Pro bono advice on trans rights for Albertans

Alberta's new anti-trans laws received royal assent on December 5, 2024. Bill 26 prevents trans youth from getting widely-accepted medical care. Bill 27 requires schoolteachers to "out" teens to their parents and misgender them if the parents don't support their gender identity. And Bill 29 requires schools and sports organizations to create policies that will exclude trans athletes. These laws are expected to come into force by early 2025.

I believe that in a few years it’ll be widely accepted that these laws violated human rights and the Charter: another shameful piece of Alberta history similar to the Vriend case from the 1990s, where Alberta argued all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada that it was perfectly legal to fire an employee for being gay.

As these new laws are implemented in 2025, I’ll be dedicating part of my time to pro bono legal services for people affected by them. If you’re directly affected by these laws and want to take legal action, you can reach out to me using this form to request a free, confidential consultation.

Resources

• Egale’s October 31, 2024 statement opposing the new laws

• The Alberta Medical Association’s November 8, 2024 statement opposing Bill 26

• The Canadian Pediatric Society’s June 2023 statement on appropriate medical care for trans youth

• Skipping Stone’s services and resources promoting the inclusion of trans people