Federal Conservatives’ Embrace of Transphobia is UnCanadian

“Unequivocal support for LGBTQ people cannot be up for debate. When one minority group has their legitimacy questioned, others take notice and wonder if they, too, are excluded… Now is the time for some serious introspection on the part of Conservatives.”

Those are the words of Melissa Lantsman, now Deputy Leader of Canada’s Conservative Party and the first openly gay and jewish women elected to her caucus. She would know, better than most, what it feels like to be part of a community that faces ongoing discrimination and prejudice. 

Yet, Lantsman, along with other, self-described LGBTQ+ ‘allies’ like Scott Aitchison, Michelle Rempel Garner, and Eric Duncan — who just last year celebrated the Transgender Day of Visibility — now seem content showing a blind eye to their leader's transphobia.

Having recently taken the position that trans people should be barred from women’s bathrooms, changing rooms, shelters, sporting competitions and services — effectively denying their gender representation — Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives have come out swinging against the LGBTQ+. History repeats. 

These anti-trans attacks are particularly concerning as the Conservatives are anywhere from 10-15 points up in the polls, meaning they’re simply choosing to throw red meat to their base. For all intents and purposes, Pierre Poilievre is a Prime Minister in waiting, yet continues to show that he won’t act on behalf of all Canadians. Rather, he seems almost eager to spread American-style division and hatred — the very claim he alleges against Justin Trudeau. 

It is unacceptable for a federal leader to actively target an at-risk community, and the pretence of doing so to “support women” is insulting to the intelligence of Canadians. It is equally unacceptable that ‘allies’ within the Conservative caucus lack the backbone needed to stand up to Poilievre’s toxic brand of populism.

Trans people are people and must be treated as such — anything less is unacceptable and fundamentally unCanadian.

To borrow a phrase, “now is the time for some serious introspection on the part of Conservatives.”