The office of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is remaining silent regarding a photograph of one of his Opposition critics in the company of two individuals wearing clothing with slogans against measures to address sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
This image was shared on social media shortly after Poilievre distanced himself from another photo in which he stood alongside a man wearing a “straight pride” T-shirt.
The recent photo features Jasraj Singh Hallan, the Conservative finance critic in Calgary, standing with three other men at a public pancake breakfast during the Calgary Stampede.
Two of the men can be seen wearing white T-shirts that say “leave our kids alone.” The shirts also display a smaller, stylized image of a family under an umbrella protecting them from the rainbow colors associated with LGBTQ Pride flags.
The offices of Poilievre and Hallan did not respond to requests for comment on the photo or whether Hallan agrees with the message on the T-shirts.
One of the men in the photo, Mahmoud Mourra, has been actively protesting school policies and activities that acknowledge students’ sexual orientation and gender identity. Mourra, who shared the photo on social media, is facing a charge of hate-motivated criminal harassment related to “multiple online interactions” on June 26.
Police charged Mourra on July 3, and his court date is scheduled for August.
In an interview, Mourra dismissed the charge against him, calling it a “joke” resulting from a personal dispute. He stated that he did not consider the message on his T-shirt when taking the photo with Hallan, whom he referred to as a friend. Mourra said he did not discuss his views with Hallan and did not inform the MP about the charge he is facing.
Regarding the matter, Mourra stated, “It wasn’t intentional – I never even thought about it until I saw what happened with Danielle Smith.” He referred to a recent incident involving the Alberta premier standing with a man wearing a “straight pride” shirt. Both Smith’s office and Poilievre have stated that they do not endorse the message.
Mourra expressed concerns about teachers promoting what he called “this agenda” regarding the LGBTQ community to children. He emphasized, “I believe I have the chance to determine or decide how my kids should be growing up – I’m not teaching them any hate.”
The issue over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools received attention following an incident in Edmonton where a teacher confronted a Muslim student about skipping pride events. The teacher told the student that they “can’t be Canadian” and “don’t belong here” if they did not support LGBTQ rights.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking at a community event in Calgary, pointed out that much of the discord on this topic is fueled by misinformation, particularly from “the American right wing,” about the actual content of provincial school curricula. Trudeau reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to upholding the rights and freedoms of all individuals, including the Muslim community and LGBTQ+ youth.
In addition to being an Opposition critic, Hallan is involved in Conservative outreach to immigrant and newcomer communities to bolster support for the party in future elections.
Mourra, a Muslim father of five, stated that many of his values align with the Conservatives. He believes that the federal party supports his message based on Poilievre’s recent comments regarding a policy change in New Brunswick. The province’s premier, Blaine Higgs, made adjustments so that teachers are no longer required to use preferred pronouns for transgender or nonbinary students under 16, but instead must obtain parental consent. If consent is not possible, a student would be referred to a school psychologist or social worker to develop a plan on how and when to inform their parent.
Poilievre criticized Trudeau for speaking out against the policy change, stating that it is not the federal government’s business. Supporters of the policy argue that it is crucial for teachers to create a safe environment for queer students or those questioning their identity to prevent discrimination, which can lead to suicide attempts. They believe that inclusive policies should affirm an individual’s right to be addressed by their chosen name and pronouns and provide teachers with appropriate resources.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
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