Erin otoole on lgbtq
When Parliament resumes Sept. 23, one of the first and most telling tests Erin O’Toole will tackle as the newly elected leader of the federal Conservative Party will be to address lingering concerns over his fairweather back of the LGBTQ community.
How O’Toole moves forward on this file will crystallize the type of Conservative Party he wishes to head, and reveal his character as a chief. Both could factor heavily in determining the party’s success in the next election.
Sean Kilpatrick/Pool via REUTERS
The rookie Conservative leader has two paths before him.
The first is to promote the values of acceptance, diversity and inclusion by full-heartedly embracing the LGBTQ community in a way the Conservative Party has never done before. To do so, O’Toole will need to not only demonstrate support for the community through his rhetoric, but also through his actions, whether it is voting to ban conversion therapy or by marching in a pride procession.
It would risk alienating some voters in the party’s socially conservative wing, where intolerance against the LGBTQ community is deeply entrenched. It would also be no easy feat — O’Toole owes them a great deal of credit fo
After an unprecedented governance race—forced online by the COVID-19 pandemic and marred by delays due to technical glitches—Erin O’Toole emerged Sunday darkness as the novel leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Now Commander of the Official Opposition, O’Toole is tasked with holding a Liberal minority government to account, all the while moving the Conservative Party in a new, more unified direction.
That new command could mean addressing the party’s inclusion of LGBTQ2 people. Last year, former leader Andrew Scheer stumbled through a federal election campaign after failing to walk back anti-gay comments he made in the Home early in his career, and many Conservative commentators speak it contributed to his inability to win the election. That led each of the four leadership hopefuls to take marked, widespread stances on LGBTQ2 issues throughout the race.
As O’Toole takes the helm, here’s everything LGBTQ2 people should know about his position on LGBTQ2 issues—from campaign promises to past actions.
His first order of business: Calling for a more inclusive Conservative Party
In his victory speech, O’Toole lay an emphasis
Conservative Party’s New Diversity And Inclusion Critic Linked To Past Anti-LGBTQ Statements, Organizations
Federal Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole’s newly-appointed critic for Diversity, Inclusion and Youth — Steveston-Richmond MP Kenny Chiu — appears to have a history of anti-LGBTQ comments and organizational ties.
The Conservative MPmade headlines during the 2015 federal election after he was linked to online forum posts complaining, among other things, that:
“Today in Canada, simply disagreeing to the claim that homosexuality is normal can result in crucifixion.”
In that same 2003 post — defending former Tory deputy leader Elsie Wayne, who said Canadians shouldn’taccept Pride parades and same-sex marriage — Chiu wrote:
“Sadly, Canada has ‘evolved’ into an all-tolerant; all accepting; fully embracing liberal country.”
The Conservative MP told local media in 2015 the string of comments “does not represent my views.”
Chiu also previouslysat on the board of Columbia Bible College, whichmandated students avoid “pornography, harassment, premarital sex, adultery and homose
Liberals thank Conservatives who championed conversion therapy ban as it passes House
OTTAWA — Canada’s House of Commons erupted into a scene of cheers and cross-party hugs Wednesday as MPs unanimously adopted a motion presented by a Conservative MP to fast-track the passage of a Liberal government bill banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ Canadians.
That legislation, introduced earlier in the week, will now proceed to the Senate, as no MP spoke out against the move to skip the routine legislative debate.
The lightning-fast speed at which it unfolded was initiated in the House by Conservative justice critic Deprive Moore, who presented the motion during Wednesday’s sitting after the Tory caucus met earlier in the day.
The only hint something may have been afoot came from Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole who, after leaving the gathering, told reporters his caucus planned to accelerate the bill’s passage, but without providing any specifics.
After the motion was approved by the House, Liberal Justice Minister David Lametti emerged to provide some credit he felt was due.
“There are clearly people in the Conservative caucus that we require to thank,&#
O’Toole pledges support for LGBTQ health as Trudeau questions commitment to community
“I desire members of the LGBT community to know if they want something looked at, if they’re advocating for an issue — as Michelle has, as I have, as other members of our caucus have — we yearn to make sure that a federal government is responsive to the needs of all Canadians in all communities,” O’Toole told reporters Thursday.
“We will advocate, including asking for Health Canada to examine issues of concern to the LGBT community.”
O’Toole repeated his criticism of Liberal Chief Justin Trudeau’s “broken promise” to end a discriminatory policy that prevents many gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
Canada introduced a lifetime ban for gay men in 1992 and in 2013 changed it so blood would be accepted from a man who abstained from sex with another guy for at least five years.
The waiting period then dropped to one year and became three months in 2019.
Recently, Canadian Blood Services said that by the end of 2021, it would recommend to Health Canada that it remove the waiting period and bring in assessing for all donors based on sexual behaviour.
Trudeau has acknowledged ending t