Majority of Canadians Uncomfortable With ‘Gender Identity’ Policies: Poll

People hold signs during the 1 Million March for Children demonstration supporting parental rights, in Ottawa on Sept. 20, 2023. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

More than half of Canadians are not comfortable with transgender policies, from sports participation based on “gender identity” to hormone treatment for minors, according to a recent survey.

The Nanos Research and CTV News survey reveals that most Canadian adults feel some discomfort with the policies, with 64 percent having at least some discomfort with students changing their names or pronouns at school without their parents’ knowledge.

The findings provide a glimpse into public sentiment that largely opposes many of the policies that have emerged as key social issues in Canadian political debates.

Provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick have recently passed parental rights legislation that touches on these topics with regard to minors. Canada’s prime minister and Opposition leader have voiced strongly different opinions on the contentious issues.

Just over 57 percent of survey respondents said they had at least some discomfort with a transgender person taking part in organized sports based on their transitioned “gender identity.”

Sixty-two percent of those polled said they are not comfortable with allowing individuals under 18 years of age to have hormone therapy—medication that delays the sexual development changes of puberty or helps to develop sex characteristics for the purpose of changing a person’s gender.

Sixty-four percent of respondents expressed at least some discomfort with schools not notifying parents when their child wants to use a new preferred name or pronoun.

The only gender identity policy with which more than half of respondents said they were at least somewhat comfortable was washroom or change room use. About 34 percent said they were comfortable with use based on users’ “gender identity,” while about 18 percent said they were somewhat comfortable.

The survey was conducted from Feb. 28 to March 2 and polled a random sample of Canadians aged 18 and older.

Provincial Policies

Alberta recently joined Saskatchewan and New Brunswick in enacting legislation that requires parental consent for children under 16 to use a different gender identity or pronoun in schools.

Saskatchewan passed its Parents’ Bill of Rights after two months of intense debate, also requiring parental notification on “important decisions involving their children.”

New Brunswick introduced its parental rights law last June, requiring parental consent for students under 16 wishing to change their names or pronouns.

The province’s education minister, Bill Hogan, said the goal is to support families by involving parents actively in their children’s lives.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced in late January that the province is prohibiting gender-altering surgery for minors and will not permit puberty blockers for those under 16. Parental consent would be required for a child to change pronouns at school, and transgender athletes would be barred from women-only sports divisions.

Individuals aged 15 and under will not be allowed to receive puberty blockers or hormone therapies for gender reassignment therapy. The policy makes Alberta the only Canadian province to restrict gender transition medical procedures on children, aligning with similar bans in several U.S. states.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted to Alberta’s measures by saying they amount to a “fight against LGBT youth.”

“Fight with us to defend the rights of vulnerable Canadians,” he said. “Don’t fight against vulnerable LGBT youth.”

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has said he agrees with Ms. Smith’s policy of not allowing children to take puberty blockers. He has also said biological males shouldn’t compete in women’s sports.

“I think we should protect children and let them make adult decisions when they become adults,” Mr. Poilievre said on Feb. 7.