Demonstrators are gathering in cities nationwide to protest gender ideology being taught in schools. Canadians are responding to the call to participate in the “1 Million March for Children” with slogans such as “Hands off our kids” and “Stop sexualizing our children.” The movement is driven by parents who do not want schools to teach their children about topics like gender fluidity or the promotion of lifestyles they disagree with.
The group’s website states, “Uniting diverse backgrounds and faiths, we share a resolute purpose: advocating for the elimination of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) curriculum, pronouns, gender ideology and mixed bathrooms in schools.” Around 300 people had gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, with more trickling in. Boriana, who grew up in communist Bulgaria, expressed concerns about Canada’s direction on freedom of expression, particularly regarding parents’ rights to teach their own children.
Counter-protesters, numbering in the low hundreds, settled on Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill, carrying pride flags and yelling “Trans rights are human rights.” NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and NDP MPs Blake Desjarlais and Matthew Green are part of the group. A video conference between dozens of union organizers leaked earlier this week, revealing their plans to counter the protests.
Mounted police were seen on standby in Ottawa and Toronto near the two groups of protesters. In Toronto, crowds gathered in Queen’s Park, with a speaker reiterating the belief that “a boy cannot become a girl, a girl cannot become a boy.” Scott Speidel, one of the organizers, stated that 100 similar events are set to take place across the country.
The group of counter-protesters in Toronto has partially surrounded the side supporting parental rights, with police officers on bicycles separating the two. Law enforcement remains in control of the situation, and the atmosphere is calm. Tensions arose in smaller cities, such as Barrie, Ontario, where a video posted on social media depicted protesters hurling insults at each other.
This article will be updated throughout the day, and Andrew Chen contributed to the report.