Manitoba’s NDP government is pushing a bill that would add “gender expression” to the provincial human rights code, giving people the right to be addressed by their chosen pronouns in workplaces, housing, and public services.Progressive Conservative (PC) Leader Obby Khan says he backs the idea in principle, yet wants tighter wording before the bill becomes law. Khan, elected PC leader on April 26, told reporters on Tuesday he has heard from residents who fear they could face a complaint for using the wrong gender. Khan asked NDP Justice Minister Matt Wiebe to set clear thresholds for when a complaint can be filed..“What is the standard?” said Khan. “Human rights matter to everyone, but we need to know where the line is.”Wiebe replied that Manitoba is catching up to the rest of Canada. “Eight provinces and two territories already protect gender expression,” said Wiebe. “For many, it’s been in place for more than a decade.”.Karen Sharma, head of Manitoba’s human rights commission, told legislative hearings the code affects jobs, housing, and services, not casual conversations or church life. Sharma said that successfully prosecuted cases in other provinces involved repeated, malicious misgendering.A recent Alberta ruling underscored this point. Alberta’s tribunal agreed 911 dispatchers misgendered trans woman Marni Panas in 2019, but dismissed her complaint after finding the act was not intentional. .Panas has asked the courts to review that decision.With a NDP majority, the Manitoba bill is expected to pass before the legislature ends this spring. Until Khan took the helm, the Tories had not sought changes. Khan also said PC MLAs will likely get a free vote, calling it “a matter of conscience.”
