Bill C-389

The In Love...and In Danger program works to end violence in dating relationships in the Ottawa area. Violence occurs not only in dating relationships but in many different areas of people’s lives and is based on a number of different factors, gender being one of them.

For many the results of last night's vote regarding Bill C-389, which aims to give transgender and transsexual Canadians explicit rights under the Human Rights Act and Hate Crimes Provisions of the Criminal Code, was highly anticipated and long overdue.

In speaking last night, Bill Siksay NDP MP for Burnaby—Douglas (B.C.) finished his speech stating, "I am confident that the change we seek will come. Justice will be done, and perhaps very soon the open and proud voice of transgender and transsexual Canadians will be heard loudly and clearly in this place. I hope that very soon an open member of the trans community will be elected and be able to directly, and from personal experience, voice the concerns of the community here in the House of Commons. There are celebrations to come." (Source: http://openparliament.ca/bills/2076/)

The transgender and transsexual community face a long history of violence and discrimination. We believe that every person in Canada should be accorded the same rights and freedoms; the passing of Bill C-389 is a step toward creating a safer and more accepting Canada for the trans community.

For more information please visit: http://openparliament.ca/bills/2076/
http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Trans_rights_bill_heads_to_the_Senate-9756.aspx