Canada’s New Transgender Rights Bill Could Threaten Religious Freedom

Gender identity could be added to Canada’s list of protected classes if the Canadian Parliament passes a bill.

The bill extends “gender identity and gender expression” to the country’s protected classes under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

“The enactment also amends the Criminal Code to extend the protection against hate propaganda set out in that Act to any section of the public that is distinguished by gender identity or expression and to clearly set out that evidence that an offence was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on gender identity or expression constitutes an aggravating circumstance that a court must take into consideration when it imposes a sentence.”

A committee in the Canadian Senate is considering the bill.

But free speech rights advocates are worried the bill could be used against groups, particularly religious groups.

Harold Albrecht, a conservative party member of parliament, also said the bill is a threat to many people.

“I am concerned that this bill would cause fear for many Canadians, fear that they would not be able to even discuss public policy issues, such as this one, on which they may disagree with the government-imposed agenda,” he said.

Canadian pastor Paul Dirks, who heads the campaign “Woman Means Something,” says the bill doesn’t allow business or schools to keep predators from using the bill to harm others.

“Our campaign doesn’t say trans-people are a risk to anybody, it’s saying predators are going to take advantage,” he said.

Photo courtesy: Wikipedia

Publication date: April 3, 2017