Trudeau says he's 'standing up for minorities' by opposing parents rights

After delivering a housing announcement in Edmonton, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed he’s standing up for minorities: when he opposes Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s parent-friendly policies on gender transition. 

“I think everyone well knows my stance on standing up for minorities and being there for the LGBTQ community,” Trudeau told a reporter.

“The question I think people should be asking is, why has the right suddenly decided to attack the LGBTQ community?” 

“Daniel Smith just brought forward some of the most difficult policies against vulnerable youth that the country has ever seen. And I heard [Conservative leader Pierre] Poilievre went off against the LGBTQ community again this morning.”

Poilievre has said he is opposed to providing puberty blockers to children under the age of 17 and accused Trudeau of fomenting “hatred” against parents who are concerned about children having access to sex change operations. 

Trudeau said that is just evidence of “right-wing politicians” “trying to stir up as much as possible” and “that they don't want to be talking about housing.”

Poilievre recently released a video about the escalating housing crisis in Canada. 

But the prime minister insisted the Conservative leader would rather talk about “wedge issues designed to facilitate anger and frustration and alarm.”

Trudeau made the dubious claim that his recently rebranded Canadian carbon rebate was fairly compensating Canadian families for the carbon tax on gasoline and heating fuel that will be hiked again on Apr. 1. 

“So far-right politicians pick fights with trans kids; shame on them. And of course as a government, we're going to be there to protect our most vulnerable but let's not allow them to successfully deflect from the fact that they have no plans to deal with the real issues facing Canadians right now.”