Elizabeth May claims Canada engaging in LGBT “genocide”

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is sponsoring a parliamentary petition that calls on the federal government to classify any “limitation” of LGBTQ rights in Canada as a form of genocide.

Source: Facebook

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is sponsoring a parliamentary petition that calls on the federal government to classify any “limitation” of LGBTQ rights in Canada as a form of genocide.

The petition, e-6497, was initiated by Donald Friesen of Brandon, Manitoba. It opened for signatures on May 26 and will remain open until July 25.

The petition claims that the human rights of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Canada are “endangered” and argues that the existence of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ notwithstanding clause allows governments to override those rights.

It calls on the federal government to declare the removal of federal rights and freedoms for LGBTQ Canadians as a form of genocide, to make such rights permanent, and to prevent them from being subject to the notwithstanding clause.

The petition does not cite any current laws that revoke or reduce LGBTQ rights but asserts that the possibility of such actions creates “huge distress and negative consequences” for the community.

May, who represents Saanich–Gulf Islands, is listed as the sponsoring MP.

The notwithstanding clause, Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, allows federal or provincial governments to pass laws that operate notwithstanding certain Charter provisions for renewable five-year terms.

It has virtually never been used in matters involving LGBTQ affairs.

The petition calls on the government to label any legal limitations on LGBTQ rights as a form of genocide.

Under the United Nations Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as acts intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The definition does not include political or social identity groups.

As of Monday morning, only 406 people had signed the online petition since it opened one week ago.