GOVERNMENT OFFERS LITTLE DEFENSE FOR CUTTING FUNDING
FOR SEX REASSIGNMENT SURGERY (SRS) AT ONTARIO HUMAN RIGHTS
TRIBUNAL HEARING

Toronto: Lawyers, lobby groups, unions, and transsexual and transgender people gathered today at Queen's Park to urge the Liberal Government to restore funding for SRS. On October 1, 1998 the Provincial government removed funding for Sex Reassignment Surgery without consultation with medical professionals or the transsexual community. On Tuesday, April 19, 2005 an Ontario Human Rights Tribunal Hearing concluded its lengthy proceedings on whether cutting funding was discriminatory.

"The sex reassignment case is an important and precedent setting case," said Susan Ursel, lawyer for three of the complainants. "It is the first Trans case to be heard by the Tribunal in Ontario and it deals with the provision of medical surgical care, an issue important to us all. This is also the story of everyday people trying to live their lives, work, and find friendship and love, despite the misunderstanding and sometimes outright vilification for being transsexuals. The complainants have found the personal strength to take on the government's discrimination and it has been a true honour to represent my clients."

Cynthia Petersen, lawyer for Michelle Josef, who has filed a Charter Challenge regarding the cutting of SRS funding, said "Michelle Josef's case is not only about ensuring that the Ontario government treats transsexuals with equal dignity and respect, it is also about protecting the integrity of our provincial health care system, which is supposed to provide universal insurance coverage for all medically necessary procedures."

Egale representative, Hilary Cook, added, "Despite the fact that SRS is a medically necessary service funded by province since 1969, the former Conservative government cut funding in 1998. This decision has a serious impact upon this traditionally vulnerable group. Transsexual people deserve access to essential medical procedures on an equal footing with all Ontarians."

"As a transwoman," stated Susan Gapka, of the Rainbow Health Network, "I continue to pressure the government to fund this essential medical service.  At the Tribunal Hearings I testified that despite this ongoing lobbying, there still remains no public funding for SRS in Ontario. For me, SRS is essential for completing the transition process from male to female, and yet, I cannot afford the procedure due to the cut in funding."

Martine Stonehouse, one of four complainants who brought forward the Tribunal Case added, "A strong government and its Premier takes the lead, champions equity issues, and supports marginalized people. I appeal to Premier McGuinty to do the right thing and fund our surgery."

Michelle Josef also said, "Our politicians are too slow in accepting our rights and that is why we are taking our case to the courts. The time has come for society to live up its human rights obligations and accept transpersons as equal members. The work we are doing now will translate into equality for future generations."

"In endorsing the reinstatement of Sexual Reassignment Surgery," declared Anna Travers of the Sherbourne Health Centre, "our Centre encourages a more open and respectful approach to comprehensive health care for our trans communities. If qualified professionals across the province are able to offer assessments and approval letters for surgery, transsexual people could receive better services in a timely and efficient way."

Representatives from the Rainbow Health Network (Reference Group of the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario), Egale Canada, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Sherbourne Health Centre, and the Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario were in attendance.