also got to point out that as it says in the article "no reported murders of transgender people in Canada were documented by the project during this period"... so it almost seems to me as exploitation of the 600+ deaths globally to get legislation locally.

Yes, the legislation of human rights for transgender people is important everywhere, even necessary, but it's hard to make a case for it by citing things that wouldn't have had anything to do with the legislation where it's proposed.
None of these murders happened in Canada so how would Canada changing it's laws help prevent "these" murders?

Now, if we were talking a global human rights commission for the protection of transgender people, and all the murders were proven to be caused in some/any way to be fueled by anti-trans sentiments, then yes, these are 600+ reasons.
But they are hardly "reasons" for Canadian legislation.