Thousands of people gathered in cities across Canada on Wednesday for protests and counter-protests, screaming and chanting at each other about school policies on gender identity.
Separated by lines of police officers, the protests and counter-protests are linked to school policies, including in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, that would require young people to get parental consent before teachers can use their preferred first names and pronouns.
Posters created by a group called “1MillionMarch4Children” say rally participants were standing together against what they call “gender ideology” in the nation’s schools.
They say that schools are exposing their children to inappropriate content about sexuality and gender identity, and they support the policies requiring parental consent if students want to be addressed by pronouns different from their assigned genders.
But the rallies are being met with counter-protesters who say those policies are a violation of children’s rights and that transgender youth who want to use their preferred pronouns in school should not be outed to their parents by teachers, citing safety concerns.
“We’re not asking people to be converted or change who they are. We’re asking people to have the opportunity to show up as they are that’s all,” said Olivier Hebert, who was outside the New Brunswick legislature, in Fredericton, to support LGBTQ+ students.
It was New Brunswick’s government that helped spark the debate across Canada when it changed the province’s gender policy in June, requiring transgender and nonbinary students under 16 to get parental consent before their teachers can use their preferred first names.
Premier Blaine Higgs attended the protest outside the legislature, telling reporters that he has a hard time understanding why his government’s policy is controversial.
“I think our parents should become knowledgeable about what their kids are being taught and what is important for them to learn in schools and what’s important for parents to make decisions on with kids that are under 16 years old,” he said.
The protests, drawing condemnation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who posted on X that transphobia has no place in Canada.
Meanwhile in Ottawa thousands of people faced off in front of Parliament Hill, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh led a group of counter-protesters down Wellington Street.
In Saskatchewan, Premier Scott Moe says he may use the notwithstanding clause to keep policies making it so schools must inform the parents of children under 16 if they want to change their name or pronouns amid court challenges.
On the potential use of the notwithstanding clause, Singh accused provincial politicians of using this issue to distract from the rising cost-of-living.
“It shows the bullies that the conservatives are and shows that they’re not actually dealing with the problems that people are faced with and are trying to create division and pick fights with vulnerable people,” Singh said.
“We’ve got to find a way to protect human rights and protect people’s rights better because they continually are being attacked with conservative premiers using the notwithstanding clause.”
The notwithstanding clause allows provincial legislatures to enact legislation that would be a violation of certain Charter rights. It includes a five-year sunset period.
A heavy police presence separated the protesters from counter demonstrators in Ottawa, with competing chants about protecting trans youth and keeping gender ideologies out of schools. This included a temporary closure of Wellington Street, just outside of parliament.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said while he respects the right to protest, he said LGBTQ+ people deserve to feel safe in the community.
After a stand off of dueling chants between the two sides, the protestors in favour of policies like those in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan marched away from Parliament and down Elgin Street, which leads south through the city’s downtown.
People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier was toward the front of the crowd.
Heading into the Liberal caucus meeting, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien noted it is gender equality week and referenced Ottawa funding additional security during Pride weeks in Canada this year.
“That level of hate hasn’t dissipated. It has risen, we know it has, and it’s about protecting the most vulnerable,” Ien said.
“This is an issue where, and I’ve said it before, kid’s lives are very much at stake.”
A 2022 study from the University of Ottawa found transgender youth are five times more likely to have thought about suicide and 7.6 times more likely to have attempted suicide than their cisgender peers.
The minister added she is closely watching court challenges, like the one in Saskatchewan, and said no option is off the table.
With files from The Canadian Press
- Posters promoting ‘Steal From Loblaws Day’ are circulating. How did we get here?
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
- Video shows Ontario police sharing Trudeau’s location with protester, investigation launched
- Investing tax refunds is low priority for Canadians amid high cost of living: poll
Comments