Canada Votes 2021: What next?

In August, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election, hoping for a commanding majority and mandate to govern, and on September 20, after spending more than $600 million on a pandemic election that no one wanted, Canada spit back nearly identical results: Trudeau again lost the popular vote, won about the same amount of seats as last time, and will once more need to govern as a minority. It’s not unexpected.

All other electoral issues aside, what does this mean for parents of gender-questioning kids? According to the Liberals’ platform, within 100 days Bill C-6 (the “conversion therapy” bill, which will have a new number and possibly new wording) will be back. 

That means parents will again need to sharpen their pencils, limber up their emailing fingers, and pick up the phone to make it abundantly clear that our issue with the bill is NOT that we are FOR conversion therapy (Who in their right mind would argue that? For anyone to truly believe that of parents is disingenuous and completely misunderstands our concerns) but AGAINST a poorly worded and unclear bill. 

That’s it. The bill should be passed – but in very precisely and carefully worded form that does not conflate or confuse neutral exploratory therapy with the torture known as conversion therapy and that does not harm children who, according to the research, are quite likely to grow up to be gay.

With this in mind, here are some concrete actions you can take. There’s a lot, so do whatever you feel comfortable with or have the time to do:

  1. Contact your newly elected MPs and tell them the latest global research:
  1. Contact your Senators and show them the latest global research:
    • Use the above information.
  1. Prepare a brief (short or long, anonymous or not) to be sent to the committees that will be formed by Parliament and the Senate to study this new bill and its very exact wording. For some advice on how to write a brief, go here.
    • Use the above information as part of your brief.
  1. Keep abreast of international developments and update your MP and Senator accordingly:
    • The UK’s Cass Review, an independent review of gender identity services for children and young people, is due soon.
    • A national review of gender dysphoria in Sweden should be out next year.
    • SEGM – updated as pertinent medical news arises
    • Genspect – regular international news updates
  1. Spread the word to people you know and trust. My own experience is that more parents are waking up to what is going on with our children, are open to learning more – and are shocked by what they hear and see when it comes to gender-questioning kids being quickly and automatically affirmed and medicalized.

The bottom line: We parents need to gear up, work hard, and not lose sight of what’s important. Our children’s future and long-term physical and mental health is on the line. 

And who cares about them most? Activist groups with their own agendas, teachers who’ve known them for just a few months, and well-meaning young friends who lack the wisdom of long-term critical thinking skills and brain development?

Or us, their parents?

The author is a parent from Ontario.

Photo credit: Ivan Torres of Pexels