Premier John Horgan and Mitzi Dean, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, have issued the following statement to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance:

“Each year on Nov. 20, we honour the memory of transgender people we have lost because of transphobia and violence, and vow to fight against the erasure of trans people and trans identities in our culture and our history.

“As we remember those who have been taken from their friends, family and communities, we commit to working together to make our province a place where transgender people are safe, loved and celebrated.

“For too long, B.C. has fallen behind when it comes to supporting people who are transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and to live in safe, supportive communities.

“We are proud to stand with trans people in our province, and to move forward by reinstating the B.C. human rights commission, promoting sexual orientation and gender identity awareness in schools, giving people a non-binary gender option on government identification and improving access to gender-affirming surgeries around B.C. But we still have a long way to go.

“At a time when the human rights of transgender people are under sustained attack in the United States and elsewhere, it is more important than ever to affirm our commitment to fight for safety, inclusion and justice for trans people in our province.

“We will not be silent in the face of injustice. We will not let the memories of our trans friends, family and neighbours be lost to violence.

“Together, we remember, and pledge to do better.”