Thursday, June 14, 2012

First provincial protection for gender identity


Ontario's Bill 33, Toby's Act (Right to be Free from Discrimination and Harassment Because of Gender Identity or Gender Expression), 2012, successfully passed third reading on June 13 and is now awaiting royal assent. The Act adds the phrases "gender identity" and "gender expression" as enumerated grounds for protection from discrimination and harassment. 

A similar bill is under consideration in Manitoba. Bill 36, The Human Rights Code Amendment Act, adds the phrase "gender identity" to the provincial human rights code among other changes. 

Toby's Act establishes Ontario as the first province to choose make protection for gender identity explicit. However, Canada's first regional legislative protection for gender identity was established by the Northwest Territories' Human Rights Act.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Alberta relists GRS

In a surprise announcement on June 7, 2012, the Alberta Government chose to re-list Gender Reassignment Surgery for Albertans pursing medical intervention for Gender Identity Disorder.

Prior to 2009, Alberta was one of the few provinces to provide GRS coverage in Canada. In spring 2009, GRS was delisted without warning as part of a budget claiming to reduce health care costs. While coverage of some specific health services were also reduced at that time, no other group sharing a specific medical diagnosis was excluded from budgetary consideration.

For more details, read Mercedes Allen's post, Alberta reinstates funding for Sex Reassignment Surgery (plus, why it's necessary).