Quebec does an about-face and authorizes X sex marker on identification documents
The Legault government is making a 180-degree turn on the X sex marker issue. In Quebec, trans and non-binary people can now have this marker listed on their driver's licence and health insurance card, Radio-Canada has learned.
This news is surprising, as the Legault government had promised not to make any decision regarding the X marker until its Committee of Elders on Gender Identity (New window) would not have delivered its final report in the winter of 2025.
Recently, the committee of wise men shared with us the findings that were made on the subject as part of [its] research and consultation work," said Suzanne Roy, Minister of Families and head of the committee, in a written statement.
In light of the consensus reached and shared by the committee, the Quebec government agrees that the X marker can now be affixed to health insurance cards and driver's licences, as is already the case for birth certificates and other documents issued by the civil registry, she confirmed.
The X marker will now be able to be used by people who request it with the same rules that are already in force with the civil registry.
A quote fromSuzanne Roy, Minister of Families
Open in full-screen modeThe Minister of Families, Suzanne Roy, is responsible for the Committee of Elders on Gender Identity.
Since 2022, trans and non-binary people can legally change their sex marker assigned at birth with the Directeur de l'état civil in Quebec in order to obtain the letter X, which recognizes their gender identity, rather than M or F.
More than 530 people have made this change so far in Quebec. However, government departments and agencies had still not adapted to this new reality.
Trans and non-binary people are therefore still in dispute with the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) and the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), because their health insurance card and driver's licence do not reflect their newly recognized identity, which regularly causes them problems.
The president of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse called on the Legault government to act as quickly as possible, as Quebec is lagging behind other Canadian provinces.
We had to go down that roadIn an interview with Radio-Canada, the chair of the committee of wise men, Diane Lavallée, confirmed that a consensus quickly emerged on the issue of the X marker after various meetings with the organizations concerned.
Lavallée said she informed the minister in February because the committee's position would remain the same regardless of whether the government expects the final report in 2025 or not.
We could see that the legislative framework indicated that we had to go down that road, so it's like government coherence," explains the chair of the committee of wise men.
Failure to move forward called into question respect for the rights of non-binary people and was not in line with the law that had been passed in June 2022. It also didn't have an impact on the entire population of Quebec, [but] it had more positive consequences for the people involved.
A quote fromDiane Lavallée, Chair of the Committee of Wise Men
Open in full-screen modeDiane Lavallée, Chair of the Committee of Elders on Gender Identity
If our work and our comments have made it possible to move more quickly in this decision-making, we are delighted for the people concerned," said Ms. Lavallée.
Although the X marker may be affixed to the health insurance card, there will still be some internal issues to be resolved at the RAMQ with regard to the issue of alphanumeric, warns Ms. Lavallée, because the biological sex of patients remains an important factor.
Until today, Quebec was the only Canadian province that did not allow the X marker on a driver's licence. As for the health insurance card, Quebec and Alberta were the only two provinces that did not allow this marker.
Ontario has simply not included gender on health cards since 2016.
Exceptional outingMs. Lavallée cautioned, however, that the committee of wise men will not intervene in other issues related to gender identity until it has submitted its final report. Its output on the X marker is therefore exceptional.
It is not our intention – and I am speaking on behalf of my colleagues as well – to pronounce on a piecemeal basis on topical issues that arise during our mandate.
A quote fromDiane Lavallée, Chair of the Committee of Wise MenIn her written statement, Minister Suzanne Roy reiterated that the mandate of the Committee of Wise Men casts a wide net.
The committee will continue its work on gender identity issues that affect society more broadly in areas such as education, health, sports and public safety, she said.
The issue of medical gender transition among minors, recently addressed in a report on the program Enquête, will also be one of the themes explored by the committee of wise men, as will social and legal transition, says Ms. Lavallée.
This news is surprising, as the Legault government had promised not to make any decision regarding the X marker until its Committee of Elders on Gender Identity (New window) would not have delivered its final report in the winter of 2025.
Recently, the committee of wise men shared with us the findings that were made on the subject as part of [its] research and consultation work," said Suzanne Roy, Minister of Families and head of the committee, in a written statement.
In light of the consensus reached and shared by the committee, the Quebec government agrees that the X marker can now be affixed to health insurance cards and driver's licences, as is already the case for birth certificates and other documents issued by the civil registry, she confirmed.
The X marker will now be able to be used by people who request it with the same rules that are already in force with the civil registry.
A quote fromSuzanne Roy, Minister of Families
Open in full-screen modeThe Minister of Families, Suzanne Roy, is responsible for the Committee of Elders on Gender Identity.
Since 2022, trans and non-binary people can legally change their sex marker assigned at birth with the Directeur de l'état civil in Quebec in order to obtain the letter X, which recognizes their gender identity, rather than M or F.
More than 530 people have made this change so far in Quebec. However, government departments and agencies had still not adapted to this new reality.
Trans and non-binary people are therefore still in dispute with the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) and the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), because their health insurance card and driver's licence do not reflect their newly recognized identity, which regularly causes them problems.
The president of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse called on the Legault government to act as quickly as possible, as Quebec is lagging behind other Canadian provinces.
We had to go down that roadIn an interview with Radio-Canada, the chair of the committee of wise men, Diane Lavallée, confirmed that a consensus quickly emerged on the issue of the X marker after various meetings with the organizations concerned.
Lavallée said she informed the minister in February because the committee's position would remain the same regardless of whether the government expects the final report in 2025 or not.
We could see that the legislative framework indicated that we had to go down that road, so it's like government coherence," explains the chair of the committee of wise men.
Failure to move forward called into question respect for the rights of non-binary people and was not in line with the law that had been passed in June 2022. It also didn't have an impact on the entire population of Quebec, [but] it had more positive consequences for the people involved.
A quote fromDiane Lavallée, Chair of the Committee of Wise Men
Open in full-screen modeDiane Lavallée, Chair of the Committee of Elders on Gender Identity
If our work and our comments have made it possible to move more quickly in this decision-making, we are delighted for the people concerned," said Ms. Lavallée.
Although the X marker may be affixed to the health insurance card, there will still be some internal issues to be resolved at the RAMQ with regard to the issue of alphanumeric, warns Ms. Lavallée, because the biological sex of patients remains an important factor.
Until today, Quebec was the only Canadian province that did not allow the X marker on a driver's licence. As for the health insurance card, Quebec and Alberta were the only two provinces that did not allow this marker.
Ontario has simply not included gender on health cards since 2016.
Exceptional outingMs. Lavallée cautioned, however, that the committee of wise men will not intervene in other issues related to gender identity until it has submitted its final report. Its output on the X marker is therefore exceptional.
It is not our intention – and I am speaking on behalf of my colleagues as well – to pronounce on a piecemeal basis on topical issues that arise during our mandate.
A quote fromDiane Lavallée, Chair of the Committee of Wise MenIn her written statement, Minister Suzanne Roy reiterated that the mandate of the Committee of Wise Men casts a wide net.
The committee will continue its work on gender identity issues that affect society more broadly in areas such as education, health, sports and public safety, she said.
The issue of medical gender transition among minors, recently addressed in a report on the program Enquête, will also be one of the themes explored by the committee of wise men, as will social and legal transition, says Ms. Lavallée.
