Question Period Note: Advancing LGBTQ2 Equality

What is the Government of Canada doing to advance equality for LGBTQ2 Canadians?

• The Government of Canada believes that promoting equality, protecting rights, and addressing discrimination against LGBTQ2 communities is important.
• Budget 2019 invested $20 million over three years to enhance the capacity of LGBTQ2 organizations and develop the first ever federal fund specifically dedicated to LGBTQ2 equality.
• This investment will help LGBTQ2 organizations strengthen their operations, increase partnerships, share knowledge, and build stronger organizations to support LGBTQ2 communities across Canada and to advance equality.
• Building on this investment, Budget 2021 will provide $15 million over three years for a new LGBTQ2 Projects Fund dedicated to supporting community-informed initiatives to overcome key issues facing LGBTQ2 communities, such as accessing mental health services and employment support.

The Department for Women and Gender Equality continues to work closely with the LGBTQ2 Secretariat at Canadian Heritage on issues impacting LGBTQ2 communities.

WAGE also provides advice and support to other government departments in the development of policies and initiatives that reflect the needs and concerns of LGBTQ2 communities through Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).

Budget 2019 provided $20 million over three years to enhance the capacity of LGBTQ2 organizations. Approximately $2 million of this funding was distributed in 2019-20 to seven organizations through the LGBTQ2 Community Capacity Fund:
o Fierté Canada Pride ($250,000)
o Conseil québécois LGBT ($249,963)
o Enchanté: a Network of 2SLGBTQ+ Centres of Canada ($700,000)
o Égale Canada Human Rights Trust ($399,884)
o Rainbow Refugee Society ($150,000)
o 2 Spirits in Motion Foundation ($200,000)
o Canadian Trans Network ($99,984)

The remainder of the Budget 2019 LGTBQ2 Community Capacity Fund is being distributed through a Call for Proposals which closed in May 2020. This Fund’s objective is to build stronger capacity and networks of LGBTQ2 community organizations to advance LGBTQ2 equality across Canada.

Further, Budget 2021 proposes to provide $15 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, to Women and Gender Equality Canada for a new LGBTQ2 Projects Fund dedicated to supporting community-informed initiatives to overcome key issues facing LGBTQ2 communities, such as accessing mental health services and employment support.

Budget 2021 also proposes to provide $7.1 million over three years to Canadian Heritage to continue to support the work of the LGBTQ2 Secretariat and enable the continued development of an LGBTQ2 Action Plan.

In addition, the Government of Canada has taken the following concrete actions to address existing inequalities:
o In 2017, the Prime Minister formally apologized to LGBTQ2 communities for the historical unjust treatment of LGBTQ2 federal public servants.
o In 2017, the Government of Canada amended the Canadian Human Rights Act to include gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds for discrimination.
o In 2016, section 159 (anal intercourse) was repealed from the Criminal Code, removing discriminatory provisions.

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