I'm curious as to why “gender expression” is being deleted from this bill. My first instinct is that this narrows the scope of the bill, and I guess my first instinct would be that this is a positive step. As I think the members know, I generally do not support this bill, only because I think it's redundant and not necessary.
But with respect to the specific amendment, removing “gender expression”, we heard quite emphatically from the witnesses here today—and I think it was the individual from the commission, Mr. Fine—that, strictly speaking, none of this is needed. All of this is to create sort of an awareness within, I suppose, not only the transgender community, but also the community at large, that this type of protection is to be afforded to people who are involved in that community and might be subject to discrimination.
We heard from the individuals from the commission and from the individual from the tribunal that from a legal perspective nothing changes as a result of these proposed provisions. So I put it to the sponsor. Maybe he doesn't agree with them—maybe he thinks there is a legal nuance that escapes me and that escapes the witnesses from the commission and from the tribunal—but if he accepts their legal positing that, strictly speaking, these amendments are not needed, and if all he's trying to do is create awareness and discourage discrimination, which I would support, and I certainly support the elimination and discouragement of discrimination against all groups, why isn't “gender expression” being left within the ambit of clause 2 of this bill to discourage discrimination in that community?
I think unless I hear something convincing from Mr. Garrison, I'll be voting against this amendment.