EDMONTON – The Alberta government is reinstating funding for gender-reassignment surgery three years after it was cut in the provincial budget.
Kris Wells, researcher with the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta, called it a historic moment for Alberta, noting that it comes the same week a federal bill received second reading to include gender identity into the Canadian Human Rights Act.
“On the heels of that and today being the start of Edmonton’s Pride Festival, (this) is pretty significant news and a huge step forward for human rights in the province,” Wells said after hearing the news Thursday morning. He spoke with Health Minister Fred Horne’s chief of staff and learned the funding will begin mid-June. In April 2009, the government cut the $700,000 in annual funding to cover the surgeries for about 16 people each year.
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Wells said the government and Premier Alison Redford have been working on the reinstatement for some time.
“It’s reassuring to see that the premier is a woman of action,” Wells said.
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Gender Reassignment
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