June 7, 2012
Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca NDP MP, Randall Garrison is celebrating the second reading passage of his Private Member's Bill, C-279, which would add gender identity to the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code.
The bill passed in the House of Commons Wednesday night.
Garrison says he was delighted to have the support of 150 fellow Members of Parliament.
"It included members from all parties. The NDP caucus was unanimous, but we also had Liberals and Conservatives and since there is a Conservative majority, obviously it takes all-party cooperation to get a private member's bill through to committee."
Garrison says he expects the bill back from the committee for a final vote in the Commons sometime in the fall.
- Frank Stanford
YAY! This is fabulous. If it passes the final vote, and the cynical side of me says NOT A CHANCE, trans-gendered people will have the same rights as everyone else, and that would be lovely.
So some Conservative party members voted in favour of it? That's awesome. I hope they'll do so in the fall. And if they do, it will be because Harper lets them. That's how it is. We all know that. So the question is why? Why would Harper let them? My thought is that it's win win for him. He can say that he had to let them vote their conscience to his Con supporters. And it appeases the left who want it to pass.
Honestly, I don't care. As long as it passes.
