Question Period Note: Rugby Canada’s Transgender Participation Guidelines in Canada

The World Rugby Union (WRU) released its approved Transgender Participation Guidelines on October 10, 2020. These guidelines recommend that transwomen not play contact rugby on the basis of safety and fairness. Transmen will be permitted to participate in men’s contact rugby. Rugby Canada has taken the position to not adopt these recommendations at the domestic level and to continue with their current Trans Inclusion Policy. WRU has indicated that Unions will have the flexibility to determine how to best address trans inclusion in their jurisdiction on a case by case basis.

• Our government remains committed to promoting a sport environment where all Canadians can safely engage, regardless of age, ability, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.
• We are working with the sport community to ensure that all athletes can benefit from safe, welcoming and inclusive environments.
• We understand that Rugby Canada is taking measures to ensure that all participants have access to programming and facilities in which they feel comfortable and safe.

• The Minister of Canadian Heritage’s mandate letter included the commitment to “continue to work with partners, including provinces and territories, to foster an environment that is safe, welcoming and inclusive in the sport and cultural industries”. The letter also included the commitment to “foster a national culture of safe sport, including physical safety, sporting environments free of harassment, promoting diversity and inclusion in sport and research into injury prevention”.
• Through Budget 2018, the Government set a target to achieve gender equality in sport at every level by 2035, and provided an initial $30 million over three years. A federal Gender Equity Secretariat was established to develop, implement and monitor a gender equity in sport strategy in Canada. The goal of this Secretariat is to bring about greater participation of women in leadership roles, coaching and officiating, which in turn contributes to greater representation and safety in sport.
• Budget 2019 provided $30 million over five years, starting in 2019–20, with $6 million per year ongoing, to enable Canadian sports organizations to promote accessible, ethical, equitable and safe sports.
• On June 19, 2018, the following measures were announced to enhance the existing policy framework in these areas: Federally funded sport organizations must: 1-Take all necessary measures to create a workplace free from harassment, abuse or discrimination of any kind; 2-Immediately disclose any incident that could compromise the project or programming to the Minister responsible for sport; 3-Make provisions for access to an independent third party to address harassment and abuse cases; 4-Provide mandatory training on harassment and abuse to their members by April 1, 2020.
• In February 2019, during the meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers responsible for sport, physical activity, and recreation, Ministers endorsed the Red Deer Declaration for the Prevention of Harassment, Abuse and Discrimination in Sport. As part of this declaration, Ministers will develop a collaborative approach to increase awareness, prevention, identifying and reporting, and monitoring to address harassment, abuse, and discrimination in sport. Ministers also agreed to make "safety and integrity in sport" a standing agenda item for future meetings.
• On February 22, 2019, Sport Canada launched the Innovation Initiative, which provides funding to eligible organizations for testing innovative approaches to sport participation and retention challenges as it pertains to equity, access, diversity and inclusion, as these are important elements relating to the leadership of the national sport community.
• On January 1, 2019, Rugby Canada approved and published its Trans Inclusion Policy which was written and developed by Sport, Law & Strategy Group. This policy is aligned with the guidance document ‘Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport.’
• World Rugby is the world’s governing body for the sport of rugby. Rugby Canada is a member of the World Rugby Union and adheres to its international competition policies and guidelines.
• On February 27, 2020, World Rugby held a transgender workshop in hopes of identifying principles for an equitable, safe and evidence-based rugby-specific policy for transgender participation.
• On September 3, 2020, Rugby Canada submitted feedback to World Rugby on their proposed Transgender Guidelines that recommend transwomen not participate in contact rugby. This was followed by a statement on the Rugby Canada website stating that rugby participation in Canada will continue to follow the existing Trans Inclusion Policy and the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms.
• On October 9, 2020, World Rugby approved new transgender participation guidelines. Rugby Canada has yet to comment.

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