Torchlight

Gender Support Group

Ontario Human Rights Complaint Cases

Michelle Hogan discusses her human rights case and Torchlight:

There is the human rights case. I completed and submitted my closing arguments and attended the beginning of closing submissions on April 1. The lawyers for the Human Rights Commission and other co-complainants went first. I will put mine forward on April 18. All will be done on April 19. The Tribunal will then have up to 60 days to deliberate and prepare their decision. We will then be called back for them to present their decision and awards.

Within those awards, I have asked for the Tribunal to award Torchlight, through Wesley United, in trust, funds in the sum of $50,000 in memoriam for Alma and Ron (Kerri-lyn) Doehn who committed suicide on or about Oct. 16, 2002. The funds are to be used in support of the needs of TS individuals in our community and that is why I must ask you to consider the following. So, the light is finally at the end of the tunnel, at least on one level.

Next, I wish for all members to consider what you want to see Torchlight do for, with and in the TS community as well as our cities and towns. We need a mission statement and we must decide what we are going to stand for. I have a bold offering beyond what we have discussed thus far. We need to begin finding folks in other countries to help thru mentoring. It would be FANTASTIC if all with Internet access got involved in this. It is quite rewarding and you make many new friends.

A new direction is designed to bring us all closer together for the purpose of lobbying, building confidence in each member and making a better life for each one of us. I want to begin, slowly, approaching other established TS groups, as we find them and attempt to convince them that we need to fly the same banner, the Torchlight banner, which we need to design, by the way. If we can bring all the groups together, we will be a greater group to reckon with. This is not a new idea. The gays and lesbians did this 20 years ago and they have all but finished their fight. We are next and we have to be very well organized to get what we need.

Finally, I will not likely be at the meeting myself. Personal obligations will prevent me this month. But the discussions and the work still need to be done. I hope that Anne, Joan, Margaret and Gail will all be able to attend as well need these ladies to mentor us into this next phase of our evolution, and that of Torchlight.

Many Blessings, Michelle Hogan

Update on Michelle’s Case (13 November 2005)

Hello Everyone,

A quick note but a very important one.

I have received an Interim Decision from the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. In effect, they are only addressing one item. Three of the four of us are expecting payment for SRS by Dec. 9/05. The fourth has been disqualified as their file was started after the delisting occurred.

There is no further word on anything else until the Final Decision comes down and no, we don’t know when that will be. But would it not be poetic justice to find out on Dec. 23 just before Christmas, eight years, nearly to the day that SRS was underhandedly delisted, and back dated?

To be certain, in this Decision, GID is now recognized as a medical condition AND the Ontario Government has been seen to have demonstrated discrimination under the grounds of BOTH sex and disability. These items are key and fundamental to our case and the Tribunal have stated that the government is indeed GUILTY AS CHARGED.

Watch this Space.

Many Blessings,

Michelle Hogan
Torchlight Gender Support

Official Tribunal Interim Ruling (PDF format)

News Releases:
Egale Canada
The Toronto Star

Status of Cassie’s human rights case (7 October 2005)

Cassie's human rights case against the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has been disallowed. Reason given was the lack of approval by Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and by OHIP.

On 18 April 2005, Cassie submitted the "Application for Reconsideration" for her case.

On 29 May 2007, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) issued its Reconsideration Report. On the basis of Cassie’s clarifications, the OHRC has reversed its decision and will now send the case to the Tribunal.