Could this election see a made-in-Canada 'rainbow wave'?

Canadians are headed to the polls in a pivotal federal election amid a global forecast for human rights characterized more by storm clouds than peaceful horizons. 

The recent election of Donald Trump to a second presidential term has put an undeniable chill down the collective spines of advocates for queer and trans communities and our allies.

Here at home, recent changes to provincial laws in Alberta, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have turbocharged conversations around the need to reinforce gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation as protected human rights grounds in Canada. 

But blatantly anti-trans laws in some provinces and rising anti-queer hate globally aren’t merely daunting challenges: they’re calls to action for queer and trans people to step into leadership roles. 

What better time to do so than during a consequential federal election campaign?

Queer and trans people often don’t see themselves reflected in government, politics and election campaigns. It’s no wonder: of the 338 MPs that served in the last Parliament, only eight identified as members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.  

There has never been an openly trans Member of Parliament. While there have been historic milestones at the provincial level, such as the election of Logan Oxenham, trans representation at the federal level remains elusive. That could change this year: if elected, Calgary Centre’s NDP candidate Beau Shaw would become the first openly trans man ever elected to Canada’s House of Commons.

At Pride at Work Canada, we support hundreds of employers, many of them Canadian divisions of global corporations and federal crown corporations, in meeting their duty to uphold human rights across all grounds, including sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. 

We’ve partnered with Canada’s non-partisan Pride Caucus to strengthen dialogue and foster support among MPs and senators from across the political spectrum. These connections, along with our research, have given us insights into the power and resilience of leaders who often break barriers as the “only” or the “first” in their fields.

With a spring election underway, it’s worth reflecting on the last federal election in 2021 when only 62 queer and trans candidates ran for office: a noticeable drop from the 74 identified in the 2019 election. 

This dip occurred before the American-led surge in anti-trans policies began spreading north. That wave of more than 500 bills limiting human rights on the grounds of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation was met with a corresponding “rainbow wave” of queer and trans candidates running for office — and winning. 

Over the past five years, the number of openly queer and trans elected officials in the US has risen by a staggering 191 per cent.

Fifty-four years after the We Demand Rally, the first large-scale demonstration on the steps of Parliament Hill in support of human rights for queer and trans people, it’s high time that queer and trans Canadians champion a rainbow wave of our own. 

Despite the increasingly perilous situation for the human rights of queer and trans people on every continent, we’ve witnessed hopeful progress in Canada: the creation of the cross-party Pride Caucus in late 2022 has empowered legislators from across the political spectrum to come together to amplify community voices and advance equality. 

The work of the Pride Caucus mirrors the growing queer and trans representation in the US.

As the rainbow wave of US campaigns demonstrates, change only happens when we collectively step up to the plate to make it happen. As we enter the final week of an election dominated by the US-Canada trade war, it’s critical that the queer and trans communities mobilize. 

Our call to action: get up to speed on the issues, engage your local candidates, join a campaign in your community or go the extra mile and run yourself. Regardless of your gender and orientation, your perspective matters. When you show up, you remind the world of this reality. 

There is no shortage of challenges and risks associated with running for public office, many of which are unique to being queer or trans. 

According to research from the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, a US non-profit, almost 80 per cent of American queer and trans candidates fear harassment or attacks due to their identities. Almost as many say that voters question their electability for the same reason. 

These challenges are exacerbated by the meteoric rise of online hate across every platform imaginable. Unfortunately, online hate targeted at the queer community doesn’t just stay online: it often escalates to physical threats and violence with trans people most at risk. 

Despite the storm clouds, I’m optimistic about the opportunity this election represents for heightened queer and trans engagement. Our community is already shaping Canada’s economy, communities and civic life in significant ways. 

But too often, our voices are muted or discarded altogether by well-funded efforts to discredit us and limit our human rights. 

In this election, if you’ve got something to say, this is your moment to be heard beyond the ballot box. 

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