The Conservatives in their own words

“In the 1950s buggery was a criminal offence. Now it’s a requirement to receive benefits from the federal government.”
-Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz in 2000, accusing the Liberals of pandering to homosexuals

“The danger in having sexual orientation just listed, that encompasses, for example, pedophiles. I believe that the caucus as a whole would like to see it repealed.”
-Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant in 2004, talking about including gays and lesbians in hate propaganda legislation

“I think if people want this medically unnecessary treatment, they have that right. But taxpayers should not have to pick up the tab for it.”
-Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre in 2008, promising to ask Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to withhold from federal transfer payments any money spent by the Ontario government on sex reassignment surgery

Marcus McCann

Marcus McCann is an employment and human rights lawyer, member of Queers Crash the Beat, and a part owner of Glad Day Bookshop. Before becoming a lawyer, he was the managing editor of Xtra in Toronto and Ottawa.

Keep Reading

The new generation of gay Conservative sellouts

OPINION: Melissa Lantsman’s and Eric Duncan’s refusals to call out their party’s transphobia is a betrayal of the LGBTQ2S+ community

Over 300 anti-LGBTQ2S+ bills have been introduced this year. This doesn’t mean we should panic

OPINION: While it’s important to watch out for threats, not all threats are created equally. Some of these bills will die a natural death

Xtra’s top LGBTQ2S+ stories of the year

The best and brightest—even most bewildering—stories from a back catalogue brimming with insight

Elon Musk and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton are suing Media Matters. Here’s why queer and trans people should care

OPINION: When politicians and the rich leverage the power of the state to quell dissent, we all lose