Trade Agreements As Canada’s national LGBTQI2S organization, we firmly believe that any new USMCA trade agreement should uphold Canada’s human rights values and should strive to be more inclusive, especially regarding labour and gender rights as well as all anti-discrimination policies towards any minority group. It is Canada’s duty to uphold the human rights that are not only recognized here in Canada, but also around the world as part of normative International Human Rights Law.
We strongly support the clause that has been put forward by Canada in the new trade agreement and would encourage our government to stand by it. At the end of the day it is policies like this that save lives and make our world a safer and more inclusive place for everyone.
Canada must continue to defend and promote trans, gender-diverse and non-binary people and their right to work, to be paid fairly, and to be fully protected from discrimination and violence in the workplace. Anything less would be a violation of our Charter.
Exclusion of trans, gender diverse and non-binary people from fairly paid work keeps this already most marginalized community trapped in poverty, exploitation, and homelessness.
Helen Kennedy
Executive Director, Egale Canada