Death of transgender inmate prompts dismissal of discrimination complaint
Posted January 31, 2020 6:54 pm.
Last Updated January 31, 2020 6:56 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The death of a transgender inmate means her discrimination complaint against the province must be dismissed, according to a ruling by the Human Rights Tribunal released Friday.
Bianca Lovado filed a complaint against B.C. Corrections after being denied a transfer from the Surrey Pretrial Centre to a women’s prison in 2018. Lovado spent time at the female-only Alouette Correctional Centre in 2015 and 2016.
Lovado died in November, but her lawyer still tried to have her case heard as a matter of public interest.
BC Human Rights Tribunal is no longer hearing case of transgender inmate who filed a complaint after being denied transfer to a women's jail in 2018. Bianca Lovado died in November before the matter could be resolved and the Tribunal no longer has jurisdiction. @NEWS1130
— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) February 1, 2020
Tribunal member Emily Ohler explains the BC Human Rights Tribunal no longer has jurisdiction over this matter but agrees it raises significant human rights issues.
“This is a truly unfortunate case. The rights of transgender people and the way in which they are viewed and treated within broader society has been a very public topic in this province in recent months. While making no findings of fact in this case, I would like to observe that it is clear to me Ms. Lovado encountered adversity in the course of her incarceration. It is also clear to me that there are people within Corrections working hard to navigate the best path forward. In losing the opportunity to render a decision here, I believe the Tribunal is losing an opportunity to shine light on the efforts, the successes, and the failures of people engaged with these issues.”
