Canadian trans rights bill C-279 to be debated in April.

From the pen of Randall Garrison comes the following:

NDP-Quebec LGBTT Commission, Canada

Message from Randall Garrison: Gender identity bill to be debated in April

Posted on March 3, 2012 by npdqclgbtt

Dear friends,

Spring is upon us and so is the fight to protect the rights of transsexual, transgender and gender-variant Canadians in Parliament. I am taking the Gender Identity Bill, Bill C-279, back into the House of Commons for its first hour of second reading for debate in April.

This Bill has made it through the House of Commons once and I believe that we can do it again. This Bill would add gender identity and gender expression into the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code; this may sound small, but this bill could have monumental changes regarding equality in employment, housing, healthcare, mobility and protection for Trans Canadians.

We need to stand up and tell the government that the rights of trans people need to be protected, that we are talking about human rights, not special rights, and that we are talking about dignity that is supposed to be enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The NDP stands unanimous in its support of this Bill and now we are looking for the support of all other parties.

Here is what you can do to help:

-Contact your members and people involved in your organizations to make sure they know about this Bill and how important it is. Circulate petitions, encourage your members to contact their MPs and share information on your websites, Facebook, Twitters, and blogs and in your newsletters.
-Contact Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers and the Prime Minister and tell them how important this legislation is.
-Write letters of support for me to present in the House of Commons.

I believe in the Gender Identity Bill and stand committed to equality for all.

In solidarity,
Randall Garrison, MP
LGBT Spokesperson for the NDP

You can search for your Member of Parliament’s contact information on the front page of the Government of Canada website, or there’s also a list.  I’ve also added a section on transsexual and transgender human rights on the sidebar of the blog with the following resources:

Part 1: 5 Reasons to Support Trans Rights Now
Part 2: Can a Trans Human Rights Bill Pass With a Harper Majority?
Part 3: I Have an Agenda
Part 4: Quick Facts about Bill C-279 (was Bill C-389)
Part 5: Flushing the Washroom Fear
Part 6: On Gender Expression