Go Canada!

TransGriot Note: It's sad that once again we in the United States, the so-called 'leading democracy in the world' are about to be left in the dust on transgender rights issues. Our British cousins passed the Gender Recognition Act in 2004, now this positive news out of Orrawa.

SIKSAY INTRODUCES BILL TO ADD GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION TO HATE PROVISIONS OF THE CRIMINAL CODE

OTTAWA – NDP MP Bill Siksay (Burnaby-Douglas) introduced a Bill in the House of Commons today that would add gender identity and gender expression as distinguishing characteristics protected under the hate propaganda section of the Criminal Code. The Bill also adds gender identity and expression as aggravating factors to be considered at the time of sentencing an offender.

"Transgender and transsexual people are regularly victims of abuse, harassment and physical violence", said Siksay, "this Bill will ensure that transphobic violence against transgender and transsexual people is clearly identified as a hate crime."

Siksay's Bill addresses the lack of explicit protection for transsexual and transgender people under the current hate provisions of the Criminal Code. It will also allow judges to take into account whether crimes committed were motivated by hatred of transgender or transsexual people when they are determining the sentence of an offender.

"I believe the inclusion of gender identity and expression in the hate provisions and the sentencing provisions in the Criminal Code will send a strong signal that targeting people for their gender identity or expression will not be tolerated in Canada," said Siksay.

Siksay also has tabled another Private Member's Bill (C-326), which would add gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Siksay is the NDP spokesperson for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Transsexual Issues.