Read on Twitter
THREAD: The Conservative Party of Canada is choosing a new leader tonight. Here’s where the candidates stand on #LGBTQ2 issues. #cdnpoli #cpcldr
1/ Peter MacKay: He came into the leadership promising to march in Pride, back when the #cpcldr convention was still slated the same week as Toronto’s Pride parade. It was a direct shot at outgoing leader Andrew Scheer, who refused to march. https://www.dailyxtra.com/andrew-scheer-canada-last-anti-gay-leader-164665
MacKay also slammed leadership hopeful Richard Décarie, who said being gay was a choice, noting that no one in public office should run to roll back “hard-won rights.” https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/richard-decarie-lgbtq_ca_5e29951bc5b6d6767fcfd667
But in April, MacKay’s team sent an email blast to supporters taking a jab at Erin O’Toole, who voted in 2012 in favour of a trans rights bill—what he pejoratively called a “bathroom bill.” His team walked that back, too. https://www.dailyxtra.com/peter-mackay-conservative-trans-rights-172299
That moved specifically seemed like an attempt to create a wedge issue of trans rights—something we’ve seen time and time again with the Conservative Party. @degendering wrote a very good essay on dogwhistle politics and trans rights: https://www.dailyxtra.com/why-do-canadian-conservatives-love-to-pick-on-trans-people-141619
2/ Erin O’Toole: Like MacKay, O’Toole also agreed to march in Toronto Pride as #cpcldr—but only if police were allowed to march, too. https://twitter.com/erinotoolemp/status/1222232144405286918?lang=en
And at a Calgary rally in January, O’Toole said of the Pride issue: “There are no albatrosses in my Conservative Party.” https://nationalpost.com/news/erin-otoole-distances-himself-from-mackay-and-scheer-as-leadership-campaign-kicks-off-at-calgary-rally
He too publicly slammed Décarie on his assertion that being gay is a choice, noting, “The Conservative Party of Canada is open to ALL Canadians. Our membership made it clear when we voted to recognize same-sex marriage.” https://twitter.com/erinotoolemp/status/1220159013293383680?lang=en
O’Toole also voted in favour of Bill C-279, in 2012, tabled by the NDP to protect trans folks when discriminated against on the basis of gender identity. The bill eventually died.
The Liberals passed a similar bill, C-16, in 2017. But O’Toole abstained from the vote on that.
The Liberals passed a similar bill, C-16, in 2017. But O’Toole abstained from the vote on that.
3/ Leslyn Lewis: The first woman of colour up for the job, she came out of the gate eschewing the importance of social conservatism in the CPC.
Unlike MacKay and O’Toole, Lewis would not march in Pride if elected leader. "If you are ready to treat every Canadian with equal dignity and respect, it doesn't matter whether or not you march in a parade," she said. "That's a personal choice.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/leslyn-lewis-pride-parade-1.5492123
She did, however, condemn Décarie comments that being gay is a choice.
Lewis also doesn’t support a ban on conversion therapy in Canada. (That’s especially interesting given that the bill to federally ban the practice just died when Trudeau prorogued government.)
4/ Derek Sloan: Sloan, like Lewis, is a social conservative. He too has stated he would not march in a Pride parade.
As @EmmaRoseTeitel noted, Sloan equated a ban on conversion therapy with “child abuse.” "They will outlaw counselling for children who are gender confused.” https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2020/06/04/attention-conservatives-time-to-show-derek-sloan-the-door.html
Sloan also said he disagreed with Décarie’s belief that being gay is a choice, “But this is a complicated issue & I am not a scientist,” he wrote. (After being thrown out of the race, Décarie endorsed Sloan.) https://twitter.com/dereksloancpc/status/1221860677452816385?lang=en
Sloan later claimed there’s no scientific evidence that being gay is biological. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/cause-of-sexual-orientation-is-scientifically-unclear-tory-leadership-hopeful-says-1.4789014
Sloan says that, had he been an MP during the vote, he would not have supported Bill C-16, which protects trans folks from discrimination on the basis of gender identity.
Please let me know if I missed anything! I will add to this thread and update if need be.
