Nova Scotia Human Rights

Hon. Mr. Murray K. Scott
Attorney General, Minister of Justice and Minister for the Human Rights Act
Department of Justice
4th Floor, Terminal Building
5151 Terminal Road
P.O. Box 7
Halifax, NS B3J 2V9

Preamble:

Not all Nova Scotians have clear and visible human rights protection. Trans-identified people are still invisible in human rights legislation everywhere in Canada except the Northwest Territories.

Trans people are afforded some protection under the grounds of sex but the protection is unclear and invisible. Trans people shouldnt have to fit themselves into grounds designed for other groups. Its time for governments across Canada to treat trans people with the same dignity and respect as other minorities.

We address all members of the human family to recognize our basic right for self-determination as people who suffer from discrimination for being Transgender. Transgender individuals exist in every social-economic class within Nova Scotia.

The current interpretation with the Act is that those who identify as Transgender are protected from discrimination under the classification of sex. However this does not hold true as per the Acts definition of sex as follows:

Interpretation
Part 1 Section 3
In this Act,

(n) "sex" includes pregnancy, possibility of pregnancy and pregnancy-related illness;

This statement is and of itself sexist as it defines sex by a biological function therefore does not provide adequate protection for those who identify as Transgender.


We declare that:

The Nova Scotia Government is bound by their laws as defined in the Human Rights Act R.S., c. 214, s. 1 (2) and is as follows:

The purpose of this Act is to

(a) recognize the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family;

(b) proclaim a common standard for achievement of basic human rights by all Nova Scotians;

(c) recognize that human rights must be protected by the rule of law;

(d) affirm the principle that every person is free and equal in dignity and rights;

(e) recognize that the government, all public agencies and all persons in the Province have the responsibility to ensure that every individual in the Province is afforded an equal opportunity to enjoy a full and productive life and that failure to provide equality of opportunity threatens the status of all persons; and

(f) extend the statute law relating to human rights and to provide for its effective administration. 1991, c. 12, s. 1.


Therefore:

A) A human being is a being conceived by another human being.

B) There is no distinction possible between the fundamental human rights of one human being from another, no matter how unusual a person may look, think or express his/her gender.

C) Transgenderism understood as a change in Gender Identity, is a social reality that requires a legislative response.

D) Hereby we emphasize the basic function of the articles of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act to define the basic rights of any human being. And demand that Chapter 214 Part 1 Section 5 (h to v) be amended to include gender identity and gender expression as a protected class.