Transgender Day of Remembrance marked in Sudbury

Sudbury's Rita O'Link has one number she'd like people know: 27.

"Here in North America, 27 trans-persons were murdered just because of who they are," she said.

"That's up 23 per cent from last year."

In the last five years, O'Link says that trend has been climbing.

"For every one of those deaths, there's thousands of violent incidents," she said.

O'Link was speaking in Sudbury on Monday to help mark the internationally recognized day to celebrate and honour the lives of trans-identified people who have passed away due to transphobia, hate crimes, illness, substance abuse, suicide or murder.

For the most part, Sudbury is a welcoming place to live as a transgender person.

"But we've seen the poison start to leak in here," O'Link said.

"I'm calling upon my neighbours here in northern Ontario, especially in Greater Sudbury, to please stand up for us."

Friends and allies

Paul Pedersen, Sudbury's chief of Police, said he was pleased to be invited to take part in the flag raising ceremony held at Bell Park.

"To be invited, to be included as a police service with a community that quite frankly is marginalized, and hasn't always traditionally had the greatest relationship with police services, really shows some of the good things we've got going on here in Sudbury," Pedersen said.

"These are friends and allies. I know we've got a ways to go as a police service to try and open up relationships."

He added police have had long lasting partnerships with various groups in the community, including TG Innerselves. Sudbury Police developed a training video that's gone national.

"To help police organizations understand how to respect gender in the middle of investigations, how to ask appropriate questions [and] how to create open dialogue," Pedersen said.

"We continue that. Everything from Pride Week where we're working hand-in-hand in all sorts of aspects."