This letter, posted below, appeared on the Aids Vancouver Island web site. I assume it’s legitimate since it has been there since last November.
It’s written by Svend Robinson’s replacement in Canada’s Parliament, Bill Siksay, M.P., Burnaby-Douglas. Like his predecessor, Svend Robinson, every action seems to revolve around advancing pro-gay issues. In this letter, he’s concerned about “human rights issues of the Transsexual and Transgender communities”. I did not know that was a top-100 issue today in Canada. Surely we should deal with issues in some order of importance—not just to him personally but to the whole nation and the world.
Siksay is the NDP “critic for Canadian Human Rights” as he describes himself. Normally “critics” are members of what’s known as a “shadow cabinet”—they’re the ones who are on the heels of everything a Minister says or does. But there is no “Minister of Human Rights” in Canada, since Canada is not normally seen as a country with a human rights problem… unlike women and their status being an apparently pressing problem in this nation justifying the “Status of Women” ministry (actually Liza Frulla is Minister of “Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women”).
Of course, unlike conservative Republican President George W. Bush and all conservatives, the NDP doesn’t think Saddam Hussein was posing any particular human rights problem either—for women, men, children, gays, transexuals, or even cross-dressing humans, so everything is relative.
So this position of Siksay’s is purely an NDP invention.
In any case, note that Siksay is not the compassionate Canadian looking out for Iraqi or Iranian or Chinese human rights, no the NDP doesn’t have one of those—his job is “Canadian human rights”. Again, I did not know Canada had a human rights problem, although I’m constantly reminded by the 3 percent of the population that is gay that we have a gay rights problem according to them. I don’t believe we do have a gay rights problem, but that’s what they tell us. Amazing coincidence that the NDP picked this man to be the “human rights critic” and that the NDP’s Canada has a human rights critic for Canadian human rights but not Iraqi human rights. I think they’re really just concerned about gay rights. They should have a gay rights critic, not a human rights critic and just be up front about it since the only human rights they’re concerned about are gay human rights—not all humans, nor all their rights.
I am writing to you as the Member of Parliament for Burnaby Douglas, as well as in my position as the NDP critic for Canadian Human Rights.
I am anxious to follow up on the Trans Legislative Needs Assessment conducted in Ottawa last year, as well as on my party’s commitment to address human rights issues of the Transsexual and Transgender communities. I know that Transgender and Transsexual people are all too often the victims of discrimination, harassment and violence directed towards them because of their gender identity and / or gender expression. This is unacceptable, and must be addressed by Canadian lawmakers now.
I am therefore intending to introduce a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act early in the New Year. I am hoping that this amendment will specifically address the lack of protections that Transsexual and Transgender people have from experiences of discrimination and harassment under the Canadian Human Rights Act.
As a first step, I would like hear what you see as legislative priorities for the transsexual and transgender communities, as well as the best way to move forward on amending the Canadian Human Rights Act. In this regard, I am hoping that you will submit your ideas and thoughts via e-mail to me.
During this national e-mail consultation, I will also be having two community consultations in mid November of this year. One will be held in Ottawa and the other will be held in Vancouver. The goal of these sessions is to foster dialogue, and stimulate strategic plans on the issue of legislative change. Everyone is welcome to attend these meetings if they are available, otherwise I would greatly appreciate hearing your suggestions and ideas in an e-mail.
Suggestions can be e-mailed to me directly at [email protected]
If you would like to attend one of the community sessions:
The Vancouver consultation will be held on: Friday November 26, 2004 from 6:00 pm-8:00pm at the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, located at 800 Broadway East, at Fraser St.
If you plan on attending this session please RSVP to Corie Langdon at 604-291-8863, or by e-mail at [email protected]
The Ottawa Consultation will be held on: Thursday November 18, 2004 from 5:30-7:30 in 307 West Block on Parliament Hill.
If you plan on attending this session please RSVP to Sonja van Dieen at 613-996-5597, or by e-mail at [email protected]
I very much look forward to working together on this important and much needed legislative change with you.
Sincerely,
Bill Siksay, M.P
Burnaby-Douglas.
I imagine cross-dressers are next up for Siksay. Then effeminate men. Then bisexuals. Then maybe he’ll find time for that whole “war on terrorism” thing or “building the economy” or that boring “having a national defence” thing that the right-wingers are always on about.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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