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Asarial, I think we can all agree – no one should ever be denied the health care they need. But right now in Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith is launching an all-cylinder assault on medically-necessary healthcare for trans people. [1] It’s nothing more than a cynical move to pander to her far-right base amid the rising popularity of Trump-style culture wars in Canada. But if she gets her way, Smith’s latest fixation will harm queer and trans people across the province – forcing young people back into the closet and drastically increasing the incidences of youth self-harm and suicides. [2] It’s a well-documented fact: gender-affirming care saves lives. [3,4] And denying medically-necessary care to anyone goes against the very premise of Canada’s health care system. Alberta receives billions every year in federal healthcare funding via the Canada Health Transfer. [5] Asarial, will you sign the petition calling on federal Minister of Health Mark Holland to make access to gender-affirming care a condition of the Canada Health Transfer for all provinces?
Gender-affirming health care is considered medically necessary by the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Paediatrics. [6,7] Trans youth who access gender-affirming care experience a 60% reduction in depression, and 73% reduction in suicide risk. [8] But despite a mountain of evidence in support of gender-affirming care, Premier Smith is just the latest in a string of far-right politicians to turn trans people into political pawns. Last year, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs introduced a set of policies that would out trans students to their parents without consent. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe followed suit, piling on draconian restrictions to gender-affirming care. And last year it became an official party policy of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives to ban trans youth from accessing gender-affirming care. [9-11] As someone who receives gender-affirming care I know how important it is for my health and well being. I have less anxiety and sleep better when I receive the support I need and deserve. And I’ve seen how much better off the trans kids in my life are after they got access to gender-affirming health care – mental health improvements their parents and psychiatrists all agree have made them safer and healthier. These kids would be denied that care if they moved to Alberta. Asarial, the federal Liberals have loudly called out Smith’s anti-trans policies, but so far haven’t taken any concrete action to protect queer and trans people. [12] If you believe that trans people should be able to access medically-necessary care, will you call on Minister of Health Mark Holland to make trans inclusion a condition of the Canada Health Transfer?
With hope and determination, Not sure what gender-affirming care is? Take a look at our educational blog post about trans rights. Sources: |
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