Liberal MP Hedy Fry resurrects transgender rights bill championed by NDP’s Bill Siksay

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      Hedy Fry is carrying on retired NDP MP Bill Siksay’s fight for transgender rights in Canada.

      On Monday (September 19), Fry, the Liberal MP for Vancouver Centre, introduced Bill C-276 in the House of Commons.

      Titled “An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code (gender identity and gender expression)”, the legislation is an “exact redraft” of Siksay’s Bill C-389, according to a news release from Fry’s office.

      Fry says she made a promise to Siksay, who represented Burnaby-Douglas, that she’d bring back the bill if she won reelection earlier this year.

      In February, Bill C-389 passed third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 143-135. But it died in the Senate when the federal election was called.

      Like Siksay’s legislation, Bill C-276 would amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to include gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination.

      It would also amend the Criminal Code to outlaw hate speech that advocates genocide against groups distinguished by gender, and to allow evidence that a crime was motivated by hate based on gender to be taken into account during sentencing.

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      Comments

      14 Comments

      bertsi

      Sep 20, 2011 at 9:52pm

      Does the Human Rights Code include "sex" as prohibited grounds against discrimination? And does calling women b*tch and c*nt and the like constitute hate speech?

      Dianne

      Sep 21, 2011 at 12:06pm

      THANK YOU Bill Siksay for all that you have done as an MP.

      I hope that Hedy Fry and her Liberal colleagues will work closely with NDP MP's to move this Bill C-276 forward. And in a moment of brightness, I will even hope that some Conservative MP's will see the light, have a breakthrough moment and do what is RIGHT and support this human rights bill. One can never give up hope that fairness will win!

      James G

      Sep 21, 2011 at 1:49pm

      A worthy project and in the right hands. Of all the 34 remaining federal Liberal Members of Parliament, there might be as many as a half dozen who might be considered somewhat progressive but only one whose credentials stand on her own and that is Hedy Fry. I doubt there would be any objections from any quarter within the existing NDP if she were to cross the floor and be again in the Official Opposition.

      tim.

      Sep 21, 2011 at 6:40pm

      of all the years she was in government and parliament, she didn't care about rights of transgender people. she had the opportunity to do this long time ago. it was the ndp who took the principled stance and now she's trying to steal it. typical liberal.

      Julia M

      Sep 21, 2011 at 9:27pm

      To answer the first question, no, currently the criminal code does not currently protect someone on the grounds of sex.

      Matt T

      Sep 22, 2011 at 10:20am

      James G wrote
      "I doubt there would be any objections from any quarter within the existing NDP if she were to cross the floor and be again in the Official Opposition"

      One vote against right here.

      Lee M

      Sep 22, 2011 at 1:50pm

      The Criminal Code might not protect based on 'sex', but the Charter sure as Hell does!

      unknown sample

      Sep 22, 2011 at 2:21pm

      token gesture from old politician, soon to retire from devastated, discredited party soon to retire taking up fringe cause 99% don't care about.

      yawn.

      Lawson1945

      Sep 22, 2011 at 3:29pm

      You will know where the Conservatives will put that, right into the garbage can, she is just covering her ass that is all this is about!

      greggron

      Sep 22, 2011 at 3:39pm

      What a clown. Record poverty in her riding, but this is the nonsense she is most concerned with. Why do people keep voting for her?