Arrests, heated exchanges mark rallies over LGBTQ school policies
Arrests reported in British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia during the day
Competing protests sprouted up in cities and communities across Canada on Wednesday, as opposing groups loudly clashed on how schools address issues of gender identity and how teachers refer to transgender youth.
Arrests were reported in Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver and also Victoria — where Victoria police advised people to avoid the B.C. legislature amid protests they said had become "unsafe" and which prompted at least two arrests.
Earlier Wednesday, Ottawa police said two people were arrested for "inciting hatred" by "displaying hateful material" during a protest in the capital.
An arrest was also reported at a protest in Halifax, where several hundred people participated in local protests and counter-protests.
Another arrest was reported in Vancouver — where more than 1,000 people were present between the protests and counter-protests on Wednesday — but police did not immediately provide further details.
Some parents and socially conservative groups are protesting LGBTQ-inclusive education policies in the classroom and in extracurricular settings under the banner of parental rights. Critics and researchers say the term "parental rights" is a misnomer because it doesn't address the concerns of LGBTQ parents or parents of LGBTQ children.
Policies emerging across the country, including in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, that require young people to get parental consent before teachers can use their preferred first names and pronouns are at the heart of these protests. Those opposed to parental consent rules say the policies are a violation of children's rights and that transgender youth should not be outed to their parents by teachers.
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. The street was closed in both directions between Elgin and Bank streets as over 1,000 people gathered for demonstrations.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his support for LGBTQ people across Canada, via a statement on X, the former Twitter.
"We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations," wrote Trudeau, who was in New York to speak at the UN Climate Ambition Summit.
The Canadian Press reported that Conservative MPs were told not to discuss the protests unfolding in Ottawa with the media or to post online about it.
Let me make one thing very clear: Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country. 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.
—@JustinTrudeauOttawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe posted on X an expression of support for LGBTQ children, saying the protests "will only cause harm to youth who are looking for our support and acceptance."
'We need to talk to people'
In downtown Montreal, activist Celeste Trianon helped lead a counter-protest outside the offices of Quebec Premier François Legault.
"Trans people — they exist in society and they deserve inclusion, just like everyone else," Trianon said.
"We need to talk to people, teach them the right vocabulary, the proper words, at an age-appropriate time, in order to explain that inclusion is a good thing. We need to make sure that their trans and queer peers at school feel welcome."
In the Ontario cities of Ottawa, Toronto and its surrounding areas, Kitchener and Guelph, local school boards issued statements expressing support for LGBTQ students, staff and families.
"We do not tell students who they should be, but welcome them as they are," school officials with the Toronto District School Board said in a statement issued Tuesday.
In Hamilton, protesters marched from a local mall toward the headquarters of the local school board. Several hundred people, a total including both those involved in the protest and counter-protest, were present, according to CBC Hamilton.
The exterior of another school board in London, Ont., was a site where hundreds of protesters and counter-protesters appeared Wednesday. The Thames Valley District School Board said the events amounted to "a challenging and painful day for many, especially the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Thames Valley and across the nation."
The board also said it did not support "the harmful rhetoric and threats of violence used by some demonstrators."
In Calgary, police said more than 1,000 people were involved in protests and a fraction of that in related counter-protests, occurring Wednesday. In Edmonton, police estimated that 1,200 people were involved in local protests and counter-protests in the provincial capital.
Saskatchewan's two largest cities saw protests as well, as did several cities in Manitoba.
In Yukon, dozens of protesters and several hundred counter-protesters stood on opposite sides of a street from one another in downtown Whitehorse on Wednesday.
Heated arguments, locked doors
In St. John's, Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook, N.L., protesters gathered at government buildings and parking lots. These gatherings saw tears and heated back-and-forth arguments.
The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District advised teachers and employees not to engage with any protesters present on school property and to keep school doors locked.
On Prince Edward Island, protesters gathered in downtown Charlottetown, where counter-protesters also made their presence known. A CBC News crew reported seeing a handful of skirmishes during the day's events — including an occasion in which a person was knocked to the ground, before being surrounded by a protective cordon of people holding and wearing rainbow symbols.
Aside from the scenes in Victoria and Vancouver on Wednesday, British Columbia also saw protests and counter-protests in Kamloops and Kelowna, where hundreds of people from both sides met outside the courthouse and city hall, respectively, carrying signs and shouting slogans. Protests also occurred in Prince George and Surrey, B.C.
The province does not have a specific sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) curriculum in schools but students in B.C. learn about human rights, respecting diversity and responding to discrimination.
B.C. human rights commissioner Kasari Govender issued a statement Tuesday saying she's "disturbed by news of hate-fuelled marches" and said erasing trans people from school curricula amounts to hate.
John Rustad, the leader of the Conservative Party of B.C., issued a statement Wednesday in support of the rallies against "gender ideology" in schools, stating he would end the inclusion of SOGI materials in classrooms if elected.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim issued a statement Wednesday morning expressing solidarity with the LGBTQ community and condemning discrimination.
"Today, we are being confronted by ignorance and bigotry, and we must always call it out and stand with those who are impacted. We can never allow ourselves to let hate win the day," Sim said.
"So, to all 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, know this: we see you and we value you."
In Fredericton, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs — whose government helped spark the national debate about gender policies in schools — told reporters Wednesday that parents must be informed if their children are questioning their gender identity.
Alex Harris, a transgender student and advocate in Riverview, N.B., said the protests and discourse is creating a scary and dangerous situation for queer students.
"I have had more slurs yelled at me in the hallway since I have gone back to school this September than I ever have previously, and I have been out at school as part of the LGBTQ community for probably five years now," Harris said.
While Harris's own parents have been supportive after he came out as trans, he knows several students who are scared to do the same and some would be "at risk of physical abuse … or they would be kicked out [of their home] if they came out to their parents."
Clarifications
- The headline of this story has been updated to more precisely describe the protests.Sep 22, 2023 12:37 PM ET
With files from The Canadian Press