Parkbandit
04-15-2009, 11:38 AM
Alberta's sex change funding cut to spark rights complaints
CALGARY - A group of transgendered Albertans said Monday they will launch human rights complaints against the province this week, arguing government's decision to axe funding for gender reassignment surgery in the recent budget is discriminatory.
Calgarian Jordenne Prescott and several other activists will file the complaints at Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission offices in Calgary and Edmonton on Wednesday morning, according to a news release.
The activists said they hope the complaints will prompt government to reverse its decision to stop paying for gender reassignment surgery, noting Ontario reinstated funding for the operations following a human rights ruling in that province.
"Ultimately, our goal is to have the government realize they did this incorrectly," said Prescott, who is on a waiting list to see a specialist about gender reassignment surgery. "No steps were taken to ensure our dignity and integrity."
The issue has also attracted the attention of the Oprah Winfrey show.
Edmonton resident Sarah King, who's hoping to get the surgery next year in Montreal, said she was contacted through e-mail by the popular U. S. talk show. A message from Harpo Studios in Chicago said the show was not considering a story immediately, but would contact King if such a decision was made in the future.
Kris Wells, a researcher at the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta, said if Oprah tells her audience about the funding cuts, Alberta's$25-million attempt to boost its oilsands-tainted image would be a waste.
"Oprah would undo the reputation of Alberta,"Wells said. "Alberta is going to look like one of the most fundamental jurisdictions in the world."
Alberta Health officials declined interviews on the situation Monday.
"As this is a legal issue, we will not comment," said Howard May, a spokesman with the department.
The move to file human rights complaints comes less than a week after the Alberta government's health budget discontinued$ 700,000 in annual funding for the procedure, commonly known as a sex-change operation.
Alberta has been paying for gender reassignment surgery, which costs anywhere from$18,000 to$70,000 per patient, for more than a decade.
The provincial government will pay for the procedure for those who had their funding approved from the 2006-07 fiscal year to March 31 of this year, but not for people who haven't had funding approved.
Health Minister Ron Liepert said last week the decision to end the program was one of several tough choices facing the province.
About a dozen people are expected to file individual human rights complaints in Calgary and Edmonton.
In Ontario, the provincial government reinstated funding for the procedure last year after cancelling coverage nearly a decade earlier.The Ontario Human Rights Commission had ruled the province's actions were discriminatory.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Alberta+change+funding+spark+rights+complaints/1494449/story.html
:( Sorry. Sounds like you are going to have to pony up your own funds. Don't worry though.. I'm sure it'll become some type of law here soon enough.. just you wait! Then you can masquerade online AND in real life!!!111oneone!
CALGARY - A group of transgendered Albertans said Monday they will launch human rights complaints against the province this week, arguing government's decision to axe funding for gender reassignment surgery in the recent budget is discriminatory.
Calgarian Jordenne Prescott and several other activists will file the complaints at Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission offices in Calgary and Edmonton on Wednesday morning, according to a news release.
The activists said they hope the complaints will prompt government to reverse its decision to stop paying for gender reassignment surgery, noting Ontario reinstated funding for the operations following a human rights ruling in that province.
"Ultimately, our goal is to have the government realize they did this incorrectly," said Prescott, who is on a waiting list to see a specialist about gender reassignment surgery. "No steps were taken to ensure our dignity and integrity."
The issue has also attracted the attention of the Oprah Winfrey show.
Edmonton resident Sarah King, who's hoping to get the surgery next year in Montreal, said she was contacted through e-mail by the popular U. S. talk show. A message from Harpo Studios in Chicago said the show was not considering a story immediately, but would contact King if such a decision was made in the future.
Kris Wells, a researcher at the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta, said if Oprah tells her audience about the funding cuts, Alberta's$25-million attempt to boost its oilsands-tainted image would be a waste.
"Oprah would undo the reputation of Alberta,"Wells said. "Alberta is going to look like one of the most fundamental jurisdictions in the world."
Alberta Health officials declined interviews on the situation Monday.
"As this is a legal issue, we will not comment," said Howard May, a spokesman with the department.
The move to file human rights complaints comes less than a week after the Alberta government's health budget discontinued$ 700,000 in annual funding for the procedure, commonly known as a sex-change operation.
Alberta has been paying for gender reassignment surgery, which costs anywhere from$18,000 to$70,000 per patient, for more than a decade.
The provincial government will pay for the procedure for those who had their funding approved from the 2006-07 fiscal year to March 31 of this year, but not for people who haven't had funding approved.
Health Minister Ron Liepert said last week the decision to end the program was one of several tough choices facing the province.
About a dozen people are expected to file individual human rights complaints in Calgary and Edmonton.
In Ontario, the provincial government reinstated funding for the procedure last year after cancelling coverage nearly a decade earlier.The Ontario Human Rights Commission had ruled the province's actions were discriminatory.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Alberta+change+funding+spark+rights+complaints/1494449/story.html
:( Sorry. Sounds like you are going to have to pony up your own funds. Don't worry though.. I'm sure it'll become some type of law here soon enough.. just you wait! Then you can masquerade online AND in real life!!!111oneone!