B.C. to expand human-rights law to protect transgender people by next week.

Attorney General Suzanne Anton made the announcement with Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert this afternoon.

MLA Spencer Herbert has been in the front line of the fight to get legislation introduced protecting transgender people from discrimination.. Herbert has introduced this in the house 4 times in the past years.

Last year the Liberal Party of British Columbia did not march in the Pride Parade due to it’s position of not supporting this bill. The Vancouver Pride Society made it clear in 2015 that in order to march in the pride parade the Liberal Party of BC would need to sign a pledge to support transgender rights, which they did not at the time.

Justice Minister Suzanne Anton says “the government will introduce a bill next week that would add gender identity and gender expression to the list of protected areas in the provincial Human Rights Code”.

“It is important that people understand that they are protected,” Ms. Anton told a news conference on Wednesday. “Every British Columbian needs to feel protected and feel confidence in that protection, no matter their gender identity and expression.”  (Globe and Mail)

“I wish it passed years ago, but I’m going to take the victory where I can get it,” said Mr. Chandra Herbert. (Globe and Mail)

“As we enter into the pride parade in Vancouver, there will be huge support to see that we’ve finally introduced this legislation and we’re finally going to get it into our law.”

This legislation has been a long time coming for BC’s transgender community.