There’s both optimism and disappointment from Thunder Pride as the Trudeau government reveals its Cabinet’s marching orders.
Thunder Pride officials see some focus on LGBTQ2S issues in the mandate letters for the Attorney General and the Ministers of Health, Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, and Justice.
Chair Jason Veltri points out Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu has been instructed to lift restrictions on gay and bisexual men’s ability to donate blood. The ban was put in place in 1992 in response to HIV outbreaks, and currently Health Canada requires men who have sex with men to be abstinent for three months before they can donate blood.
They are also “particularly pleased” that the Trudeau Liberals are committing to ban conversion therapy.
The feds have also created a Ministry of Diversity and Inclusion which will take up the work of the previous government’s LGBTQ2 Secretariat. It focused on LGBTQ2S issues, equality, and addressing discrimination. Veltri says they are “excited and thrilled” at the move, noting they wrote to the Prime Minister after the election asking him to bring back the Secretariat.
However, the group sees some pitfalls in the ministers’ instructions. Hajdu’s mandate doesn’t promise to make HIV/AIDS medication affordable, and also lacks “unrestricted access to preventative sexual health medication” like Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, a daily medicine that can be taken to prevent HIV. Thunder Pride also wanted to see a focus on transgender health and support, and international assistance for LGBTQ2S people.
