Callan Forrester – LJI reporter
There are laws in place in Canada that protect the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) people, including the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), which was amended in 1996 to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation; Bill C-38, which legalizes gay marriage; and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees equality of rights for everyone.
That being said, there are still massive amounts of hate and discrimination that queer and trans people face in Canada. Statistics Canada reported a 69-per cent increase in hate crimes towards people based on their sexual orientation from 2022 to 2023. On top of this, eagle.ca (an organization that fights for equality for queer people) says that “from 2016-2023, police-reported hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation have increased a staggering 388 per cent.”
The numbers have risen so dramatically that even the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has made a statement about it. In February 2024, CSIS spokesperson Eric Balsam said in an email to CBC News that “CSIS assesses that the violent threat posed by the anti-gender movement is almost certain to continue over the coming year, and that violent actors may be inspired by the University of Waterloo attack to carry out their own extreme violence against the 2SLGBTQI+ community or against other targets they view as representing the gender ideology ‘agenda’.” This was in response to the June 2023 stabbing of multiple people in a University of Waterloo gender studies class by a former student. Balsam goes on to say, “CSIS assesses that exposure to groups and individuals espousing anti-gender extremist rhetoric could inspire and encourage serious violence against the 2SLGBTQI+ community, or against those who are viewed as supporters of pro-gender ideology policies and events.”
Very recently, there have also been book bans proposed in schools in Alberta for containing “inappropriate content.” Three out of four of the publications in question have queer themes and are being banned for being age-inappropriate, even though they were written as coming-of-age stories.
2025 election
During the 2025 federal election, topics regarding the queer and trans community were hardly mentioned, which was surprising considering how much of a talking point they were during the 2024 U.S. election. However, many queer voters were alarmed with Pierre Poilievre’s stance that minors should not have access to hormone blockers. Hormone blockers are gender-affirming medications that are widely regarded as safe for trans kids (and even some cis kids) to take, and are reversible in the event that someone decides to de-transition.
Poilievre also has a history of voting against queer rights, and specifically against gay marriage, even though his adoptive father is gay. That being said, he was on record this election saying he would not rescind gay marriage if he was prime minister.
In Quebec
Looking a little closer to home, there has been some controversy with the official Fierté Montreal this year. In response to the city’s mainstream programming, a new event – Wild Pride – will be its own, more inclusive festival. The reasoning behind this new festival is due to accusations that Fierté Montreal has a history of being racist and sexist.
Earlier this year, ten community groups signed a letter to Fierté Montreal cutting ties in response to its appearance of valuing of corporate sponsorships over community organizations. Yara Coussa, a board member for Helem (a Lebanese queer organization) expressed in a recent Montreal Gazette article that Fierté has become too corporate and they feel frustrated by its affiliation with companies that support Israel. Ray Traboulsi of Sapphix, a lesbian event-planning organization, also mentions frustration with Fierté’s willingness to allow pro-Israel groups in the parade.
In response, Fierté executive director Simon Gamache said that Pride is expensive, that they need corporate sponsorships, and added that they only work with organizations that support the queer community and avoid any companies blacklisted by the United Nations.
Gamache hosted a Zoom meeting on May 20 to speak with members of the community; however, Coussa and Traboulsi did not feel like their concerns were heard. Gamache said he felt as though certain attendees took up too much of the floor and wished for more unity between organizations. That being said, he did say, “We need more alternative queer scenes,” and said that Wild Pride is a good idea.
Coussa saw a huge outpouring of support for Wild Pride when the plans were announced and said, “We really want to do a ‘Fierté’ that’s for everyone. Not just a party.” The focus will be on diversity and inclusion, and will feature events like “workshops, tea times, drag story time, and parties.”