Pressed to go beyond criticizing Trudeau, Poilievre sides with Smith on transgender restrictions
CTV
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, confirming Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, confirming Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Facing a series of questions from reporters on Parliament Hill about his stance on gender-affirming medical care for children, Poilievre said, in his view, no one under the age of 18 should be allowed to use hormone therapies that help delay puberty-related development for gender reassignment purposes.
"I think we should protect the rights of parents to make their own decisions with regards to their children. And I believe that adults should have the freedom to make any decision they want about their bodies," he said.
Last week, Smith released a social media video pre-positioning her plans to advance a series of changes around pronouns in schools and access to gender-affirming health care.
Framing the package in terms of "parental involvement" and "preserving choice," Smith's government is pursuing:
In the video, the premier said she was "not comfortable" permitting "prematurely encouraging or enabling children to alter their very biology or natural growth, no matter how well intentioned," while vowing to "strictly" enforce child protection laws in cases where trans youth are rejected or abused by their parent.
In his remarks to reporters, Poilievre said he agrees that "we should protect children and their ability to make adult decisions when they are adults."
