Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard: Senator Gold, today, on the Transgender Day of Remembrance we honour the lives lost to anti-trans violence. We have seen the human rights of transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people become a topic of debate south of the border.

According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the threat of violence is increasing in Canada.

Two years into the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, what concrete actions are being taken to protect transgender Canadians?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. At the outset, the position of this government is that it and our legal protections are there for all Canadians, regardless of their gender expression or orientation, no matter who they are in Canada. Rights are rights. The government will always stand up for 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

As we know — let me highlight this for senators who may not have been here at the time — the government has passed legislation to ban conversion therapy for transgender and gender-diverse Canadians.

With regard to the action plan to which you have referred, the government is providing emergency resources to help cover security costs at Pride events, which have been a target of concern. This is in addition to providing over $100 million over five years —

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Bernard.

Senator Bernard: Senator Gold, are you able to offer some information on specific milestones the action plan has already reached in these two years?

Senator Gold: Thank you. A number of things come to mind. An anti-stigma awareness campaign has been launched. A research plan has been established that involves new national data collection and community-led research.

There is work being done to create a new designated employment equity group for those communities and to provide increased support to combat hate in all its forms.