Ottawa police called in to separate opposing crowds at sex-ed curriculum rally

By Drew May

A rally against the Ontario government’s decision to roll back the province's sex-ed curriculum encouraged some Ottawans to take action for comprehensive sex education, before being briefly interrupted by a group of counter-demonstrators.

The rally was organized after Ontario Premier Doug Ford's provincial government announced on July 11 that public schools would go back to teaching the 1998 sex-ed curriculum in the upcoming school year. During the election campaign Ford said parents had not been adequately consulted on the updates. Education Minister Lisa Thompson said a new curriculum could be introduced by 2019.

“Call your local MPP, call them again, and again, and again, sit down with them and tell them this update and this move by our government is not acceptable and puts the health of our young people at risk,” said Fae Johnstone, one of the organizers of the rally.

Johnstone encouraged the crowd to share information on sexual education with parents and young people and to inform them that information around sexuality, gender and sexual health can be found in the community, outside of schools.

Supporters of the latest curriculum, passed in 2015, raise issue with many parts of the 1998 version, including the fact that it does not include information on consent or how to stay safe online. 

Amanda Knox, an Ottawa LGBT advocate, said the updated 2015 curriculum helped her daughter when she came out as transgender. Her daughter’s experience in public school became much better after the new curriculum was introduced but she is scared for children like her if that education is scrapped.

Joel Harden, the newly elected NDP Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-Centre, said it was tough to watch the recent Ontario throne speech, where the government laid out its agenda for governing. He also encouraged supporters to take action against the plan to teach the 1998 sex-ed curriculum.

“Maybe, just maybe, we need to go to Nepean, we need to knock on the doors of Jeremy Roberts’ riding,” Harden said. “We need to take the message to the door step, we need to take the message to [Progressive Conservative] supporters who believe in love and tolerance.”

A group of five counter-demonstrators interrupted the rally as Lyra Evans, former NDP candidate in Ottawa-Vanier, was speaking. The group held up cell phones to record the rally and shouted questions at the crowd of about 250 pro-2015 sex-ed curriculum demonstrators.

One of the counter demonstrators wore a T-shirt with a Worldwide Coalition Against Islam Canada logo on it.

In response, the crowd chanted “go home Nazis, go home” and to “read a book.”

Police intervened to separate the two groups of demonstrators and moved the counter-demonstrators to the back of the crowd, defusing the situation.

Johnstone said after the rally that organizers were aware something might happen and there could be an issue. An anti-immigration rally was held on Parliament Hill the day before, on July 14. She said the fact that things remained peaceful and the rally kept going shows her group's commitment to the issue. 

“We overwhelming told them we stand for this and we are not willing to let their fascist views prevent us from getting access to comprehensive sex education for children and youth.”

“If our government won’t do it, we will do it,” Johnstone said. “We will marshal the resources we will still make sure young people still have access to comprehensive sex education.”

 

 

 

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today