Latest news with #genderaffirmingcare
National Post
9 hours ago
- Health
- National Post
Alberta transgender health-care bill blocked as judge issues temporary injunction
EDMONTON — An Alberta judge has put on hold a provincial law that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming care to youth. Article content Justice Allison Kuntz, in a written judgment Friday, said the law raises serious Charter issues that need to be hashed out in court, and issued a temporary injunction against it before it fully came into effect. Article content Kuntz wrote that a temporary stop is needed while the issue is debated. Article content Article content 'The evidence shows that singling out health care for gender diverse youth and making it subject to government control will cause irreparable harm to gender diverse youth by reinforcing the discrimination and prejudice that they are already subjected to,' Kuntz wrote in the judgment. Article content Article content 'Intentionally or not, the ban will signal that there is something wrong with or suspect about having a gender identity that is different than the sex you were assigned at birth.' Article content The law, passed late last year but not fully in effect, bans doctors from providing treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to those under 16. Article content LGBTQ+ advocacy groups Egale Canada and the Skipping Stone Foundation — as well as five transgender youth who would be affected by the law — took the province to court the same month it passed. Article content In the Friday decision, Kuntz wrote that denying treatment risks causing youth emotional harm and exposing them to permanent physical changes that don't match their gender identity. Article content The government, according to the decision, argued that claims of harm were speculative considering the law wasn't fully in effect, and that the treatments the law seeks to ban aren't scientifically supported. Article content Kuntz wrote that the advocacy groups also submitted scientific evidence on the treatments that support their perspectives, but the injunction hearings weren't the appropriate stage to determine which side's evidence stood taller. Article content Kuntz, however, largely sided with the advocacy group's evidence in her decision. Article content She wrote that the government's scientific evidence wasn't 'so overwhelming' as to prevent a finding that the youth's human rights are being infringed upon. Article content The province also argued that the law didn't cause the psychological harm facing the youth involved in the case, but it was a result of going through puberty. Article content 'The starting point for an alleged harm might not be caused by government action, but government action may impact an individual's ability to address the harm in a way that infringes their Charter rights and causes further harm,' Kuntz wrote in response to that argument.
CTV News
10 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Alberta court grants injunction blocking Bill 26
Calgary Watch An Alberta court has granted an injunction preventing the provincial government from banning gender-affirming care for minors.
CTV News
13 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Alberta judge grants injunction blocking a transgender health-care bill
EDMONTON — An Alberta judge has put on hold a provincial law that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming care to youth. Justice Allison Kuntz, in a written judgment Friday, said the law raises serious issues that need to be hashed out in court, and issued a temporary injunction against the law before it fully came into effect. Kuntz wrote that a temporary stop is needed to prevent what she calls 'irreparable harm' coming to young patients while the issue is debated. "The evidence shows that singling out health care for gender diverse youth and making it subject to government control will cause irreparable harm to gender diverse youth by reinforcing the discrimination and prejudice that they are already subjected to," Kuntz wrote in the judgment. The law, passed late last year but not fully in effect, would have prevented doctors from providing treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to those under 16. Kuntz wrote that denying access to this care not only risks causing youth emotional harm but also exposes them to permanent physical changes that don't match their gender identity. "Intentionally or not, the ban will signal that there is something wrong with or suspect about having a gender identity that is different than the sex you were assigned at birth," she wrote. "Gender diverse youth will bear the entire burden of that speculation." LGBTQ+ advocacy groups Egale Canada and the Skipping Stone Foundation took the case to court, and in a statement Egale said the decision was a "historic win." Also listed as applicants in the case are five transgender youth who will be directly affected. Egale's legal director Bennett Jensen said Friday that the decision was a "huge relief" for the youth involved. "(The legislation) does not solve any real issues in the medical system," Jensen said in an interview. "It simply creates them and targets an already very vulnerable, small group of young people with further discrimination, and that's what the judge found." Premier Danielle Smith has said she believes the legislation is needed to protect young people from making permanent, life-altering decisions. Smith has said it's about preserving that adult choice, and that making "permanent and irreversible decisions" about one's biological sex while still a child can limit that. Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery did not immediately provide comment on the decision. Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said in a statement that his party was pleased to see the court decision, calling it a "great day for young Albertans who simply want to live authentically and safely." 'The court has determined what we already knew, that this ban could cause irreparable harm to gender diverse young Albertans," Nenshi said. 'This was never about doing the right thing: it was always about demonizing vulnerable kids to boost Danielle Smith's political fortunes." Also lauding the decision Friday was Senator Kris Wells, the former Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth. "This isn't just a win for trans youth, it is a win for Canada's health-care system," Wells wrote on social media. "No politician should be dictating or restricting your access to evidence-based medical care." Egale and the Skipping Stone Foundation aren't the only groups challenging the bill. Last month, the Canadian Medical Association and three Alberta-based doctors launched a legal case challenging the constitutionality of the bill, arguing it violates their Charter right to freedom of conscience. Alberta's other two pieces of transgender legislation — banning transgender women from competing in womens sports and preventing youth under 16 from changing their name or pronouns in the school system without parental consent — have yet to be challenged in court. The education bill also requires parents to opt in for their children to receive lessons in school on sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity. — with files from Aaron Sousa This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025. Lisa Johnson and Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
CBC
13 hours ago
- Health
- CBC
Alberta judge grants injunction blocking a transgender health-care bill
An Alberta judge has put on hold a provincial law that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming care to youth. Justice Allison Kuntz, in a written judgment, has issued a temporary injunction against the law, saying it raises serious issues that need to be hashed out in court. Kuntz says a temporary stop to the law is needed to prevent what she calls "irreparable harm" coming to young patients while the issue is debated. The law, passed late last year but not fully in effect, would have prevented doctors from providing treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to those under 16. Kuntz says denying access to this care could force youth to experience permanent physical changes that don't match their gender identity. 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy groups took the case to court, while Premier Danielle Smith has said she believes the legislation is needed to protect young people from making permanent, life-altering decisions.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
CP NewsAlert: Alberta judge grants injunction blocking a transgender health-care bill
EDMONTON — An Alberta judge has put on hold a provincial law that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming care to youth. Justice Allison Kuntz, in a written judgment, has issued a temporary injunction against the law, saying it raises serious issues that need to be hashed out in court. Kuntz says a temporary stop to the law is needed to prevent what she calls 'irreparable harm' coming to young patients while the issue is debated. The law, passed late last year but not fully in effect, would have prevented doctors from providing treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to those under 16. Kuntz says denying access to this care could force youth to experience permanent physical changes that don't match their gender identity. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups took the case to court, while Premier Danielle Smith has said she believes the legislation is needed to protect young people from making permanent, life-altering decisions. More coming. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
