| | | As many are aware, Bill C-6, which bans many forms of conversion therapy, passed in the House of Commons on June 22nd. However, before it can be signed into law, it also has to be passed in the Senate. The Senate headed into their regularly scheduled summer break without having held a final vote on Bill C-6, leaving this crucial piece of legislation in limbo. The Speaker of the Senate has the power to recall the Senate from their break when it is “in the public interest” for them to meet. Egale has joined voices across the community and the government calling on the Speaker to reconvene the Senate and pass Bill C-6. Here is an excerpt from our open letter: For many members of the 2SLGBTQI community, accessing the protection of the criminal law against conversion therapy is a matter of avoiding irreparable harm. As Speaker of the Senate, you have the ability to recall the Senate if the public interest requires it, and in this matter, the public interest demands that Bill C-6 be passed in the Senate as quickly as possible. Conversion therapy, defined as the effort to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual or their gender identity to cisgender has been widely discredited and denounced. Influential sources including the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (2020) and the United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (2020) have described conversion therapy as being contrary to international conventions against torture and degrading treatment. As a country that strives to position itself as an international leader in 2SLGBTQI rights, Canada has tolerated this destructive practice for far too long. Bill C-6 is a massive step forward in protecting 2SLGBTQI people in Canada and it is unconscionable to allow it to flounder in the Senate when it is so badly needed. To read our full open letter, click here. |
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Helen Kennedy, Executive Director |
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| | | We’ve got a surprise up our sleeves this Non-binary People’s Day. On a une surprise dans notre manche pour la Journée des personnes non-binaires. #DealThemIn |
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| | | | Congratulations to all Egale Education and Community Partnership Program students for completing the 2020/21 school year! Now that summer is officially underway, we are thrilled to congratulate the 8 students who finished this extremely difficult school year in our ECPP program! Despite the challenges of virtual learning and counselling, all students made incredible progress toward their goals, including two students who are hoping to attend transition-to-post-secondary programs for Fall 2021. This program would not be possible without the generous support of our partners, including The Toronto District School Board, La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso, UPS Canada, King Baudouin Foundation United States, Giant Tiger, Mazon Canada, Cadillac Fairview, Bright Funds Foundation, Karin daFonte and Danielle Bottineau, Altis Recruitment and anonymous private donors. For more information, please click below. |
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| | | | Register to attend our Affirming Adults Webinar! [EN/FR] Looking for resources to make your school environment a safer space for 2SLGBTQI students and allies? Check out our 75-minute webinar that explores the role affirming adults can play across the whole school community! August 3rd in English and August 10th in French / 10 août - en français! Learn more and register with the button below. |
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| | | | | Celebrate #PrideInside2021 by Doubling Your Impact! | An anonymous donor has offered to match the first $20,000 in Pride donations to Egale, so now is the perfect time to make your donations go even further. Please consider making a Pride donation and Egale will automatically apply the match to your gift! What does your donation support? Your 2021 Pride donation will help to support our ongoing research, education, awareness, and legal advocacy initiatives. This work builds the foundation for impactful and significant changes to legislation, policies, and programs that affect the everyday experiences and freedoms of 2SLGBTQI people in Canada and around the world. | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | Egale Canada
120 Carlton Street, Suite 217 | Toronto, Ontario M5A 4K2
416-964-7887 | [email protected] |
| | Egale works to improve the lives of 2SLGBTQI people in Canada and to enhance the global response to 2SLGBTQI issues. Egale achieves this by informing public policy, inspiring cultural change, and promoting human rights and inclusion through research, education and community engagement. Our vision is a Canada, and ultimately a world, without homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and all other forms of oppression so that every person can achieve their full potential, free from hatred and bias. |
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