New Provisions Force Airlines to Block Passengers Who Don’t Match the Gender on their Identification Cards

OTTAWA – The Conservative government was grilled today by New Democrat MPs Randall Garrison (Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca) and Dany Morin (Chicoutimi Le-Fjord) during Question Period regarding the recent rule change that requires airlines to deny boarding to transgendered and transsexual Canadians on the basis of their appearance not matching their sex indicated on their ID. Garrison and Morin, New Democrat Critic and Associate Critic on LGBT issues, called on the government to replace these regulations with something that doesn’t discriminate against transgendered and transsexual Canadians.

 “Transport Canada allows transsexual and transgendered people to travel if they arrive with a medical certificate,” said Garrison, New Democrat Critic for LGBT questions. “This Conservative government is so disconnected from reality that they don’t understand that for many trans people, surgery is either unwanted or too expensive. In these cases, a medical certificate is not an option.”

This is a part of a series of recent Conservative statements that call into question basic human right. “Why are the Conservative government’s priorities so skewed? Why are they seemingly finding new ways, every day, to discriminate against LGBT people?” added Morin, NDP Associate Critic for LGBT questions. “I call on the Minister of Transport to correct this discriminatory regulation and allow trans people the right to travel by plane like any other Canadian.”