Among many people we ran into at this year’s Edmonton Pride, we had a chance to talk to Randy Boissonnault, MP for Edmonton Center, one of six openly LGBTQ MPs serving in the Canadian Parliament, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on LGBTQ Issues.

Celebrating the size of this year’s festival, Randy told us how Edmonton Pride has grown exponentially. "When I see the number of families, the number of kids, the number of allies marching with us...we’re talking about 70,000 people just along the parade route, thousands of people marching...the parade route maxed out this year." Even on a very chill and damp June day, everyone was out, happy, and expressing solidarity.

As well, Randy mentioned besides the big city events, the great thing about the growing acceptance and evolution of Pride was the rapid establishment of Pride festivals in smaller communities (e.g. Morinville, Fort McMurray,  Taber). Randy believes this is because more and more people realize we are stronger because of our diversity. "We’re all just people, and that expression of belonging is really important."

Randy also appreciated this year there was more attention given to the Treaty 6, Two Spirit aboriginal, and people of colour communities. One important issue we are seeing in our communities is dealing with the question of intersectionality (i.e. within your life you may have multiple identities intersect to create a larger identity different than the separate parts – identities like gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, age, etc. etc.). "So, if you are female, queer, a person of colour, and disabled, how does federal policy actually get to you? Chances are it struggles to do so. That’s why we have to work with our provincial counterparts, our municipal counterparts in civil society so we can get to people and make sure they have all the needs and supports that are important in their lives so people can lead the kind of lives they want to lead."

Prime Minister Trudeau actually wanted Randy for these two roles as he felt much of the policy surrounding the LGBTQ community requires change. They recently finished up the transgender rights legislation (currently it’s in the process of becoming law, having just received Royal Assent), and they’re working to make sure data on gender and sex information is used strategically. Furthermore, individual segments within the community are of concern, Randy told us. "I’m also personally preoccupied: if you take a look at homeless youth populations, 40-50% of the population is LGBTQ youth because their parents simply kicked them out. And in 2017, we have to find better solutions to that."

Creating open safe spaces within our community still needs to happen – for example, many LGBTQ seniors face going back into the closet when they move to assisted living lodges. Work still needs to be done, but change is happening. "Here in Edmonton Strathcona, maybe three to four weeks ago we were able to attend the launch of Ashbourne assisted living where for the first time, a United Church certified Affirming community at Ashbourne...so the staff was trained, all of the residents were interviewed, and LGBTQ seniors are welcome. It’s wonderful – first one in the country!"

In addition, the federal government is working on an apology to LGBTQ citizens for being fired from the federal public service, "...we will make that official apology before the end of 2017. We’re working on it, we want to do it sensibly and responsibly – that is our solemn pledge." As many LGBTQ people still remember, it’s hard to be fired for being gay. "It’s a human right...you have a right to be employed, to make your living just the same as everyone else does, and that’s where the Human Right protections are really important for trans Canadians and for all Canadians."

This is also why the federal government is working hard not JUST to protect rights in Canada, they’re also promoting equal rights for LGBTQ people on the international stage.  "We’re honored to have sought the co-chairship of the Equal Rights Coalition (http://www.gaycalgary.com/u793), we’re continuing to work inside the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States, the Francophonie, and the United Nations to make change happen around the world."

"Every country is on its own path of evolution, and over time the long arc of history bends towards justice", yet Canada is hoping to help escalate change. Sometimes you can work directly with the government of that country, but sometimes you’ll have an extremely homophobic country with no interest in protecting rights of LGBTQ citizens. The workaround is to team up with international support organizations/non-governmental organizations to press for change, or sometimes to rescue refugees.

With these LGBTQ refugees, Randy is working closely with both the minister of Immigration and the minister of Foreign affairs to make sure they have a workable, broad policy. They’re working with Rainbow Railroad and companion LGBTQ refugee organizations across the country, and really stress if organizations or groups want to come together and sponsor a refugee fleeing their country because of sexuality or sex expression discrimination, reach out to his office, let them know through the website – http://canada.ca/free-to-be-me. You can find them on Twitter @freetobeme_ca

It’s about $30,000 to sponsor a refugee for a year, which is why Randy was saying community groups tend to come together to make the work happen. "Canada is a leader in this field and we’ll continue to be. We also are going to make sure our policy response is broad so we can continue to make strides in this area." You hear the stories people face in their own country, so Randy insists there’s still a lot of work to do. "At the end of the day we’re all Canadian, we’re all citizens of the world, and we all just want to belong."

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Contributor Evan Kayne | Steve Polyak |

Locale Edmonton |

Person Randy Boissonnault |

Topic Interview | Politics | Transgender | Video |