Latest news with #SOGI123
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Christian conservative group Action4Canada lobbied for review of books in Alberta schools
Article content The president of the Library Association of Alberta believes a Christian lobby group may have played a role in the province's targeting of 'sexually explicit' books found in school libraries. Article content Article content Laura Winton pointed to posts on the Action4Canada website, where the group pats itself on the back for its 'behind the scenes' lobbying of the Alberta government over books its members find objectionable. Article content Article content Winton said that Action4Canada is known to contact librarians across the province over books that the group finds offensive. Article content Article content Earlier this week, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the government would be consulting the public in order to create some standards when it comes to explicit material in school libraries. Four books were used as examples of materials that the ministry found objectionable for children: Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, Craig Thompson's Blankets, and Flamer by Mike Curato. The books deal with 2SLGBTQIA+ themes, and have sexual imagery and language. Article content Tanya Gaw, Action4Canada's founder, said members of her team met with Nicolaides in the fall of 2024. This was confirmed by the education ministry, but both parties differ on the effectiveness of the meeting. Article content Gaw said Action4Canada sent binders to Nicolaides and Premier Danielle Smith which outlined the harms caused by the books in question, and also warned against the adoption of SOGI 123 by Alberta schools, Article content Article content SOGI 123 is a Canada-wide organization that makes programming and resources available to schools in the areas of inclusivity and positive acceptance of gender identities. Article content Article content 'We wanted to show the harm and risks that children are being put into,' said Gaw. 'When he (Nicolaides) saw the binder, he was genuinely shocked. We have the right to be concerned about what our children are being exposed to. We opened the minister's eyes to this.' Article content Nicolaides said his decision was influenced by what he'd been hearing from parents around the province. Article content 'No, we had been hearing from parents,' he said. 'I've been hearing from parents for quite some time, in fact, since I became minister, about items in school libraries that were of concern.' Article content When asked if Action4Canada's lobbying efforts had any impact at all, Nicolaides had this to say: 'I'm unsure. I mean, they had brought some materials to our attention so that that helped to get a better understanding of the nature of materials that was available in schools. But, you know, this is a topic that I've talked with many Albertans about.'
CBC
02-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
B.C. Conservative MLA angry after colleagues welcome lobby group opposed to same-sex marriage, MAID, abortion
A B.C. Conservative MLA says she is livid after her party leader, John Rustad, and more than a dozen of his MLAs attended a speaking event at the legislature this week by a Christian lobby group that opposes medical assistance in dying (MAID), abortion and gender transition for youth. "To see a group that, in my opinion, actively works against the rights of other British Columbians, is not in line with what I want to see in the Hall of Honour," said Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko. B.C. Conservative MLA Heather Maahs hosted the group, called the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), at an event in the legislature's Hall of Honour on Tuesday. "What ARPA has done is given a voice to the ills of society that are so harmful to many," Maahs, the MLA for Chilliwack North, said in introducing the group. "Many of their stances align with our common sense approach as the Conservative Party of B.C. They defend parental rights, they speak for the protection of life and harm created by MAID, and for the division created by the learning resource SOGI 123 in our public schools." Furor over religious group's visit to B.C. legislature Duration 2:18 A B.C. Conservative MLA is furious after a fellow MLA welcomed a religious lobby group to the legislature that opposes same sex marriage, medically assisted dying and abortion. Katie DeRosa has more on the group and the concerns. The group has campaigned to end MAID, which it calls euthanasia. It also operates the We Need a Law campaign, which protects the rights of "pre-born children." "Canada is the only democracy in the world to have zero legal protection for pre-born children," its website states. The group has pushed for abortion to be criminalized and called for a ban on the abortion pill. It also opposes gender affirming care for transgender youth, as well as Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) policy in schools. Sturko, who is gay, said the organization has written on its website that homosexuality is immoral. B.C. Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko says she is upset her Conservative colleague hosted a Christian lobby group at the legislature that is opposed to same sex marriage, abortion and gender affirming care for trans youth. (CBC News) "I'm really disappointed. This doesn't represent myself, my family, I don't believe it represents the majority of British Columbians," she said. "Inviting any groups that would be fighting against the rights of any other British Columbians is not something I'm in agreement with." Sturko, the Conservative public safety critic, said she's told her caucus members how she feels about it. