Pierre Poilievre says minors should not have access to puberty blockers
CBC
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Wednesday he does not support trans kids taking puberty blockers — medicines that are used to pause puberty before a possible gender transition or other interventions, like hormone therapy.
Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill before a Conservative caucus meeting, Poilievre said the decision to pursue transgender treatments should be reserved to adults alone.
"Puberty blockers for minors? I think we should protect children and their ability to make adult decisions when they're adults," Poilievre said.
"I think we should protect the rights of parents to make their own decisions with regards to their children."
Asked to state definitively if he's opposed to puberty blockers for people under the age of 18, Poilievre said he is.
That's a step further than what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has proposed in her province.
Smith, who announced a series of transgender policies last week, has pitched restrictions on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children 15 and under.
Puberty blockers — hormone-suppressing agents that pause the progression of puberty — are typically prescribed to people in the early stages of puberty to halt unwanted physical changes, such as breast development or facial hair.
They are prescribed to children only after consultation with a doctor.
They may sometimes be combined with hormone therapies, which can have long-term, irreversible effects.
The Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) has said that "gender-affirming medical interventions may be an important component of comprehensive care" for some transgender or gender-diverse adolescents.
The CPS, citing scientific research, has said access to puberty blockers "has been associated with lower odds of suicidal ideation over the life course."
It has said these drugs should not be prescribed before the onset of puberty for medical reasons — and also because the puberty process is "an important experience through which young people may develop clearer understanding of their gender identity."
Cross-sex hormone therapy is a treatment used to help people with gender dysphoria transition from their biological gender to their desired gender.
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
The Canadian Army is investigating members who allegedly shared what the country's top soldier called "abhorrent" content within a private Facebook group.
The Alberta Prosperity Project's new draft fiscal plan is projecting Alberta's economy could double within 20 years of separation.
Repairs to the seawall around the Charlottetown Yacht Club are almost complete, much to the relief of Island sailors, visitors and business owners in the area.
Two coal companies that sued Alberta over its decision to change the rules around coal mining have reached a settlement with the provincial government.
Sparks from an RCMP trailer are responsible for a wildfire burning near Lytton, B.C., police say.
The Inuvik Youth Centre will remain closed until late August due to financial constraints. The centre closed its doors in March and stopped its programming.
Now that Bill C-5 is the law of the land, Prime Minister Mark Carney says "the real work begins" to fast-track major projects. Here's what comes next — and what experts say needs to happen.
The Calgary Stampede is saddling up for 10 days of action, kicking off Friday as the 113th annual Stampede Parade winds its way through downtown Calgary.
The mother of a toddler who was missing for more than three days last month is facing a second charge in connection with the disappearance of her daughter.
A well-known Toronto television personality says she's reached a settlement with Bell Media in response to a human rights complaint, in which she alleged "a systemic pattern" of racism, sexism and discrimination.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Middlesex County say Highway 402 westbound near Strathroy remained closed Thursday after a serious crash between a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle led to a chemical spill.
Durham police say they are investigating a violent swarming caught on security video that one prominent Muslim advocacy group says may have been motivated by hate.
Multiple Canadian airports faced bomb threats Thursday morning that grounded flights and are expected to cause widespread delays, according to air traffic control manager Nav Canada.