This is what Justin Trudeau winning a second term as Canada’s prime minister means for the LGBT community
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waves to the crowd as he marches in the Pride Parade in Toronto, 2017. (Getty/ AFP/ GEOFF ROBINS)
Justin Trudeau has won a second term as Canada’s prime minister and the country’s LGBT+ community have breathed a “sigh of relief”.
The win for the Liberal Party has kept Trudeau’s opponent Andrew Scheer, who is against marriage equality, out of the top seat at Parliament Hill.
Trudeau, battered by scandal across his campaign, will no longer retain a majority in Canada’s House of Commons but will keep enough seats to allow him to form a government, with support from two left-leaning parties.
Thank you, Canada, for putting your trust in our team and for having faith in us to move this country in the right direction. Regardless of how you cast your vote, our team will work hard for all Canadians.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 22, 2019
His victory in 2015 touted him as a fresh-faced, shirtless jogging, LGBT+ rights championing politician.
Though his approval ratings have slumped since, his renewed term secures a generally positive four years ahead for the queer community.
What will a Liberal Party win mean for LGBT+ Canadians?
Several positive initiatives are now potentially in the pipeline as a result of Trudeau securing a minority government.
In its 2019 platform, the Liberal Party promised to spend $10 million a year over three years to help more LGBT+ organisations hire staff and expand services, according to Global News.
The party also pledged to end the ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men and promised to spend an additional $2 million a year for the pan-Canadian 24-7 mental health crisis hotline.
Liberal Leader and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers his victory speech at his election night headquarters on October 21, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Additionally, the Liberals vowed to amend the Criminal Code to ban conversion therapy.
Moreover, Trudeau evoked his positive track record to his advantage during his campaigning, contrasting his pro-marriage equality stance with his opponent, Scheer.
Andrew Scheer is against gay marriage, against a woman's right to choose, against stronger gun control, and against fighting climate change. #ChooseForward pic.twitter.com/Y90xYXTMl3— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 20, 2019
The Conservative Party leader voted against several pro-LGBT+ bills in the past, as well as fiercely opposing same-sex marriage when it was first tabled in 2005.
Although, the lawmaker has since claimed to have u-turned on such homophobic views.
Nevertheless, several LGBT+ activists in Canada took to Twitter to share their thoughts on Trudeau’s return to office, with one calling it a “sigh of relief”:
QUEER > scheer
🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦— Pam Rocker (@realpamrocker) October 22, 2019
Canada kept its collective head last night in #elxn43, rejecting hate & racism, rejecting climate change denial, rejecting populism & saying yes to maintaining rights for women & the LGBT community. Proud of @liberal_party & proud of 🇨🇦— Tracey Richardson (@trich7117) October 22, 2019
*big sigh of relief*
-LGTBQ Canadians. #ElectionsCanada— Mike Morrison 🏳️🌈 (@mikesbloggity) October 22, 2019
Moreover, four LGBT+ MPs were elected into parliament. Two from the Liberal Party – Seamus O’Regan and and Rob Oliphant – as well as Conservative Eric Duncan and NDP member Randall Garrison.
But some activists took note that this is a decrease from the previous parliament – down by two – and that only one-third of those lawmakers elected are female.
Not nearly enough women elected (about one-third) and only 4 LGBTQ2 members will be in the new Parliament.
We need to do better. Much better if we are truly to be representative of our citizens. #elxn43— Dr. Kristopher Wells (@KristopherWells) October 22, 2019
Justin Trudeau’s LGBT+ rights history.
Trudeau has positioned himself as an ally throughout both of his campaigns and during his first premiership.
He became the first sitting prime minister to march in a Pride parade in 2016, and to raise the Pride flag in Parliament Hill.
Moreover, he appointed Randy Boissonnault as his special advisor on LGBT+ issues.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is surrounded by his family as he casts his vote on election day. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
This year, he delivered a formal apology on behalf of the Canadian government to queer citizens who have been wronged by anti-LGBT+ federal legislation in the past.
Moreover, the Liberal government passed a law to permanently expunge criminal records linked to consensual sexual activity with same-sex partners.
The Trudeau administration also decreased the gay blood ban, introduced third gender options on government surveys and forms and even made the national anthem gender-neutral.
Furthermore, the government invested $2.9 million of funding into projects for the Canada’s LGBT+ population.
These projects have included awareness campaigns, advocacy initiatives and other interventions to prevent homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the Canadian education system.
However, his September campaign was shadowed by scandal, as photographs and videos of a young Trudeau in blackface and brownface surged to the surface, as well as earlier accusations that he bullied his formal attorney general, an Indigenous woman.
These damning revelations took a toll on his voting percentages, but Trudeau’s win has nevertheless secured an overall progressive term ahead for LGBT+ Canadians, activists have argued.
LGBT+ and human rights advocacy group Egale welcomed Trudeau’s second term and the potential for more process in Canada.
A spokesperson told Pinknews: “We are hopeful that in Trudeau’s second term will continue this momentum as we move forward on issues including banning conversion therapy across Canada, amending the Criminal Code to include unnecessary and non-consensual medical surgeries on intersex infants and children and more supports for LGBTQI2S seniors.”
