On the Trans Day of Remembrance, there’s a flag raising at 12 o’clock, and there are a number of esteemed guests in the gallery today who are here: Rev. Cheri DiNovo—of course, the former member of provincial Parliament—and she is joined by Rev. Junia Joplin from the Metropolitan Community Church. We also have members from the community at large: Stephanie Woolley, Monika Gontarska, Arson Gontarska, Tomasz Kosut, Aleksander Kosut, Anastazja Kosut, and Keith McCrady.

Welcome to your House.

Five days ago, a Niagara Catholic District School Board trustee compared the flying of the rainbow flag to that of flying the Nazi flag. This hateful comment was made one day after the Minister of Education suggested to the school boards to “celebrate Pride in a constructive, positive and meaningful way to affirm 2SLGBTQ students.”

My question to the minister is, since the Niagara Catholic board won’t uphold their responsibilities in the Accepting Schools Act, will he now show the leadership that the clergy here are asking for today, who ask that he issue a ministerial order to direct all publicly funded schools in Ontario to raise the rainbow flag for Pride Month?

Today, we are joined by clergy from many Christian denominations who have come here today to share a message of unity and love for the 2SLGBTI community. Their Pride Month unity message has been signed by over 500 clergy and lay leaders in Ontario, representing 70 municipalities. These Christian leaders are asking us to be loud and clear and to take decisive action to ensure that 2SLGBT people, especially students, are safe in schools.

The Premier has boasted about marching in York Pride, yet he won’t take action to mandate safe school environments for 2SLGBTI students, families and teachers.

Does the Premier not realize that by refusing to raise the rainbow flag at all publicly funded schools, his declaration of support in marching in the York Pride parade rings hollow and performative?

Words are important, but only effective when followed by real action. During Pride Month, rainbow flags will be raised across Queen’s Park, city halls and many other public buildings, but not at the York Catholic District School Board, as six trustees voted against the rainbow flag.

Yesterday, the Minister of Education offered empty words when asked about how he would keep students safe. Hours later, he issued a memo to school boards without even mentioning the rainbow flag. What will this Conservative government actually do to protect students? I would offer him one suggestion: He can issue a ministerial directive to the school boards to ensure that the rainbow flags are flown at every single publicly funded school in Ontario.

Interjections.

Yet the government is cutting funding to Pride organizations. Pride Toronto received $250,000 in 2021, $170,000 less in 2022 and this year they were capped at $125,000, half the money that they received just two years ago. Ipsos has reported that Pride Toronto contributes $589 million to Ontario’s GDP, and $37 million in direct provincial tax revenues last year alone. These cuts couldn’t have come at a worse time.

If you want to show up to march in the Pride parade, I suggest you show up with a cheque. Will the Premier reinstate their funding this year?

Interjections.

Yesterday at the York Catholic District School Board, they voted 6 to 4 to not fly the rainbow flag. This was based on a recommendation that came directly from their committee—the gender, sexuality and Catholic education committee. That committee recommended that they do fly the flag, saying that it would be consistent with the pastoral mission of the Catholic church.

We know that suicide is the leading cause of death for young people, and that number is multiplied many times for the 2SLGBT community. We’ve seen the anti-2SLGBT hate statistics rise in Ontario by 64%, and yet this government remains silent. We need to know: When will the minister say something, make a statement, and what will you intend to do to keep students safe?

To the Premier: Last June, the Norwich BIA put up pride banners, only to have dozens removed, vandalized and then burned. This week, Norwich town council voted to ban pride flags from municipal properties and then rejected proclaiming Pride Month, which is coming up in June.

Since the Premier has not spoken up against the hateful rise of homophobia and transphobia in Ontario, I’d like to ask him today: Will he break his silence and commit to working with the Ontario NDP to pass our bill, the Keeping 2SLGBTQI+ Communities Safe Act, as quickly as possible?

This week, an angry mob also turned up at the York Catholic District School Board, where they disrupted a meeting to intimidate the trustees to vote against Pride Month and raising the flag for their community. This is not the first time that the police were called in to contain homophobic violence. If the Premier is unwilling to adopt our anti-2SLGBT strategy hate crime plan, what is the Premier’s plan to keep students safe? What is he going to do while they attend publicly funded schools?