Here are what the leaders of Canada’s major three political parties stand on issues related to the LGBTQ community. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick, Adrian Wyld, Justin Tang)
As the upcoming federal election, slated for April 28, looms ever-closer for Canadians, a swath of issues are vying for top-of-mind — and perhaps, therefore, top-of-ballot — status. Thanks to the recent, partial-implement of steep tariffs from the United States, the economy remains a focus for voters — but so, too, do social issues like women’s rights and LGBTQ issues, both of which have faced upheaval and setbacks for our neighbours to the south.
But where do the three biggest political leaders in Canada — Liberal Leader Mark Carney, NDP frontperson Jagmeet Singh and the Conservative’s Pierre Poilievre — stand on key points for the LGBTQ community and their allies? Topics like gender-affirming care and the rise in hate speech the Canadian Security Intelligence Service has noted the queer community is currently facing are major issues. So, we’re breaking it down by party leader below.
Prime Minister Mark Carney – Liberal Party of Canada
Mark Carney is the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the prime minister. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The newly sworn-in prime minister made some sweeping cabinet changes in March: He trimmed former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s 37-sized cabinet to 24 and, in the process, axed the Minister for Women, Gender Equality and Youth. Amongst the others to go was the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Disabilities.
The loss of the Gender Equality Minister — a post that would support women and gender-diverse identities like trans and nonbinary people — was called a “major setback” by Human Rights Watch, as “women and gender diverse workers also face disproportionately high levels of harassment and violence at work” alongside issues like the wage gap.
“The removal of these roles sends a strong message about the federal commitment to supporting women, trans and non-binary people, and the government’s dedication to building communities which support the diversity of people in Canada,” Abortion Care Canada told the Canadian Press.
We are all Canadians, but we all have different identities and distinctions.Prime Minister Mark Carney
On April 9, Carney answered a question from the Canadian Press asking if his government would protect access to gender-affirming care under the Canada Health Act, and what he aims to do about the “backslide” facing gender and sexual minorities.
“We are all Canadians, but we all have different identities and distinctions, and one of the great strengths of this country is recognizing that people can be who they are, they can love who they love, they can live where they are,” Carney replied. “It’s fundamentally important that the federal government is the defender of those rights, defender of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and access to health care in Canada is not a business, it is a fundamental right for all Canadians without exception.”
Carney’s adult child Sasha Carney, has been the subject of misinformation on X (formerly known as Twitter), with people falsely claiming where the younger Carney had received gender-affirming care. Carney senior’s lack of public discussion of his family is seen by some as avoiding discussing trans issues, while others see the fact that he has trans family members as a potential sign of allyship.
Pierre Poilievre – Conservative Party of Canada
Pierre Poilievre is the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. (Photo by Chris Young/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Conservative Party leader has made trans communities a repeated talking point. In January, a reporter asked him about American President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring the U.S. will only recognize two sexes and that they are unchangeable. Poilievre replied he’s “not aware of any other genders than man and woman.” He then told the reporter that if there are “any other you want me to consider, you’re welcome to tell me right now.”
The response was seen by many LGBTQ people and allies as a sign that Poilievre may not support the community. Additionally, in a 2024 press conference, Poilievre replied with a single “yes” when a reporter asked him if he was “against puberty blockers for children under 18.”
I’m not aware of any other genders than men and women.Pierre Poilievre
A prescribed medication that slows the development of tell-tale signs of puberty like facial hair, puberty blockers are given to kids for a variety of reasons, including supporting trans children as they navigate their gender identity. Inability to access these medications — and other forms of medical care that affirm a trans person’s identity — factor into why trans youth are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their cisgender peers, as per stats from a 2022 Canadian Medical Association Journal study.
Poilievre has also been quoted in the press using terms like “biological males,” which some say is a term used to discredit trans women. Poilievre’s comments — which stated trans women don’t belong in women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, shelters and the like — were condemned by Amnesty International as “a dangerous distraction” that puts trans women at greater risk of violence.
Jagmeet Singh – New Democratic Party of Canada
Jagmeet Singh is the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. (Photo by Andrej Ivanov/AFP via Getty Images)
The NDP leader has long made a name for himself as a queer ally. That includes viral moments like the time in 2023 that CTV News captured a passing car calling him a slur and Singh biting back, “Your homophobia is very inappropriate.”
These days, Singh hasn’t been spouting soundbites. However, the NDP party did release a statement on the Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31 stating its solidarity with LGBTQ people.
“New Democrats join in the celebration of two-spirit, transgender and non-binary Canadians on the International Transgender Day of Visibility,” Singh was quoted as saying. “Together, we’re taking a stand against hate and bigotry.” The release went on to acknowledge the disproportionate violence trans women of colour, in particular, face. It also stated Singh’s intention to “defend Canadians’ right to gender-affirming care.”
Additionally, as reported by Black Press Media earlier this week, party spokesperson Anne McGrath doubled down on support for the queer community. In an email, she said “the party will continue to fight for a ‘Canada where everyone can live in safety, dignity and pride.'”
My position on health-care procedures? It should be a decision between a person and their health-care provider.Jagmeet Singh
The same email acknowledged how the current housing crisis and doctor shortage “disproportionally” affects the queer community, promising: “That’s why we’re fighting for a family doctor for every Canadian and real investments in affordable housing that meet the needs of diverse communities.”
In response to Poilievre’s 2024 comments about puberty blockers, Singh called out the Conservative leader in a press conference the same year for “attacking the vulnerable” during a cost of living crisis: “My position on health-care procedures? It should be a decision between a person and their health-care provider, based on evidence, based on science, based on best practices — and not based on the opinion of Pierre Poilievre.”
As to questions about the “X” gender option on Canadian passports and how Canada should respond to trans Americans looking north as their rights are challenged, Singh has said during a press conference he’s been pushing for the government to “look at” the Safe Third Country Agreement after the next election.
That agreement details how the U.S. and Canada manage their joint land border in regards to refugees in each nation. It also outlines that would-be asylum seekers crossing a land border into Canada will be returned to the states unless they meet requirements — and currently does not apply to U.S. citizens.
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