Context: On or before October 21 2019 Canada will conduct a federal election for the 43rd Canadian Parliament. Over the past five decades, our communities have seen ongoing progress regarding basic human rights and towards full inclusion in Canada society. Legal advances, including basic protections against discrimination and recognition of our relationships and families, have led to Canada being seen as a global leader in the advancement of human rights for sexual and gender minorities. However, there is still a long way to go to achieve true inclusion and acceptance. Many federal departments and agencies are now working to incorporate specific concerns and issues facing LGBTQ2 Canadians into public policy. No matter the results of the federal election, we are committed to moving forward on rights and equality for all LGBTQ2 Canadians.

Statement: We call on all political parties running in the Canadian Federal election to commit to ensuring that human rights for sexual and gender minorities are secure in Canada and that our communities continue to be reflected in all areas of federal policy, both domestic and international. There continue to be policy areas for Canada to improve in and we call on all future governments to continue to work with LGBTQ2 civil society organizations in moving forward to address issues that are still facing our communities.

This statement is being circulated by a number of coalitions and organizations across Canada including: the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the Community Based Research Centre (CBRC), le Conseil québécois LGBT, Dignity Network, Enchanté: the LGBTQ2 Centres Network, Egale Canada, & Fierté Canada Pride.