愛污传媒

Politics

    • Canada's first out lesbian federal minister on why Pride feels different this year

    Share

    For Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge, Pride month feels different this year. It's a sentiment that's being expressed by many in the LGBTQ2S+ community in the wake of a rise in hate and attempts to "push back" on the progress made, but she sees it as an opportunity for Canadian politicians, high-profile athletes and others with platforms to "stand up."

    "There is a difference this year鈥 We need to talk about it," St-Onge said. "I think it's more important now than ever, that people that are in the public space, that we stand up and stand against what we're seeing right now鈥 Whatever athletes, or sports organizations or people with a public voice, we need to use that space to bring positivity and support to the queer and trans community."

    St-Onge made history in 2021, becoming Canada's first openly lesbian member of the federal cabinet. In an exclusive sit-down interview with 愛污传媒, the minister spoke about her experience in office so far, what's worrying her about the current climate, and where she sees ways for the federal government to do more.

    The minister told 愛污传媒 that when she started out in her current role, after a nail-biter race to win her riding of Brome-Missisquoi, Que., she felt some hesitancy about being typecast or perceived by her sexual orientation, but now she's feeling more of a responsibility to speak out.

    "I think it's time for people who do believe in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, who do believe that we have the greatest country in the world鈥 I think it's time for us to stand up and take a stand and be strong," she said, suggesting the LGBTQ2S+ community and allies need to be ready to take steps to shore up Canada鈥檚 protections.

    Coming from her position as minister of sport, St-Onge would also like to see Canadian sports organizations use their platforms for good.

    In recent months, high-profile athletes come under scrutiny for anti-LGBTQ2S+ comments, and the NHL has said it after several players refused to wear Pride-themed jerseys this past season. 

    "It's something that I would have never thought that we'd see," St-Onge said of the recent headlines, "Because a year ago or two years ago, it wasn't even being questioned."

    She said the sports organizations and the athletes that are "making a lot of money and that have the privilege of having a voice should use it for positive reinforcement," and not to try to roll back rights.

    St-Onge said she has conversations regularly, including with Canada's national teams about how to make sport more inclusive. It鈥檚 a challenge that's seen the minister face some tough questions as parliamentarians have dug into the issue of safe sport and certain organizations' serious mishandling of allegations of misconduct and abuse.

    After being sworn in, St-Onge said she wanted to bring a new perspective to government decision-making. It鈥檚 a goal she said she thinks has been achieved by bringing her unique life experiences to policy conversations at the cabinet table and liaising with minister Marci Ien who leads on LGBTQ2S+ files, as well as her fellow queer cabinet, caucus, and parliamentary colleagues.

    And, while St-Onge looks positively at the government's record and work on LGBTQ2S+ files, she identifies the need for legislation to better protect people online as one main outstanding area where she thinks the Liberals need to do more to protect this community and others.

    The government has already committed to tabling online harms or "only safety" legislation. After extensive consultations and reworking, the bill meant to ensure behaviour that is not acceptable in reality is not permitted online, is expected to be coming to the House of Commons in the fall. 

    While she has experienced some of the online vitriol herself, what is "preoccupying" her is thinking about the young people who are coming out or questioning their identities being exposed to attacks and harmful messaging online.

    St-Onge attributes the uptick in hate directed towards minority groups to "a push from extremist groups" trying to "regress" the freedoms and protections that decades of advocates had fought for, as well as foreign governments trying to "attack countries like ours that have better freedoms. "

    Last fall, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly summoned Russia鈥檚 ambassador over anti-LGBTQ2S social media posts, including one directed at St-Onge.

    "We need to be aware of that, we need to acknowledge that this is happening鈥 And we need to keep on moving our policies and legislation forward," St-Onge said. "There is something that's happening and it's hard to explain, but everybody is feeling it and everybody is seeing it."

    Going forward, St-Onge is hoping to see more members of the LGBTQ2S+ community get involved in politics, and in the interim she's calling on all political parties to show up at Pride events this season, something so far Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been non-committal on.

    Last weekend he told reporters asking about his Pride plans that he would "be joining with all Canadians to celebrate the fact that gays and lesbians have the freedom in this country to live their lives, and raise their families in peace, in safety, and in acceptance,鈥 but would let them know how he鈥檒l be doing that celebrating, once his schedule is set.

    "It's time that all of us in the House of Commons, that we commit to protecting our freedoms and rights and the rights of the queer and trans community. It's when things are hard and when people are trying to push back on the progress that we've made, that we need to be united and be strong, and say that as political leaders, we are going to protect our laws, and we're going to protect communities," St-Onge said. 

