On June 10, Prime Minister Mark Carney raised the LGBT flag on Parliament Hill, a practice begun by Justin Trudeau in 2016. Carney may possess more gravitas than his predecessor, and is certainly less performatively woke, but he made it crystal clear that, in case there was any doubt, he is every bit as much an LGBT activist as Trudeau was.
In his remarks, Carney emphasized that he stands with the LGBT community despite an alleged “backlash” to their agenda, stating that $1.5 million in federal funds — that is, taxpayer dollars — are necessary to keep LGBT parades safe this year.
Indeed, Carney told the hundreds of gathered MPs, activists, and political staffers that while the LGBT movement has made progress, it is still in a “precarious” place.
The irony of this statement coming from the prime minister, who had just hoisted the conquering LGBT banner over Parliament Hill, is palpable.
As an example of this “backlash,” the CBC pointed to US President Donald Trump’s signing of a “series of executive actions, including an order that the federal government there recognize only two sexes — male and female — stop the promotion of ‘gender ideology’ and instruct schools to stop helping kids with gender transition.”
Of course, these executive orders protect vulnerable children, not target them — which is why the CBC neglected to cite the title of the order: “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.”
Carney has already stated unequivocally that he supports these practices, even as medical establishments around the world condemn them.
It is worth noting that Canada does not merely have Pride Month, but a four-month Pride season (we used to call this “summer”).
Carney hastened to remind Canadians of that fact, stating on X that: “#PrideSeason is a time to celebrate and uplift 2SLGBTQI+ voices. During this time, we recognize the resilience of these diverse communities and continue working toward a Canada where everyone feels safe, included, and proud to be themselves.”
Carney’s X post provided a link to a federal government website explaining what “Pride Season” is:
Pride Season is a term that refers to the wide range of Pride events that take place over the summer (June to September) when 2SLGBTQI+ communities and allies come together to spotlight the resilience, celebrate the talent, and recognize the contributions of 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Although special attention is put on the Pride events during the summer months, they happen throughout the year in many communities.
The Carney government also provides a handy “Pride toolkit” for Canadians to use, as well as an explanation for its evolving flag flown on Parliament Hill this week:
The Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill during the 2024 Pride Flag Raising. It includes horizontal stripes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, as well as a purple circle over a golden yellow triangle over a white, baby pink, baby blue, brown, and black chevrons.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, for his part, has not posted anything for “Pride” month or attended any events. He attracted criticism from LGBT groups for similarly avoiding events in 2024. In 2023, he posted a “Pride” message on X but claimed his work schedule prevented him from attending the flag-raising.
