Doug Ford didn’t have to attack queer and trans people to win. Pierre Poilievre should follow his lead

This content was created by Xtra’s branded content team alongside Pride At Work Canada, separate from Xtra’s editorial staff.

Doug Ford’s recent election win stands out for what it didn’t feature: an explicit attack on queer and trans communities. In an era where some political leaders have chosen to advance their agendas on the backs of marginalized groups, Ford’s approach is refreshing.

Ontario’s Conservatives have largely avoided the inflammatory rhetoric and policies that we’ve recently seen in other provinces where gender identity and human rights issues have been thrust onto the centre stage of our politics and public discourse.

In Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith has introduced policies that limit access to healthcare and education for trans youth. In Saskatchewan, Premier Scott Moe pre-emptively invoked the Notwithstanding Clause to insulate his government’s restrictive policies from judicial review by the courts.

Blaine Higgs, New Brunswick’s former premier, rolled back public education policies designed to support vulnerable youth: a move that contributed to an exodus of moderates from his party and the defeat of his Conservative government in an election last fall.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has abandoned its role as a global advocate for human rights under the second Trump administration. Rolled back protections at home and sidelined LGBTQI+ issues in foreign policy are emboldening right-wing movements worldwide. The rise of “parental rights” campaigns and anti-trans policies in Canada mirror the broader trend of manufactured culture wars that have taken root in the U.S. and are now being weaponized by some Canadian premiers.

The policies implemented by Smith, Moe and Higgs aren’t rooted in broad public demand or evidence-based policy: they amount to a political strategy capitalizing on U.S.-style culture wars and largely manufactured divisions within Canadian society.

Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has skipped the page in Doug Ford’s playbook that avoids targeting vulnerable queer and trans people for political gain. Instead, the Conservative leader has parroted the rhetoric of Smith, Moe and Higgs allowing his own language on trans rights to become increasingly hostile.

This shameful rhetoric not only puts trans and gender-diverse people at further risk, it obscures the realities of gender-based violence in Canada.

So far, Doug Ford has charted a very different path to his federal counterpart.

The premier’s approach to winning elections has lied at the crossroads of addressing affordability concerns, implementing pro-worker reforms and rapidly expanding major transit and infrastructure projects. When asked a year ago whether his government intended to follow in the footsteps of Smith, Moe and Higgs, Ford promptly poured cold water on the idea.

You can agree or disagree with Ford’s vision for Ontario, but the premier deserves credit for steering clear of divisive cultural battles for political gain. After winning three-back-to-back majority governments, it’s undeniable that Ford’s approach has reaped great political success for him and his party.

Despite Ford’s approach contrasting with other Conservative premiers and the federal party, it still doesn’t equate to a firm commitment to advancing and protecting human rights.

During his first term, Ford’s government attempted to rollback Ontario’s updated sex education curriculum, albeit before reinstating most of it.

And to this day, community organizations advocating for queer and trans people continue to highlight gaps in funding for essential services: particularly in areas ripe for investment such as housing and addictions support.

Seven years into his premiership, it’s clear that Ford’s approach to politics places pragmatism over ideology. But if political circumstances change, there is no guarantee that his government wouldn’t give in to the tempting winds of what’s expedient to win and maintain power.

When political leaders face declining popularity, they often look for scapegoats to galvanize support.

If the human rights of queer and trans people continue to be perceived as optional – and not as the fundamental rights they are, then our communities will remain vulnerable to the shifting political calculations of our elected officials.

Recent developments in New Brunswick where newly elected Premier Susan Holt reversed some of Blaine Higgs’ controversial policies demonstrate the importance of maintaining vigilance. But reversals of harmful policies should be the floor, not the ceiling, when advancing human rights for queer and trans people.

This all underscores the need for stronger, permanent protections that safeguard human rights, regardless of the political climate. Too often, workplace initiatives aimed at supporting queer and trans employees are positioned as goodwill gestures rather than fundamental commitments to equity and human rights. 

These goodwill gestures lack teeth leaving queer and trans people vulnerable to political backlash and shifting corporate priorities. By helping employers ground their work in their human rights obligations, Pride at Work Canada ensures their commitments are resilient, principled and not subject to reversal when external pressures mount.

While our political leadership is always in a state of flex, our human rights must be seen as a constant – regardless of what party holds the keys to power or which way the political winds are blowing.  

With a consequential federal election now underway, Pierre Poilievre must follow in Doug Ford’s footsteps. It’s critical that all our political leaders reject the toxic bigotry that fans the flames of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

History and recent events in Canada and the U.S. have taught us that when the political winds turn, queer and trans people are among the first to be hung out to dry. We must create the conditions so that history doesn’t repeat itself.

Colin Druhan is the Executive Director of Pride at Work Canada.

Colin Druhan (he/him) has been at the helm of Pride at Work Canada since 2014 steering the organization through significant growth. A champion for community-led initiatives, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which funds grassroots efforts to fight HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. 

A former Chair of Volunteer Toronto, Canada’s largest volunteer centre, Colin is committed to public service. In 2020, he was named a DiverseCity Fellow by CivicAction, a recognition that underscores his dedication to inclusive civic engagement. Originally from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Colin earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from NSCAD University in Halifax. He supplemented his skills through executive education programs at the Rotman School of Management and Cornell University. In 2020, Colin completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at the Harvard Business School.