As a new leader, we could find no public statements related to 2SLGBTQIA+ rights from Mark Carney. Recently, when asked about legislation introduced by the Government of Alberta related to transgender youth, people and families, he emphasized the importance of upholding the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Over the course of the past ten years, the Liberal Party of Canada, in government, has undertaken numerous initiatives to advance equality and human rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, including:
- Past Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized to 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians for decades of discrimination against them by the Government of Canada
- Liberal Ministers introduced Canada’s Conversion Therapy Ban and enshrined trans rights in Canada’s Criminal Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act, with the support of a majority of representatives in the House of Commons and the Senate.
- The Liberal government introduced Canada’s first Federal 2SLGBTQ+ Action Plan, which included a commitment of $100 million dollars over 5 years to various 2SLGBTQIA+ initiatives.
- In the past two years, numerous Liberal ministers and members of parliament have criticized policies introduced by Premiers in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Alberta related to transgender issues, school inclusion and healthcare access.
The Liberal Party of Canada platform for the 2025 federal election includes the following commitments on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues:
- Protect the safety of 2SLGBTQI+ people by maintaining support for Fierté Canada Pride in administering funding for security needs at Pride festivals across the country.
- Add additional funding for the LGBTQI+ International Assistance Program to provide support for LGBTQI+ individuals facing persecution abroad, promote global equality, and partner with international organizations. We will also expand the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership.
- Make funding permanent for the 2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund to support community organizations and networks that protect rights and advance equality across Canada.