Please read our full statement here, et en français.

The Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH) strongly condemns the Alberta government’s ongoing legislative attacks on transgender, Two Spirit, and gender diverse (TTGD) people through the recent Education Amendment Act, Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, and Health Statutes Amendment Act. We likewise condemn Premier Danielle Smith’s threat to invoke the notwithstanding clause to prevent constitutional challenge of these laws. While these pieces of legislation were introduced over a year ago, this new step represents a deeply troubling escalation and attempt to entrench discriminatory laws by suspending the Charter rights of TTGD people and their families. These measures would limit students’ ability to use their chosen names and pronouns in schools; exclude TTGD girls and women from sports; and prevent supportive parents from helping their children access necessary medical care, like puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and transition-related surgery for minors. CPATH warns that these actions are not only harmful to TTGD individuals and especially youth, but threaten the foundational principles of rights and freedoms for everyone in Canada. If the rights of one group can be set aside today, the rights of all Canadians are at risk tomorrow. CPATH affirms that gender-affirming care is safe, evidence-based, and life-saving, and stands with allied organizations and advocates in opposing this legislation, supporting legal challenges, and defending the dignity, health, and autonomy of transgender, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse people and their families.