March 22, 2013

Updated with sample letter and Senator contact information

This week the House of Commons voted 149 to 137 to pass Bill 279, allowing the bill to move to the Senate for some sober second thought. 18 Conservative MPs voted with the opposition parties, allowing the dangerous legislation to proceed towards law. The good news is that your efforts made a substantial difference. 10 MPs changed from a “Yes” vote to “Abstain” and 13 MPs changed from “Abstain” to “No.” Find how your MP voted here and please follow-up with your MP accordingly. We heartily thank all of you who took the time to share your concerns with your MP. But the bill is not passed yet! It can still be stopped in the Senate. A list of Senator email addresses is below, as well as a sample letter. 

Sample Letter to Senators: Bill 279

I am very disappointed by the House of Commons decision to pass Bill 279 which would add “gender identity” as an identifiable group to the Criminal Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act. I’m writing our Senators to respectfully ask them to vote against, and publicly oppose, Bill C-279.

I recognize that all Canadians should be protected equally under the law. But the reality is that transgendered Canadians already are granted the same protection as all others. There is no doubt that the purpose of this bill is entirely ideological. This bill would make it Canada’s official position that gender is a social construct. Unlike the other categories, which are objective, this vague term can be defined and changed at will.

Further, although the bill’s defenders scoff at those who raise legitimate concerns about the bill’s application (such as in public washrooms), the reality is that the bill is so vague that there is no way legislators can know how it will be applied. A basic tenet of law is that laws must be clear so that the public is well aware of how to abide by them.

I recently read this quote from the American College of Pediatricians in a letter sent to school officials. The medical body states:
“…children with Gender Identity Disorder (when a child desires to be the opposite sex) will typically lose this desire by puberty, if the behaviour is not reinforced… [but] when parents or others allow or encourage a child to behave and be treated as the opposite sex, the confusion is reinforced and the child is conditioned for a life of unnecessary pain and suffering.”
– American College of Pediatricians, letter to school officials, March 31, 2010

If Bill C-279 passes, it will not only normalize Gender Identity Disorder as something other than a disorder, it will make it more and more difficult for parents who care for their children to assist them to overcome Gender Dysphoria should they suffer from it.

Most important, it is not up to government to redefine gender to begin with. The civil government’s role is to promote justice and freedom, not engineer society according to how people feel.

Instead of trying to appease every interest group, our nation should focus on strengthening the institutions in society that are pivotal to a healthy nation. Marriage and the family should be at the top of that list.

I look forward to your response. If you think it is a good bill, please explain why. If you oppose it, are you willing to speak with your colleagues about why this shouldn’t be supported?
Thank you for hearing my concerns. I hope you will vote appropriately.

Senators: Alberta

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Senators: Manitoba

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Senators: Ontario

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Senators: All of Canada

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Tags:  Gender Identity Email Us