The office of Conservative Party leader Pierre Poivre has spoken out over a photo of one of the opposition’s critics posing with the two, bearing slogans against measures to address sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. closed.
The image, which was shared on social media, surfaced not long after Poivre distanced himself from another photo of him standing next to a man in a T-shirt referring to “straight pride.”
The latest photo shows Conservative finance commentator Calgary MP Jasraj Singh Haran standing with three other men during a pancake breakfast that was opened to the public as part of the Calgary Stampede last week. The state is in the picture.
Two of the men are wearing white T-shirts with the words “Leave the children alone” written in black. The shirt also displays a small stylized image of a family guarding under a rainbow umbrella associated with the LGBTQ pride flag.
The offices of Poivre and Harran, the riding representative of the Calgary Forest Lawn, did not respond to requests for comment on the photo or whether they agreed with the T-shirt’s message.
One of the men in the photo, Mahmoud Moura, has protested against school policies and practices that recognize students’ sexual orientation and gender identity.
Moura, who shared the photo on social media, has also been charged with hate-motivated criminal harassment. Calgary police said the charges stemmed from “multiple online interactions” on June 26.
Police said Moura will be charged on July 3, with the next trial date set for August.
Moura said in a telephone interview on Friday that the accusations against him were a “joke” and that they started after an argument with an acquaintance.
He said he thought nothing of his T-shirt when he took a picture with Haran, whom he called a friend. Moura said the two had not discussed their views on teaching sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, nor had they informed lawmakers of the charges they faced.
“It didn’t happen on purpose. I never thought about it until I saw what happened to Daniel Smith,” he told the Canadian press.
He referenced a recent photo of the Alberta premier alongside a man wearing a “Straight Pride” shirt. Her office has since announced that she does not support the message, and Poivre recently told reporters that she does not agree with it.
Moura said he was concerned about teachers pushing what he called “this agenda” on children when it comes to the LGBTQ community.
“I believe I have a chance to decide how my children should grow up. I’m not teaching them to hate.”
A recent incident in Edmonton sparked protests in Alberta over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools after a teacher preached to Muslim students about skipping a pride event. Teachers told students that if they didn’t believe in LGBTQ rights, they “can’t be Canadian” and “don’t belong here”.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a recent community event in Calgary that much of the discord is fueled by misinformation about what the state school curriculum really is, especially from the “American Right.” .
“They are weaponizing LGBT issues,” Trudeau said during a conversation with Muslim parents at the event, which was recorded and shared on social media.
“They are using that fear to drive a wedge.”
He told a small group of parents that the federal government has made it clear that it stands up for the rights and freedoms of everyone, including the Muslim community and LGBTQ+ youth.
In addition to her high-profile role as an opposition commentator, Haran is also a member of the Conservative Party MPs and has been instrumental in reaching out to communities of immigrants and newcomers whose party hopes to boost its support ahead of the upcoming elections. engaged.
Moura, a Muslim father of five, said many of his values align with the Conservative Party. He said he believes the Federalist Party supports the message he defends, based on Mr. Poivre’s recent comments on New Brunswick policy.
The state’s Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Blaine Higgs sparked a controversy over a policy change that would no longer require teachers to use preferred pronouns for transgender and nonbinary students under the age of 16.
Instead, teachers must obtain parental consent to use these pronouns. If that’s not possible, the Higgs administration says the student will be referred to a school psychologist or social worker and plans will be made to notify the parent “when they are ready to do so.”
Asked about the move, Poivre denounced Trudeau’s decision to speak out against the issue and said it had nothing to do with him.
“We will be determined to let the states run the schools and let the parents take care of the children,” Poivre told reporters last month.
Proponents of the policy say it’s important for teachers to help gays and children questioning their identity feel safe from discrimination, and experts say discrimination can lead to suicide attempts. points out that it may lead to
They argue that inclusive policies should stipulate that all individuals have the right to be called by names and pronouns of their choosing, and include resources available to teachers.
© 2023 Canadian Press