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    Canada

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • A Real Canadian Superstore in B.C.'s Fraser Valley was evacuated Tuesday night due to a "suspicious" fire in the toilet paper aisle, according to authorities.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    • A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Entertainment

    Business

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    Lifestyle

    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    • The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    • Since the record-breaking atmospheric river hit Metro Vancouver last Friday, 266 drivers have filed ICBC claims for water damage to their vehicles. In some places, flood water was so deep, cars floated away with the drivers still inside, and the engine running.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • A coalition of Jewish organizations says it is "deeply alarmed" by a rising tide of antisemitism at the University of British Columbia in recent weeks.

    • He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    • Brampton is looking to the federal and provincial government to address the growing number of its vulnerable international students being exploited and trafficked.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • A Calgary Jewish organization issued a response Wednesday to anti-Israel graffiti spray painted on a series of road dividers near the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.

    • A campaign to fundraise to build a new school for children with complex medical needs just got an assist from the Calgary Flames.

    • One person has died and others have been injured after a two-vehicle collision involving a tractor trailer and a car on Highway 7 in eastern Ontario, according to police.

    • Homeowners with a variable rate mortgage in Ottawa can expect to see some savings thanks to a significant rate cut by the Bank of Canada.

    • A Zamboni driver in western Quebec has been arrested on suspicion of impaired driving after a low-speed crash at a hockey rink on Monday.

    • Nigel Berkley and CRARR plan to file complaints with the police ethics commissioner and the human rights commission after Berkley was repeatedly stopped while driving his mother's car over four months.

    • Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante will not be seeking re-election.

    • The Alberta Pharmacists' Association says upcoming government cuts to service compensation fees will have a big impact on pharmacists and also patient care.

    • A goal on the power play Tuesday night isn't stopping Edmonton Oilers' coaches from tinkering with the special-teams lineup.

    • An Edmonton tow truck operator has been charged after police say he refused to release a vehicle to its owner.

    • A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • A volunteer treasurer is facing charges after funds went missing from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston鈥檚 riding.

    • A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    • A 59-year-old man has died following a crash involving three vehicles that started after a tire fell off a car on the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday morning in the RM of Tache.

    • A Manitoba inmate who was released from custody by mistake has been arrested, according to Winnipeg police.

    • Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal is defending his conduct and disagreeing with a recent report from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) 鈥 which found he broke rules that prohibit MLAs from being involved with government contracts.

    • Regina police says officers will provide an update Thursday in its search for the suspect of a homicide that took place in the city during the summer of 2023.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders along with other Canadian Football League [CFL] clubs have announced their player nominations for the 2024 league awards.

    • Detective Robert Hofstetter examined Erb鈥檚 home after her death and came to several conclusions based on the blood stains he found there.

    • A psychologist who recently assessed Geovanny Villalba-Aleman believes he may have experienced a psychotic break before stabbing three people in a gender studies class at a University of Waterloo.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    • The race to form government is heating up ahead of the provincial election on Monday. Both the Saskatchewan NDP and the Saskatchewan Party feel they have the momentum as each leader has been focusing on different areas of the province as the campaign trail nears its end.

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • The Saskatoon civic election is drawing closer, with mayoral candidates outlining their visions to keep the city competitive and attract businesses.

    • A Sudbury jury has found Felicity Altiman guilty of second-degree murder in the December 2020 stabbing death of a Sudbury man.

    • It only took minutes for North Bay pharmacist Brian Chute to be out $1,500 after fraudsters deceptively swapped his bank card with another.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • Under tough cross-examination at the London courthouse on Wednesday, Rachel Johnson, 21, was asked a number of times why there was a delay in calling 911

    • A 27-year-old man is miraculously alive after his pickup went over Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley. Fire fighters estimate that from the top to bottom of the embankment is around 270 feet.

    • OPP have confirmed that a transport truck driver crashed into a historic home just southeast of London this morning.

    • A haunted house in the Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • Barrie police conducted a search on Wednesday of the last place Autumn Shaganash was seen in hopes of giving her family some answers to her mysterious disappearance.

    • A 34-year-old motorcyclist has died following a collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end on Tuesday.

    • Windsor Fire and Rescue Services has been working to prepare for heightened HAZMAT risk ahead of relaxed restrictions around the transportation of some hazardous materials across the Ambassador Bridge.

    • As hospitals elsewhere in Ontario reintroduce mask mandates due to rising respiratory illnesses, Windsor hospitals are taking a more measured approach.

    • Now that production is set to begin at Windsor鈥檚 battery plant, NextStar is looking for some employees to make that production happen.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • When 16-year-old Kaydence Bourque was struck and killed in a crosswalk on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich in 2021, the community was shaken to the core.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.

    • As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