Liberals unveil plan to outlaw transgender hate speech, discrimination
Posted May 17, 2016 7:47 am.
Last Updated May 17, 2016 11:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The federal government has introduced legislation to extend human rights protections to transgender Canadians.
The legislation would, if passed, make it illegal to prevent someone from getting a job or to discriminate in the workplace on the basis of gender identity or expression.
The legislation would also update the Criminal Code to extend hate speech laws to include gender identity and gender expression.
“We live in a time when discrimination in any form is completely unacceptable,” Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said after introducing the bill.
“This is a message of hope to ensure that we recognize gender identity and gender expression and provide the ability in our country for people to feel safe and secure in who they are.”
She said it is necessary to make it unequivocal in law that transgender persons have the right to live free from discrimination, hate propaganda and hate crimes.
The law was introduced on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.
Similar legislation has failed to pass Parliament on multiple occasions, including the most recent attempt last year by NDP MP Randall Garrison, whose bill was gutted in the Senate.
With Garrison at her side in a rare display of cross-partisan solidarity, Wilson-Raybould said she hopes to have support from all parties.
“We look forward to have support from all sides of the House to put forward this incredibly important piece of legislation.”
