Prime Minister Mark Carney raised a flag of pride in Parliament Hill on Tuesday to begin a celebration of one month of sexual and gender diversity, while saying that there is a “reaction” of the elaboration of the elaboration of this type of celebrations and federal money is needed to help 2SLGBTQ+ parades be safe this year.
Speaking to a couple of hundreds of parliamentarians, senators, political employees, community activists and others met in the Hill Parliament for the occasion, Carney said there has been progress in the struggle for equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans people, but the community is still in a “precarious” position.
“One of Canada’s strengths is to recognize that people can be the one to be and love who they want to love. The federal government, we are the defenders of those rights,” said Carney.
“Unfortunately, throughout the world, there is a reaction that fights against the progress that has been made. At this time, Canada will always defend the vulnerable and the rights we appreciate. We can take pride in the distance we have arrived, but we must also recognize that there is much more to do.”
Statistics Canada data suggests that there has been a considerable increase in hate crimes aimed at sexual orientation. According to the latest figures, there were 860 of these hate crimes informed by the Police in 2023, an increase of 69 percent of the previous year, with gay and lesbians the most likely objectives.
It is more likely that these crimes informed by the police occurred in June, the month of pride, according to Statistics Canada. There were 224 incidents of this type that month in 2023, approximately four times more than the average (58 incidents) for the other months of the year.
To that end, Carney said that the federal government is making money available to Fierté Canada, the organization that represents local groups that are dedicated to 2SLGBTQ+ festivals throughout the country, so that they are safer with hateful incidents a more common fact than the past years.
About $ 1.5 million in federal funds will be used to help pride organizers to address the growing cost of security and safe for these events, according to the Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Rechie Valdez.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe and supported by their community,” Valdez said.
As some countries, including the US.
Prime Minister Mark Carney helped raise the pride flag in a ceremony outside the House of the Commons on Tuesday. He said that Canada is a place where people can be the ones who want to be, and love who they want to love, adding the federal government is a defender of those rights.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has issued a series of executive actions, including an order in which the federal government there recognizes that only two sexes, men and women stop the promotion of “gender ideology” and instruct schools to stop helping children with gender transition.
Pride Toronto, which presents one of the largest festivals in the world, has lost some large corporate sponsors this year, even from US companies such as Google and Home Depot.
The group’s executive director has said that the loss of support could be related to an executive order issued by Trump in January that ordered the end of all programs for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), mandates, policies, programs, preferences and activities in the United States government.
These companies can be eliminated from public support from 2SLGBTQ+ organizations because they fear losing the support of the United States government, said Pride Toronto.
Toronto pride has also faced controversy over its use of federal funds, received money from taxpayers for certain projects, but could not demonstrate that they were ever completed, an audit found, and for their previous statements about the Gaza War, which a Jewish group called a “betrayal.”
