Gender Neutral Passports will be Available for Canadians Posted onAugust 25, 2017June 18, 2020/ Devry Smith Frank LLP Gender-neutral passports will soon be making their way into the hands of Canadians. Canadians who do not identify as male or female will soon be able to mark an “X” on their passports instead of “M” or “F”. Allowing this change addresses the current state of society and the changes in gender identity and expression, which falls in line with the government’s most recent efforts, and will make it easier for individuals to reflect their identity through government issued documents. Gender neutral passports have been something long awaited by the Canadian transgender community. Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said, “all Canadians should feel safe to be themselves, live according to their gender identity and express their gender as they choose.” Before this was introduced, Parliament passed Bill C-16 earlier this summer, which amended the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination. For more on Bill C-16, please read our previous blog post by lawyer Marc Kemerer. For more information on Bill C-16 or related issues, please contact Marc Kemerer today. More information on the government’s effort to better accommodate gender identity and expression through the modification of government issued documents through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will be announced on August 31. At Devry Smith Frank LLP we have experienced lawyers in all areas of law. For any questions on immigration matters, please contact DSF’s immigration group. For any other questions or information, please call our office directly at 416-449-1400. By: Nicolas Di Nardo “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” Related Posts Posted onOctober 28, 2020April 26, 2024/ Devry Smith Frank LLP Rejected work, study or visitor visa – what next? If you have carefully filled in the forms, gathered the numerous supporting documents and tried to provide as thorough an explanation for your application for temporary residence to Canada, it can be deflating to receive a denial letter. While often an application may be rejected simply because the case was not strong enough, there may [...] Read more Posted onApril 8, 2020September 30, 2020/ Devry Smith Frank LLP MOVING CANNABIS: The Canadian Perspective This blog is co-written by our former articling student, Janet Son. On October 17, 2018 Cannabis became legal in Canada. The federal Cannabis Act[1] sets out the terms and conditions, which are uniform across Canada. It deals with the production, sale, distribution and possession of cannabis. Provinces have power to deal with how it is distributed, sold [...] Read more Posted onApril 3, 2020September 30, 2020/ Devry Smith Frank LLP Canadian Immigration Status during COVID-19 pandemic This blog is co-written by our former articling student, Janet Son. Information regarding the status of flights, border closures and visas is changing by the hour during this pandemic. When it comes to immigration status, there are a few key things to be done to ensure that you are able to remain in Canada. IF YOU [...] Read more Posted onJanuary 31, 2020September 30, 2020/ Devry Smith Frank LLP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as Canadian citizens? It’s harder than it sounds This blog is co-written by our former articling student, Linda Noorafkan. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have decided that they will live in Canada on a part-time basis with their son, Archie. Social media is buzzing with Canadians delighted that the Prince and the Suits star could be moving to their neighbourhood. Others are critical about the [...] Read more Posted onAugust 15, 2019October 2, 2024/ Elisabeth Colson How Canada’s Privacy Legislation Affects the Use of Third Party Information and Payment Processors Businesses often use third party entities to process customer information or transactions and to then relay portions of that information back to the business. Businesses using third parties in this manner should be aware of the provisions of Canada’s privacy legislation in this regard. Overview of Canada’s Privacy Legislation Canada’s two predominant privacy statutes are [...] Read more