Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279

by Xanthë on Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:08 am

Natalie Reed posted a lengthy article about this private members’ bill sponsored by the NDP, which will be before the Canadian parliament next month: as it is likely to be a non-whipped, “conscience vote” that means that lobbying of individual parliamentarians may be able to exert some influence. I’ll quote Natalie:

Natalie Reed wrote:Next month, in April, an extremely pivotal bill is going to be up for debate in the Canadian parliament. It’s Bill C-279, which will add gender identity and gender expression to the list of statuses protected under the Canadian Human Rights Code, and amend the pertinent sections of the Criminal Code in regards to anti-transgender violence, assault, and harassment.

Currently, transgender Canadians have no such protections, and may be discriminated against on the basis of their gender by employers, businesses, shelters, institutions (public or private) and individuals without any legal consequence. Effectively, I can be turned down for a job, barred from entering a restaurant, denied admittance to a shelter or hostel, or forced to comply with male dress-codes at public institutions without my having any recourse. If I am harassed, assaulted or murdered on the basis of my being trans, this does not qualify as a hate crime. I am in the position of having to depend simply on the mercies of a legally empowered majority to choose not to exercise their right to openly discriminate against me.

One of the commenters in the thread there started a petition on change.org, which has various recipients including the prime minister, the speaker of the house, and so on. Please raise awareness about this bill if you possibly can, and sign the petition! ⟹ Bill C-279 Petition [change.org]

by Quackers on Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:00 am

Done and done!

by Hippodameia on Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:08 pm

I'm delighted to sign.

by Ami Angelwings on Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:31 pm

We actually had that law almost passed last year, Bill C-389... went into the senate and then the election was called and all bills on the table die Sad

The new parliament has a conservative majority and it's really unlikely that it'll get passed a second time Sad

Last time, the bill was passed by a slim margin and that was when the conservatives had a minority...

There's a similar bill in Ontario that's passed 2nd reading "Toby's bill" that has a much better chance because the Liberals have a majority and seem to be supportive. So at least my province will get protections, though I would love if the Federal bill was passed but it seems unlikely w/ the new parliament make up :\ And McVety and his cohorts will be out in force again labeling it a "bathroom bill" -_-

by Xanthë on Tue Mar 27, 2012 4:47 pm

I’m not as well informed as I could be about Canadian politics, but I’m very impressed by what I’ve heard of the NDP. And simultaneously appalled by the Tories, robocalls, and “Pierre Poutine”. The latter guy may have been at work again recently, launching a DDoS attack on the NDP web site while they were collating votes for their new leader.

by BlackBloc on Tue Mar 27, 2012 6:17 pm

I used to vote NDP as a protest vote and then everybody else in my province decided to do the same thing. Razz

Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279

Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279

Re: Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279

Re: Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279

Re: Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279

Re: Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279

Re: Equal Rights For Transgender Canadians – Bill C-279