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad was present for the event, alongside more than a dozen Conservative MLAs. CBC News was not at the event, but viewed photos and videos of it provided by the NDP caucus. In them, ARPA executive director Mike Schouten told MLAs about the work his group is doing. "Part of our mission is to take a biblical perspective directly to our civil authorities," he said. "I think if we observe our country today, we would all agree that at some level many people have been complicit in actively destroying those foundations." CBC asked Schouten about Sturko's concerns about the group's stance on same sex marriage. "As a Christian advocacy organization that adheres to the truths we believe that are found in God's word, it's not inconsistent then for us to state that we believe homosexuality is immoral." But Schouten added the group is not trying to overturn Canada's gay marriage laws. He said the group contacts politicians across Canada and tries to find "common ground" over issues important to Christians, including raising concerns about the rate of abortions among women who find out they have a child with Down syndrome. The group is also concerned about medical assistance in dying for people with disabilities or mental health issues. Joyce Arthur, executive director of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, said it's concerning the group was welcomed into the legislature by B.C. Conservative MLAs. "It's an official recognition that gives legitimacy to this anti-human rights group," she said. Jennifer Blatherwick, the NDP's parliamentary secretary for gender equity, said ARPA advocates for legislation "that would restrict access to reproductive health services, but also in some cases could criminalize abortion. And that is not, I think, what most British Columbians are looking for when they want responsive health care." Rustad defended the group's presence at the legislature. "One of the issues that the group that came in was interested in talking about is SOGI, obviously something we're concerned about." The B.C. Conservatives have campaigned on ending the SOGI policy in schools, saying it has injected "political ideology" into schools and ignores the rights of parents to have a say in their child's education. SOGI 123 is not a curriculum but provides guides and resources to help teachers address discrimination and bullying, create supportive and inclusive environments for 2SLGBTQ+ students, and acknowledge varying genders and sexual orientations. It was established in schools in 2016 by the then-ruling B.C. Liberals, as part of anti-bullying policies. Rustad was a cabinet minister in that government. Rustad acknowledged the divisions within his caucus over the ARPA event. "We are a broad coalition. We have people across the spectrum, so there might be some issues," he said. "We're trying to fight for the issues that are important — issues of family, issues of faith, issues of freedoms." Rustad would not give his position on a woman's right to choose, but has repeatedly said his party would not reopen the abortion debate.
Vancouver Sun
30-04-2025
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. Conservatives host Christian advocacy group at legislature to discuss MAID, transitioning minors
Article content B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad and about 20 of his MLAs attended an event at the legislature this week where a Christian political advocacy group pushed for restrictions to medical assistance in dying and gender transition by youth. Article content Heather Maahs, Conservative MLA for Chilliwack North, welcomed representatives from the Association for Reformed Political Action at the Tuesday event. Article content Article content 'I've always appreciated and admired the unapologetic stance that ARPA has taken on core values of Christianity, which as we know can be quite unfashionable in many parts of society these days,' Maahs said in opening remarks. Article content Article content 'They defend parental rights. They speak for the protection of life, and harm created by MAID, and for the division created by the learning resource SOGI 123 in our public schools. Very importantly, ARPA has raised concerns around the federal finance committee's recommendation of stripping charitable status from religious organizations.' Article content Mike Schouten, ARPA's executive director, addressed MLAs about the work being carried out by his organization and what he is hoping to see from the provincial government. Article content Article content He said Canada was founded on 'Judeo-Christian principles' but that the country has got away from those principles in recent years, particularly when it comes to how the government is handling what he called mental health challenges. Article content Article content 'I think if we observe our country today, we would all agree that at some level many people have been complicit in actively destroying those foundations, and it's because of that that we're seeing a lot of the challenges that we are grappling with and dealing with day by day,' said Schouten. Article content Of specific concern for Schouten was the federal government's plan to expand medical assistance in dying in 2027 to people suffering from mental health problems and the treatment of what he called 'gender dysphoria' among youth with puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender transition surgeries.
