I feel it necessary to write about the protest/counter-protest protest, on Sept. 20th.
If you believe other news reports that called the protestors unruly, aggressive or violent, know that the reporter is confused, as this was not the case in ANY of the rallies.
I challenge every island newspaper to print this.
In every case, it was the government-paid counter-protestors causing problems. I have personally spoken with people from Parksville, Victoria, and Vancouver who all concurred.
I can personally share our experience in Nanaimo.
There were about 150 protestors, happy, smiling, multicultural and lovingly spreading these messages:
to protect kids, with these signs: “Leave Kids Alone” and “Let Kids Be Kids”.
to give parents, not the government, the right to decide what sex education is appropriate at what age for their own children.
The counter-protesters consisted of an equal or larger number of people. They seemed more as they shouted their angry, loud message “No Space for Hate”, and “Trans Lives Matter” continuously. The protest group quietly and respectfully left the space they had booked, as the counter-protestors took it over. As the counter-protesters rant became louder and angrier, the peaceful protesters moved to another location in Mateo Sutton Park. The anti-protesters followed, continuing their aggressive hate message.
The peaceful protesters moved a third time and got to share ideas and actions as to how parents can protect their children, and grandchildren from unguided and inappropriate sexual programming for ALL children, no matter their gender. Absolutely NO mention of bullying children, discriminating against LGBTQ2S+, or hate, which are the inverted messages the anti-protesters continued to shout about and act out.
The saddest part is that most of the anti-protestors were government union employees: CUPE, PSAC, and Teachers Federation. Were we, the taxpayers, paying for them to all be there? I doubt they took a day off with no pay, so unfortunately this must be the truth. Maybe they even got time and a half to participate?
Despite the ongoing harassment by counter-protestors, those there on behalf of ALL children no matter their gender, refused to engage and the counter-protestors left for their lunch hour, and to return to their government jobs.
Most parents, whether male, female or LGBTQ2S+, want what is best for their children. Everyone, all races, all religions, all colours. In Canada, children cannot drive until they are 16. They cannot legally drink or vote until they are 18. These rules have been agreed upon by Canadians as safeguards until children mature.
Yet the anti-protestors think government-controlled educators should have the right to decide for children without parental input.
78% of Canadians believe parents should be informed if their children choose to change their gender identity or pronouns, (stats from June Angus Reid poll).
Who decides a child needs to have sexually explicit material provided in school and that a child should be allowed to make irreversible sexual changes without parental consent? Did YOU agree to this?
If you believe other news reports that called the protestors unruly, aggressive or violent, know that the reporter is either confused or intentionally lying, as this was not the case in ANY of the rallies. In every case, it was the government paid counter-protestors.
As a concerned grandparent, I am getting pretty tired of being called names by the people who preach and embody what they wrongfully call us: hateful, discriminatory, racist, homophobic, transphobic, Marxist, and misogynist, bullies.
It is very disheartening that this Canadian trend was started by our prime minister. He is not popular worldwide, it’s time other Canadians stopped emulating him.
Lorene