Arrests were made in Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver and Victoria. Three arrests occurred in
for “public incitement of hatred.” Arrests were made in Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver and Victoria, including three in held for “public incitement of hatred.”Rallies organized by the “1 Million March 4 Children” group took aim at SOGIOttawa-inclusive education policies, which they
“the sexualization and indoctrination of our children in schools.” The governments of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have recently implemented policies that require parental permission for students’ formal names to be changed, echoing similar views found in the United States.termedThe Wednesday protests have been roundly criticized as being discriminatory towards LGBTQIA+ people, and for advancing a view of parental rights that prioritizes parents opposed to SOGI-inclusive education policies. Large crowds of counter-protesters formed to meet the “1 Million March” rallies, including a march
by NDP Party leader Jagmeet Singh.Politicians, public figures, and education boards across the country released statements condemning the protests as being hateful and permissive of violence against LGBTQIA+ people. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led on X (formerly Twitter) “
We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the country – you are valid and you are valued.” wroteOttawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe, whose city saw the largest clash of protests in Canada, that “the protests taking place today will only cause harm to youth who are looking for our support and acceptance.”statedMore broadly, the rise in movements opposing SOGI curriculums mirrors a worldwide rise in laws targeting LGBTQIA+ people, notably including “Don’t Say Gay” laws in US states such as Florida and bans on transgender youths in sports. Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an LGBTQIA+ rights group,
declared a state of emergency for LGBTQIA+ people in the US earlier this year, and reported that 32 transgender and gender non-conforming individuals were killed in the US in 2022.While Canada has traditionally been considered one of the safest countries in the world for LGBTQIA+ people, it has not been immune to the growth of anti-LGBTQIA+ policies and sentiments seen south of the border and elsewhere. Statistics Canada reported recently that the anti-LGBTQIA+ crime rate has increased as well, despite Canada’s growing LGBTQIA+ community.