Ensuring Trans Youths Have a Voice at the Supreme Court of Canada

In the case of Glen Hansman v. Barry Neufeld, which was heard in the Supreme Court of Canada, Case No. 39796, scheduled to be heard on 11th October 2022, the QMUNITY and The Skipping Stone Scholarship Foundation intervened. There was pro-bono counsel for the case, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP 

In their factum, QMUNITY submits to the Supreme Court of Canada, with the concern that there wasn’t sufficient judicial recognition for the youth members of the trans and queer groups.

According to research on the mental health of trans people, there were alarming results that indicated trans youths had high rates of suicidal ideation, and there was a worrying number of suicide attempts. The research links this to violence, discrimination, and lack of legal recognition the youths have to deal with.

QMUNITY further argued that nothing would be appreciated more than a mere comment from the Supreme Court of Canada, a leading voice in the justice system of Canada, on the vulnerability the trans and queer youth face and the notice that public interest is sensitive to these vulnerabilities and would protect them. This would mean a lot for the community, and the youth, especially since the international legal community looks up to Canada regarding the protection of gender identity.