Statement by Minister Marci Ien to mark the start of Canada’s Pride Season

June 1, 2022, Ottawa, Ontario – The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, today issued the following statement to kick off Pride Season in Canada.

“Today marks the start of Pride Season, a special time to celebrate the diversity and many contributions of LGBTQ2 communities across Canada, and to reflect on the road toward inclusion, equality, and appreciation.

It’s also a time to remember the trailblazing activists that risked everything to fight for equality. We owe so much to the change-makers who came before us, and the people that fearlessly share their stories. By living their truth and advocating for LGBTQ2 rights and protections, LGBTQ2 Canadians have helped to create a safer, and more inclusive Canada for LGBTQ2 people and all Canadians.

Their journeys weren’t easy, and significant challenges remain today. LGBTQ2 people continue to face disparities, and these challenges are further amplified for people with intersecting lived experiences, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized people.

Over the past year, we’ve made some incredible progress to build a more equitable and inclusive Canada. For example, we announced an extension of up to $7.5 million for community-informed initiatives to help overcome key issues facing LGBTQ2 communities. We launched a call for proposals for LGBTQ2 project funding to provide supports and services to those who need it most. We unveiled the design of the LGBTQ2+ National Monument, Thunderhead – a stunning landmark that will embody the strength, activism and hope of the LGBTQ2+ communities. It will be a lasting testimony to the courage and humanity of those who were harmed by the LGBT Purge and its homophobic and transphobic laws and norms. 

New commitments through Budget 2022, including $100 million over five years to support the implementation of the forthcoming Federal LGBTQ2 Action Plan, will build on this progress. The launch of the Action Plan, expected later this year, will promote LGBTQ2 equality, protect LGBTQ2 rights, and seek to address longstanding discrimination against LGBTQ2 communities.

We have made remarkable progress, but there is still more work to do, and we each have a part to play. This Pride Season, I invite you to share your messages of solidarity for LGBTQ2 people using the hashtag #Pride2022, and use your channels to celebrate the advocates, survivors, and community leaders who continue to shape Canada’s diversity and inclusivity.

Later today, we will raise the Progress Pride Flag on Parliament Hill as a reminder that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression has no place in our country.

Enjoy the celebrations, and Happy Pride everyone!