Transgender rights legislation coming 'very shortly'

TheLiberal government is setto announce next weekthat it will propose legislationthat wouldgivelegal and human rights protections to transgender people, following through on a pledgemade during the federal election campaign.

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobiais celebrated annually on May 17 to mark the World Health Organization's decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

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The special day was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and those who don't conform to socially defined sexual and gender norms.

"We are looking forward to a big day," said Michael Davis, the director of communicationsfor Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, on Friday.

"The minister looks forward to fulfilling her commitment as outlined by the prime minister in her mandate letter," Davis told CBC News byphone on Friday.

In his mandate letter, Prime Minister Justin TrudeauaskedWilson-Raybouldto make it a priority to introducelegislation "to add gender identity as a prohibited ground for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, and to the list of distinguishing characteristics of 'identifiable group'protected by the hate speech provisions of the Criminal Code."

Similar legislation was proposed andpassed in the House of Commons twice before being defeated in the Senate.

Legislation coming 'very shortly'

NDP MP Randall Garrisonreintroduced the legislationas Bill C-204, an act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code (gender identity and gender expression), lastDecember.

This week, Garrison asked Wilson-Raybouldwhether the government still intended to keep its promise, after a Montreal clinicthat performsgender-affirming surgery was the target of arson.

"During the election," Garrison said on Tuesday, "the Liberals promised to add gender identity to the human rights code and to the hate crimes section of the Criminal Code.

"In February, the minister of justice told us that she would introduce legislation to protect gender identity and gender expression."

"The need is urgent. Will the government bring forward this legislation now to help prevent these kinds of hate crimes in the future?" Garrison said.

Wilson-Raybouldstood up in the House of Commons and said that "legislation will be coming forward very shortly."

"Our government is committed to bringing forward legislation that will respect and ensure that we eliminate discrimination in all forms in this country," she said on Tuesday.

The justice ministerthanked Garrison for his "tireless advocacy" togender identity.