Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
National

Trudeau says he never suggested those worried about 'parental rights' are hateful

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 05 Oct, 2023 11:06 AM
  • Trudeau says he never suggested those worried about 'parental rights' are hateful

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he never suggested that individuals concerned about their rights as parents were hateful when he issued a statement in response to the thousands who attended recent protests about "gender ideology" in schools. 

Speaking to reporters at a housing announcement in Vaughan, Ont., Trudeau said the post he issued Sept. 20 on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, was about taking a stand for the LGBTQ+ community. 

Trudeau said in the post that "transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country," adding that the country condemns "this hate and its manifestations." 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused him days later of "demonizing concerned parents."

And the Muslim Association of Canada called on Trudeau to retract and apologize for what it called the "deeply inflammatory" comment, saying Muslim parents who participated in the protests showed up "to be heard, not to sow division."

"I never suggested that someone who's concerned about parental rights is somehow filled with hate or intolerance," Trudeau said Thursday. 

The term "parental rights," which broadly refers to the desire for parents to be involved in the decisions made by their children and by schools, has gained increased popularity in Canada over the past year among people with wide-ranging concerns about efforts undertaken to make classrooms more inclusive for LGBTQ+ students. 

Such efforts include raising Pride flags and holding discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as policies that allow transgender and non-binary students to be called by their preferred name and pronoun. 

The latter has become the subject of new provincial policies, first in New Brunswick and now in Saskatchewan, that require schools to seek parental permission when gender-diverse students younger than 16 ask to be called by a different name or pronoun.

It's a policy that teachers' unions and provincial child advocates have said puts vulnerable students at risk.

Trudeau said when asked if he would retract his social-media comment that he will continue to stand up for the rights of everyone, whether they be Muslim Canadians or members of the LGBTQ+ community.

He said defending one another's rights is "core" to Canada. 

"We will always stand against hatred and intolerance wherever and from whoever it comes, but anyone who's trying to politicize or spin this as an attack on one particular group is trying to divide communities against each other." 

 

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. prison announces $287,000 seizure of contraband, from cellphones to steroids

B.C. prison announces $287,000 seizure of contraband, from cellphones to steroids
Prison officials in British Columbia say they've seized a large stash of contraband, including steroids and cellphones, smuggled into a maximum security institution outside Vancouver last week. Kim MacPherson, an assistant warden at Kent Institution, says the seizure was made on Aug. 24 thanks to staff vigilance. 

B.C. prison announces $287,000 seizure of contraband, from cellphones to steroids

Will updated COVID vaccines work against latest variant? Canadian scientists monitor global research

Will updated COVID vaccines work against latest variant? Canadian scientists monitor global research
Canada's first known case of the Omicron variant BA.2.86 was detected this week in British Columbia as the country became the seventh in the world to report its presence. Health Canada is currently reviewing applications for Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech's new mRNA vaccines, developed against the dominant XBB.1.5 variant ahead of a vaccination campaign set for the fall.  

Will updated COVID vaccines work against latest variant? Canadian scientists monitor global research

Avoid Stanley Park in Sept: VPB

Avoid Stanley Park in Sept: VPB
Vancouver's park board is urging Stanley Park visitors to avoid driving to Stanley Park in September to alleviate heavy traffic linked to large-scale events. The board says visitors should consider using alternative transportation methods or park elsewhere in the city.

Avoid Stanley Park in Sept: VPB

No alcohol at Van beaches

No alcohol at Van beaches
The City of Vancouver is cautioning people to stop consuming alcohol on beaches starting next week as a three-month pilot program comes to an end. The city's park board says alcohol consumption on Vancouver beaches will no longer be legal as of this coming Tuesday.

No alcohol at Van beaches

Cdn economy stagnant in Q2

Cdn economy stagnant in Q2
The latest G-D-P report showing the economy contracted at an annualized rate of 0.2 per cent in the second quarter may signal an end to the Bank of Canada's rate hiking campaign.

Cdn economy stagnant in Q2

Gasoline prices up from a year ago as drivers head into holiday weekend

Gasoline prices up from a year ago as drivers head into holiday weekend
Canadians planning to hit the road for the last long weekend of summer can expect to pay more for gasoline than they did last Labour Day. The national average gasoline price as of Friday was $1.67 cents per litre, according to fuel price tracking website GasBuddy.com.

Gasoline prices up from a year ago as drivers head into holiday weekend