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Anti-LGBTQ2 protests are on the rise in Canada

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A U.S. data tracker has found the number of protests against the queer community has risen sharply across North America in recent months and groups that study online hate believe they know why.

“The data shows an uptick in anti-LGBT+ demonstrations in Canada alongside the larger increase in the United States,” said Sam Jones, communications lead for the Armed Conflict Location and Data Project. “More anti-LGBT+ demonstration events have already been recorded in Canada so far this year than in all of 2021 and 2023 is on track to exceed 2022.”

Canadian Anti-Hate Network executive director Evan Balgord says Canada is seeing the protests happening right across the country with multiple events happening every week.

“There are threats towards venues and threats towards drag performers,” said Balgord “We’re really seeing how the far right is pivoting to target queer spaces and these events. The priority (had been) COVID conspiracies and that is still a very dominant theme in their spaces of course but we’re seeing such a significant trend going after LGBTQ2 persons that we’re now calling this the next trend for the far right.”

“It’s the same age-old conspiracy,” said Balgord. “That queer people are pedophiles and coming after your children, they’re just rehashing it and using it against the trans community.”

Kris Wells, Canada Research Chair in the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Canada, says we’re seeing history repeat itself.

“I think we really need to understand and unpack who is protesting here. These are primarily white heterosexual men from the far right with religious backgrounds that are trying to demonize the LGBTQ2 community,” said Wells. “We’re seeing this anti-LGBT backlash all across the globe in places with populist movements and governments that are using the LGBTQ2 community as scapegoats to perpetuate stereotypes and misinformation for political gains.”

Anti-LGBTQ2 hate has been particularly prominent in the U.S., where lawmakers are actively working to limit gender expression and discussion of queer identity in schools and hateful rhetoric has spiked in conservative media channels.

“Right now we do need our LGBTQ2 allies to stand up (to this hate) because asking members of a vulnerable community to continue to experience these kinds of acts of hate and discrimination, it wears people down,” said Wells. “This is about basic human rights and respect and hate cannot be allowed to win, so it really requires everyone to loudly denounce hate when we see it.”

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RCMP arrest second suspect in deadly shooting east of Calgary

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EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.

Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.

Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.

Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.

Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.

RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.

“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.

But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.

“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.

While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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26-year-old son is accused of his father’s murder on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

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RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.

Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.

The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.

It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.

Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.

The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Metro Vancouver’s HandyDART strike continues after talks break with no deal

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VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.

Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”

However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.

McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.

He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.

The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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