Yellowknife — June 20, 2023
Today, Minister Caroline Wawzonek issued the following statement for Pride Month:
“As we mark Pride Month in the Northwest Territories, I join residents to celebrate the incredible diversity, resilience, and contributions of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community in the Northwest Territories.
“The GNWT is committed to a Northwest Territories where all people are genuinely included, celebrated, and supported to meet their full potential. We stand firmly against all forms of discrimination, prejudice, and marginalization towards the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community.
“For decades, the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community has fought hard for the same basic human rights that we all expect to have – many of which are taken for granted. 2SLGBTQQIA+ people continue to face discrimination every day because of who they are.
“As a society, we cannot tolerate this, and must continue to ensure all 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are treated equally and fairly.
“This past spring, I tabled a Bill to replace the Status of Women Council Act with a modernized Council for Women and Gender Diversity Act, which proposes to expand the Council’s mandate to address the status and equality of women and those who identify as non-binary.
“During Pride Month, I continue to pay close attention to the recent trend of state laws in the United States that restrict the rights of transgender people, as well as their ability to receive care. In the NWT, we continue to see the mistreatment, harassment, and discrimination of transgender people within the workplace, institutions, and society as a whole.
“Attempts made to dismiss and erase the lived experiences of transgender people are unacceptable. Transgender women are women, transgender men are men. There is still a lot of work to do to ensure the rights of 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are respected. and we will stand against hate whenever and wherever it occurs.
“The Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to defending the rights of 2SLGBTQQIA+ residents and continuing to support all efforts to rid our society of intolerance and promote equality for all. This starts with public servants and ensuring that the GNWT’s workplace culture continues to celebrate inclusion and that we maintain a physically and emotionally safe workplace for all GNWT employees.
“The 2SLGBTQQIA+ 101 Inclusive Workplace Training provides employees with the necessary knowledge and tools to recognize key terms associated with the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, identify and apply respectful behaviour and to support co-workers and clients.
“It’s also about making sure that all public servants are properly equipped to view our territory and the needs of our residents in ways that reflect our diversity. Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) training provides employees with the analytical process used to assess how different women, men, and gender diverse people experience policies, programs, and initiatives.
“Pride Month is an opportunity to reflect on the progress and acknowledge how much more there is to do. It is a time for us to recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of achieving full equality for all. It is a time to honor the struggles, sacrifices, and victories of those who have fought tirelessly for 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights, and to recognize that the fight for equality is far from over.”
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Government of the Northwest Territories