Toronto – October 2, 2013 – UFCW Canada activists recently joined Egale Canada at the 5th Annual Egale Human Rights Trust Gala to celebrate another year of success. The gala also marked the launch of a groundbreaking report by Egale Canada that offers twenty recommendations for the prevention of suicide among LGBTQ youth in Canada.

In 2012, UFCW Canada signed a Mutual Support Agreement with Egale Canada. The agreement provides both organizations with bilateral support while engaging in initiatives that advance equality, diversity, education, and social and economic justice.

"The partnership we have with UFCW Canada is critical to our ongoing work in addressing homophobic, biphobic and transphobic violence nationally and internationally," said Helen Kennedy, Executive Director of Egale Canada.  "Through our collective efforts, we can have a significant impact on addressing discrimination and bias based on sexual orientation and gender identity in our society."

The new study, entitled “Report on Outcomes and Recommendations from the first national LGBTQ Youth Suicide Prevention Summit”, demonstrates that LGBTQ youth are at a significantly greater risk of suicide than their peers: 33% of LGBTQ youth have attempted suicide in comparison to 7% of youth in general, and 47% of trans youth have thought about suicide in the past year alone.

“UFCW Canada and our Local Unions are dedicated to building a society with our partners where discrimination is something of a bygone era,” says UFCW Canada National President Wayne Hanley, who is a proud member of the Egale Human Rights Trust Honorary Advisory Board. “By collaborating with Egale Canada, we continue to promote and protect the rights and welfare of our LGBTQ sisters and brothers within our union, while building genuine and significant relationships with the broader LGBTQ community.”

There was national UFCW Canada support for the Report and Gala with sponsors hailing from across the country, including UFCW Canada Locals 175 & 633 (Ontario), UFCW Canada Local 1000A (Ontario), UFCW Canada Local 1518 (British Columbia), UFCW Canada Local 832 (Manitoba) and the UFCW Canada National Office.