Canadian Anti-Discrimination Bill (c 279)

[Keira]

http://www.parl.gc.ca/legisinfo/BillDetails.aspx?billId=5122660&Mode=1&Language=E

Bill c 279, is currently in its second reading by the senate and has been referred to a human rights committee. The bill's intent is to add a line in the human rights charter to make it illegal to discriminate based on gender identity; effectively making it definitive in court as to the legality of trans specific discrimination, as opposed to vague.

Senators and MP's have misrepresented the point of the bill by calling it "The Bathroom Bill", leading to recurring arguments about child predators, indecent exposure of trans women's genitalia, and other completely offensive/irrelevant red herrings.

Because the bill is so far into the process of being approved, it is questionable as to whether it will go through even with additional support. If it doesn't go through, it will be in the best interest of the trans* community to give a strong voice regarding the need for trans* rights.

Your support can come in many ways, blogging about it, talking about it, making YouTube videos, research on trans* discrimination statistics, emailing democratic representatives/people in positions of power etc. That is all I am asking.

In addition we should all support each other's need for trans* rights. After all, combined with social networking the Internet, AND our strength in numbers; I am convinced that we can see some dramatic change. If we all do what we are good at, we will eventually succeed.

Sincerely,

-Skye

[eli77]

It is actually fairly rare for the Senate to kill a bill that has already been passed by the House. It tends to raise calls to abolish the Senate (please god). Especially in the current climate, it would be a... problematic choice for them to decide to kill it. We will see, but most folks are fairly confident it will pass the Senate.

[Keira]

http://www.parl.gc.ca/sencommitteebusiness/Notice.aspx?parl=41&ses=1&comm_id=77&Language=E&meeting_id=14172

Bill c 279 is up for debate in the Human Rights committee tomorrow.

Edit- Apparently they take a few weeks to post the debate transcript to the website...

[Jamie D]

Best of luck my Canadian friends.

[Keira]

Here is the link that shows the Bill's progress...

So far it has passed the third reading in the senate.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/legisinfo/BillDetails.aspx?billId=5122660&Mode=1&Language=E

[ZoeM]

I wonder if opponents realize what HRT generally does to the libido? Isn't chemical castration a form of control for child predators? :|

[Keira]

I wonder if opponents realize what HRT generally does to the libido? Isn't chemical castration a form of control for child predators? :|

Yes, anti androgens were used in the past on sexual offenders (not just predators).

But, it's not about the "rape issue" (well not any more at least)...now they keep making the assumption that a trans person will use a change room and "expose" their genitalia to children.

Idiots will be idiots...

[Jamiep]

Skye-Blue, thanks for posting the links to the progress of Bill C 279 & Bailey for the RSS feed. I occasionally have wondered what the movement is on this bill. The many attempts to get "gender identity" protected in the Canadian Human Rights Charter has been going on way to long having been hijacked due to proroguing of Parliament & several elections , having had the Bill to be reintroduced. When the last election was called the Bill was in the Senate and stopped. When Parliament resumed the Conservatives put a lot of legislation left from the previous session into an all inclusive Omnibus Bill, what I don't understand was why they didn't include Bill C 279. I am really annoyed that the Bill had to start the process once again of being reintroduced. Now Parliament is in Summer recess & have to wait for third reading in Senate. Hopefully the Bill is passed in the fall.

Sarah7, I am in agreement with you, abolish the Senate. I have felt that way for about 30 years. Governments, no matter what party is in power, talk about cutting costs & it is usually a service we need. Abolishing the Senate & wealthy appointed Senators that don't need the money would save tax payers millions of dollars a year.

Jamie D,  thanks for your comment, we need that Luck, Big Time.

Gee, I got political.

Jamie

[Keira]

Jamiep,

Actually, from what I know the bill just passed third reading in the senate according to legisinfo, and the whole debate is listed as well.

[Jamiep]

Hi Skye, I read some of the politicians address to the Bill. I suppose I hadn't quite read far enough or picked up that the Bill passed third reading in the Senate. That should put us in the protection of the Charter of Human Rights. Thanks for the mention. Now we can Rejoice!

Do you live in Canada, and if so where, if it is okay to ask you? You don't have to answer and respect you for not divulging.

Jamie

[Keira]

Hi Skye, I read some of the politicians address to the Bill. I suppose I hadn't quite read far enough or picked up that the Bill passed third reading in the Senate. That should put us in the protection of the Charter of Human Rights. Thanks for the mention. Now we can Rejoice!

Do you live in Canada, and if so where, if it is okay to ask you? You don't have to answer and respect you for not divulging.

Jamie

I live in B.C., in a small town in the north.

In B.C. trans people don't have as many rights as people in Ontario, or at least that's what I've heard. So for me, the passing of bill c 279 is critical in my ability to get work, the ability to use the correct gendered bathroom, and also against discrimination in the small town in which I live.

We might not be able to rejoice yet, lets just hope they don't decide to dissolve parliament...

We're finally getting some progress though!

-Skye