Thank you very much, Madam Minister and Mr. Pentney.
I want first of all to say that I support the underlying intent of the bill. I stand in opposition to all forms of discrimination against transgendered Canadians. That's why I voted for this bill at second reading.
One of the concerns or issues that I did raise when I spoke to the bill in the House of Commons was on the need for the bill. I appreciate, Madam Minister, your efforts to address that issue this morning.
I noted when I was going through some of the cases that have been decided in terms of interpreting the term “sex” under the Canadian Human Rights Act, such as the Kavanagh and Correctional Services decision, the Montreuil and National Bank decision, the Montreuil and Canadian Forces decision, and the Nixon decision at the British Columbia Court of Appeal, that in all of those decisions the courts and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal did interpret “sex” to include persons who are transgendered.
Are you aware of any cases where the term “sex” was interpreted narrowly against transgendered persons?