Trans* Human Rights 101: Human Rights Complaints for Employment, Housing, and Service Discrimination in Alberta

Presented by the Canadian Bar Association Alberta Sex and Gender Diversity Alliance (SAGDA), the Alberta Rights Commission, the TransLab, and Carbert Waite LLP

Transgender, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and gender non-conforming (trans*) people are a population that face very high levels of discrimination, harassment, and violence in Canada. In 2015, the Alberta Human Rights Act was amended to add gender identity and gender expression as protected grounds. This means that trans* people are legally protected from discrimination in various settings, including employment, housing, services, and publications. However, many trans* people are not aware of their rights, how to file a human rights complaint, or they may have anxieties and fears surrounding the process. In this free public workshop, Albertan human rights lawyers will demystify the basics of trans* human rights in Alberta. Participants will be taken through a practical step-by-step guide, learning about reasons to file, what to expect, resources needed, and potential emotional impacts. The audience will have opportunity to ask questions that address their specific concerns. This workshop is primarily for trans* people in Alberta, but services providers, lawyers, and allied community members are invited and should benefit from the conversation.

Note: With the passage of The Education Amendment Act, 2024, the Health Statutes Amendment Act and the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, in 2024, there exists the possibility of future litigation regarding those enacted and related public services before the Alberta Human Rights Commission. This workshop will not address the topic of service discrimination relating to education, healthcare, or sporting activities. Other service areas may be discussed (i.e. policing and access to aesthetic services).

PRESENTERS

Dustin Klaudt (he/him), (Legal Counsel, Alberta Human Rights Commission, Director’s Office)
Sanjana Ahmed (she/her), (Legal Counsel, Alberta Human Rights Commission, Director’s Office)
Linda Davidson (they/them), (Director of Complaints Management, Alberta Human Rights Commission, Director’s Office)
Alex Norris (she/her), (Partner, Carbert Waite LLP)
Dr. Tobias Wiggins (he/him), (Associate Professor, Athabasca University)

MEETING DETAILS

Date: Thursday September 18, 2025

Time: 4:00 PM (MT)

Location: Zoom

Register Here: https://www.cbapd.org/details_en.aspx?id=ab_ab25sag01p&_ga=2.79766871.118795549.1756416093-485924273.1754925378

Participant Disclaimer
All materials related to this event are for the sole use of the registrant, and may not be copied, reproduced, uploaded, posted, publicly displayed, translated, distributed, shared, modified, made available on a network or other website, used to create derivative works or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without the prior express written permission of the Canadian Bar Association.