Social Justice Day Workshop 2026 Solidarity Includes Everyone: Supporting Transgender People in your Union

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Event Type
Member Event
Registration Link
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Date: February 19, 2026
Time: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm PST
Location: Virtual via Zoom

This is an awareness-raising workshop about the challenges facing transgender and gender non-conforming workers in communities, workplaces, and unions. We will explore how unions can work to end discrimination and how to support our trans members. This introductory workshop includes an overview of existing legal protections, common barriers trans people face despite the law and what we as activists can do to make sure our workplaces and our unions are as inclusive as possible to two-spirit, transgender, non-binary folks.

The workshop covers:

  • The law on transgender inclusion under the human rights legislation, the Charter, and Privacy legislation
  • The human rights obligations of employers and advocates and service providers;
  • Barriers trans people face in the workplace and in the world;
  • Best practices for inclusive union, workplaces, and services.

This workshop is open to all HSA members, and registration priority will be given to those who have not taken an HSA elective workshop in the last three years.

Facilitator’s Biography:

Adrienne Smith is a transgender human rights activist and social justice lawyer. Adrienne appeared at the BC Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada where they argued about the deleterious effects of mandatory minimum sentences for women, indigenous people, and drug users, and made submissions in defence of transgender children under section 15 of the Charter. They argued a BC human rights case which clarified employers’ obligations to recognize correct pronouns for transgender and non-binary workers. As a trade union activist, they advocate for transgender inclusion in our unions and workplaces. Adrienne is the litigation director at the Catherine White Holman Wellness Clinic where they give free legal advice, take on human rights cases, and notarize name and gender change documents for trans people.

Participants must be able to attend the entire workshop. If you are unable to attend the entire workshop, please review our workshop schedule to find an event where you can participate to the fullest.

As per HSA policy, dependent care costs and wage replacement will be provided. Participants must request time off from their employer once the union confirms workshop acceptance. If the workshop is on a scheduled workday, wage replacement will be provided. If the workshop is on a day off, participants are entitled to bank the time as paid union leave to be taken at a later date.

To register for this workshop log into My Events Registration using the prompts provided. Workshops are listed under Steward Education events. Please select ‘create a login’ through the Event Registration and click on the ‘here’ to receive your member ID by email or call the HSA office at 604-517-0994 or 1-800-663-6119 if you do not know your HSA member ID number.

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