An expected crowd of 2,000 people showed up at city hall to support trans rights in the province.

“We are seeing a massive gathering of Albertans who are not being served by our government,” said one of the rally organizers, Victoria Bucholtz. “They are teachers, doctors, parents.

“These are trans people who are very concerned about the direction this government is taking.”

The gathering was targeting the UCP government which recently unveiled three bills impacting trans people.

“They are way out of their mandate and we are telling them to stop these policies and start listening,” Bucholtz said.

The rally takes place the same day the PCU held Danielle Smith’s leadership vote in Red Deer.

Bucholtz hopes the rally will draw attention to the voice the trans community wants to have with its policies.

“Sit down at the table with the vast majority of the trans community and tell them that this care is harmful and that trans health care needs to be returned to doctors and patients, and that they have no business place in there,” she said.

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi was in attendance.

“There are probably as many people mobilizing as at the UCP convention to vote on Danielle Smith’s leadership. She made a terrible mistake,” Nenshi said. “She focused entirely on her base instead of focusing on what Albertans actually want.” »

The gathering also hopes to shed light on the state of health care and education in the province as well as pensions.