Canada proudly celebrates its first TWO-SPIRIT lawmaker...but local critic claims identity is invented
Canada 's House of Commons has been slammed for celebrating its first-ever 'two-spirit' Member of Parliament to mark LGBTQ Pride Month, despite it being called out as a 'fake bs made up term' and the fact he was ousted in favor of a Conservative.
The official House of Commons account honored former New Democratic Party member Blake Desjarlais, who lost to long-time Conservative Party rival Kerry Diotte in the recent 2025 election.
Even after his defeat, the House of Commons still paid tribute to Desjarlais online for being 'the first Member of Parliament to identify as two-spirit, an identity sacred within many Indigenous communities'.
'Mr. Desjarlais is of Cree and Métis descent, and represented Edmonton Griesbach from 2021–2025. #PrideMonth #NIHM,' the post ended.
Two-spirit is a term used by Indigenous North American groups to describe people who embody both masculine and feminine qualities or fulfill traditional roles associated with both genders.
But it was only recently coined as part of a broader modern movement said to reclaim traditional gender roles and spiritual identities that existed in Indigenous cultures before colonization.
Critics called out the awkward timing since the so-called 'two spirit' Desjarlais had been rejected by a constituency that voted him out in favor of a rival who representative conservative values.
Hundreds of users also mocked the term 'Two-Spirit,' and argued that identity politics have no place in government recognition or celebration.
'I'm happy to see people express their personality anyway they like. But 'two spirit' is a term invented and popularized in the 20th century by (mostly white) academics. Trudeau's 24/7 genderwang shtick has left the building, so please spare us this fake history & new age spiritualism' one wrote.
The term was reportedly first created at the Third Annual Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1990.
While some see it as historically grounded, others have accused the term of being vague, confusing, or politically motivated by modern gender activists who use it as a catch-all label.
'Fake bs made up term that had zero basis in reality or history. Such scammers and cons. You won't be viewed positively by those who will look back on this time of insanity in our species,' another angry user commented.
'Two spirits is a medical diagnosis of schizophrenia,' a user joked.
'I've never understood why sexual orientation has anything to do with anything other than your personal sex life,' another wrote.
'I'm hetro, but don't have to parade half naked down the street to celebrate it or announce it on social media.'
'It's personal and I don't feel the need to broadcast it to the whole world. It has nothing to do with ones ability to perform in capacity. How about we get back to celebrating competence for a change!'
Desjarlais made headlines in 2021 when he defeated long-time conservative Kerry Diotte by a margin of just 1,500 votes, successfully flipping Edmonton Griesbach from blue to orange.
He campaigned on healthcare expansion and Indigenous rights.
This time around, however, the tables turned.
Diotte had a comeback in the 2025 race, clinching 46.5 percent of the vote to Desjarlais' 32 percent.
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