ONTARIO – With a provincial election looming, The Rainbow Collective and 23 2SLGBTQI- organizations are rallying together to ensure that candidates across all party lines have 2SLGBTQI+ issues on their election agendas.
Jason Veltri, president and co-founder, Rainbow Collective, said, “We are facing rising anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate around Ontario, and we have a Queer/Trans youth mental health and homelessness crisis that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. In this election, we are collectively using our voices to call on all provincial parties to step up and do more when it comes to meeting the needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities here in Thunder Bay, but more specifically in the north. We need to see a provincial 2SLBGTQIA+ action plan created; we need to see drastic improvements on Trans health care and gender-affirming services in Ontario.”
The 2SLGBTQI+ Coalition calls upon the next government to act on a growing number of concerning issues within the region. Jason Veltri highlights three policy priorities. They want all party members to develop a provincial 2SLGBTQI+ action plan coordinated with a 2SLGBTQI+ appointed secretariat to ensure that homophobia and transphobia education is at the forefront. The action plan will ask for a $25 million in an annual funding program for community and social services that will commit to tackling homelessness and poverty and a call for action on gender-affirming healthcare coverage and access to affordable HIV medication.
Jessy Bogacki, vice-president of Inclusion and Education, said, “The evidence is overwhelmingly clear: 2SLGBTQIA+ youth are struggling. The communities are seeing increased episodes of hate and harassment, increased social disparity and homelessness due to family situations, under employment and lack of opportunities. Despite this, 2SLGBTQIA/GSD+ organizations are chronically underfunded and have been dreadfully neglected by provincial governments. This election, we need all parties to recognize that saying we are included isn’t enough; it’s time for clear and actionable plans to support grassroots organizations in Ontario. That must come with financial resources, true action on gender-affirming care and action to address homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in communities across Ontario.”
The Queer Vote Ontario initiative includes a survey for local candidates and a town hall to encourage candidates to share their voices on the Coalition’s call to action.
The Coalition also urges the public to show their candidate that they believe a 2SLGBTQI+ action plan is needed within their communities by pledging to vote with a letter-writing campaign that tells candidates that an action plan needs to happen now so the next generation does not fall prey to systemic discrimination.
