Toronto MPP introduces bill to improve access to gender-affirming health care
Rezaul Haque
NDP MPP Suze Morrison (Toronto Centre) will introduce her new bill, the Gender Affirming Health Care Advisory Committee Act, in the legislature Monday, to improve gender-affirming health care in Ontario.
“Two-spirit, transgender, non-binary, gender diverse, and intersex people continue to face significant challenges to accessing health care services that are friendly, competent, and affirming,” said Morrison. “Far too many are fighting, waiting, and still not getting the care they need.”
MPP Morrison’s bill would establish a committee tasked with making recommendations to the Minister of Health on ways to improve access to gender-affirming care and transition-related procedures in Ontario. The committee would be made up of members of the two-spirit, transgender, non-binary, gender diverse, and intersex communities with diverse lived experiences as well as health care providers.
“Stigma, discrimination, lengthy wait times, outright denial of care, exclusions of coverage and onerous referral requirements are some of the issues that make it difficult to access gender-affirming care and transition-related procedures in Ontario,” Morrison said. “Timely access to care can have a substantial positive effect on an individual’s mental health and decrease suicidality and suicide attempts.”
One in three trans, two-spirit and/or non-binary people had considered suicide in the past year, according to a 2020 Trans Pulse Canada Survey.
Morrison held a virtual press conference Monday to discuss the importance of her bill. She was joined by Stefanie Pest, a Trans activist and an Ontario NDP LGBTQ Committee co-chair; Susan Gapka, a Trans activist and founding member and chair of the Trans Lobby Group; Keith McCrady, Executive Director at 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations; and Heath V. Salaza, a performance artist and writer.
“For decades, Liberal and Conservative governments have been slow to respond to the calls from two-spirit, transgender, non-binary, gender diverse, and intersex communities and advocates to expand OHIP coverage and reduce barriers to accessing gender-affirming care,” Morrison said. “Too many people are paying out of pocket or are waiting months to access care, putting lives at risk.
“Everyone deserves access to essential, lifesaving health care. The creation of a Gender Affirming Health Care Advisory Committee is an important first step towards building a more inclusive and affirmative health care system in Ontario.”
The bill will be debated in the legislature on Tuesday.
