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The following is offered in rebuttal to a Jan. 15 column by Stephen Brown on the Trudeau government’s commitment to LGBTI rights internationally:

Around the world and in Canada, LGBTQ2 communities still face unequal, unacceptable barriers, discrimination, and even violence. This has to change – and our government has worked hard every day to reduce barriers and end discrimination, alongside advocates and civil society groups in Canada and internationally.

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We have taken many steps to affirm the rights and dignity of LGBTQ2 people in Canada and around the world. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was the first sitting prime minister to march in Pride parades, he raised both Pride and Trans flags on Parliament Hill for the first time, and he made a historic apology on behalf of the government for past wrongs.

Our concrete action has also made a real difference in people’s lives – such as creating an LGBTQ2 Secretariat dedicated to advancing equality, enshrining rights for trans and gender non-conforming people into law, and increasing funding and capacity-building support for LGBTQ2 organizations across Canada.