Thursday, June 03, 2010

Canadian Action Alert: Bill C-389 Needs Your Help

TransGriot Note: Forwarded to me by Mercedes Allen. TransGriot Canadian readers, time for y'all to get busy calling, e-mailing and writing your MP's.

Call for Action

I’m very pleased to inform you that my Private Member’s Bill (C-389), which would ensure explicit human rights protections for transgender and transsexual people will be debated for a second hour in Parliament on Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 at 5:30 pm. The vote on Second Reading will be on June 9th. If passed, the bill will go to committee for consideration.

Bill C-389 would update the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) to include gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination, and update the Criminal Code of Canada to include gender identity and gender expression in the hate crime and sentencing provisions.

Transsexual and transgender people are often victims of discrimination, harassment, and violence because of their gender identity and gender expression. They often experience injustices such as denial of employment, housing, access to trans-sensitive health care, and face difficulties obtaining identification documents. Because there are so many barriers for transsexual and transgender Canadians, explicit rights and protections must be added to the CHRA and the Criminal Code.

Here’s what you can do to move this forward and help get this important legislation passed in Parliament:

• Call, write, or email your Member of Parliament and Party Leaders, and let him or her know that you support my bill. If you don’t know who your MP is, you can find out here:
• Call, write, or email the Minister of Justice, The Hon. Rob Nicholson, P.C., M.P.
• Call, write or email the Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.

Letters to all MPs and Party Leaders can be sent postage free to:

House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

• Join my Facebook group
• Gather signatures for my petition

Click here to view a sample letter.

Please let us know about your contacts.

Thank you,
Bill Siksay, MP

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