Protests this week across Canada, known as the ‘1 Million March 4 Children’, provided an opportunity for parents to stand and be heard, to share their concerns and frustrations over the SOGI 123 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) curriculum being applied in public schools everywhere, in complete disregard for the individual religious and cultural backgrounds of the children and their families.

Tens of thousands of Canadians pulled their children from school that day to attend these peaceful rallies in their communities and neighbouring cities.

Members of Police on Guard and Mama Bears (https://mamabearsproject.com/) attended events from Halifax NB to Victoria BC, standing in support of parents in their fight to protect the innocence of their children and assert their parental rights over these government-supported agendas.

Based on unknown intel, the unions across Canada made the decision to promote a counter-protest against these families, holding meetings where they labeled us as fascists and hate-mongers towards 2SLGBTQIA+ population.

While larger rallies in Halifax, Toronto and Calgary remained mostly peaceful, British Columbia experienced something different.

Vancouver saw a more aggressive turnout of counter-protesters, with tempers boiling over and one arrest made.

In Victoria the counter-protest took a very aggressive position, screaming obscenities at Muslims families while claiming to counter our hate. Two of their members were arrested and the violent and aggressive undertones from counter-protesters rose to the level where police brought in reinforcements and had to escort children off site for their safety. They derided a First Nations leader who tried to welcome them and promote inclusivity. Any attempts to have meaningful conversations were countered with screams of hate and disgust for our sheer audacity to try to preserve our children’s innocence.

Now that the dust has settled hundreds of videos have surfaced showing violent messages of hate from counter-protesters. Those on the side of the parents which, it should be noted, included a number of organizations within the 2SLGBTQIA+ population, have been pushed to wit’s end trying to stop the SOGI movement. And, while some may exist, we have yet to see the same proof of the supposed hate-filled ‘rhetoric’ their organizers claimed we stood for.

We have no issue at all with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, the issue is purely with respect to the SOGI 123 school curriculums and the secrecy with which it is being implemented.

Their chants of ‘trans rights are human rights’ were never disputed. Their screams for acceptance mirrored exactly why we were there; to demand respect for our children in the same way they demand we respect themselves.

No one group should ever have more rights than another; no one should lose their rights in favour of another. We are all equal.

The right to peaceful protest is afforded all Canadians, regardless of cause, and we respect their right to do so as much as we enforce our own. But we were there for a very specific cause that is, for many, the most important cause that exists – the protection of our children. As to the purpose of the counter-protest? Well, that still isn’t clear.