More than a Million March?

 

Last Wednesday I attended the One Million March for Children locally. The march was exhilarating. Muslims and Christians marching together, young and old; everyone waving the Canadian flag and singing “O Canada.” We were all one, and all friends. It was marred, it is true, by a small group of counter-protesters waving rainbow flags. But that evening, I was discouraged. I saw the hateful posts by Jagmeet Singh, Justin Trudeau, and our local city hall, declaring the parents bigots.

Singh:

“The rise of hate towards the 2SLGBTQI+ community is deeply alarming.

All people deserve safety and freedom to be who they are.

Today and every day, New Democrats stand with the trans community in solidarity.”

Trudeau:

"Let me make one thing very clear: Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country. We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the country – you are valid and you are valued."

City of Saint John:

“The City is aware of the '1 million march 4 children' taking place today throughout the city, including at various school locations.

While the City supports people's rights to organize and protest, we stand by, and with, our 2SLGBTQIA+ community and their right to live their lives free of hate, harassment and discrimination.”

The city then changed their Facebook page photo to show a largeish crowd waving pride flags.

And silence from Poilievre and the Conservatives. It seemed the concerned parents, kids, and, indeed, teachers like me, were just going to be slimed, their concerns falsified, and nobody was going to listen. 

I was heartened when I got off the bus the next day. I saw that the kids at the high school next door were staging a large walkout in support of the march. Word had gotten out, and they were encouraged to follow suit. Bullhorn, placards, no counter-protesters. Maybe this thing will grow.

Then yesterday, I see on YouTube, there was another big rally at three schools north of Toronto, including some prominent speakers.

And now Pierre Poilievre has at last chimed in:

“Justin Trudeau always divides to distract from all he has broken. This time, he is demonizing concerned parents. 

Parents should be the final authority on the values and lessons that are taught to children. Trudeau should butt out and let parents raise their kids.”

Poilievre is a politician first and last. He was not going to sacrifice himself for principle. If he has now come out for the protesters, he has made the calculation that this movement is growing. He is calculating he will get more votes by supporting it than he will lose.

The snowball may have begun its slalom downhill.