Canada continues to be the United States’ much cooler little brother. While we’re down here driving ricers, listening to butt rock and considering Donald Trump for president, they’re up there listening to Francophone bands we’ve never heard of and riding their fixed gear to Parliament to preach acceptance.
Dreamboat and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed the liberal coalition in the House of Commons to introduce a bill that would protect the rights of transgender individuals across the country.
Trudeau announced the proposed legislation while receiving Fondation Émergence’s Laurent-McCutcheon Award for fighting against LGBT discrimination.
“We must carry on the legacy of those who fought for justice by being bold and ambitious in our actions,” he said. “And we must work diligently to close the gap between our principles and reality.”
The bill would add gender identity protections to the Canadian Human Rights Act and make transgender people a group that is protected under Canada’s hate speech laws.
The decision to introduce the bill on May 17 is no mere coincidence. It happens to be the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. To celebrate the occasion, a trans pride flag was flown in the House of Commons for the first time in its history.
The bill isn’t exactly a lock to pass, though. A similar push failed in the Canadian Senate last year after conservative senators added amendments to the bill that would have exempted prisons, bathrooms and other spaces from the regulations.
(Via CBC)