A day after a majority of Progressive Conservative MLAs chose not to stand in the chamber during a statement recognizing Transgender Day of Remembrance, the fallout extended throughout the legislature, with government MLAs frequently taunting the Tories and the premier labeling the PC leader a “bigot.”
During Friday’s question period, the governing NDP criticized the Tories for remaining seated after the statement, deeming it a detrimental action against transgender individuals.
In response, PC Leader Obby Khan explained his decision to stay seated, citing that the speech veered into political territory and strayed from solely commemorating and honoring the transgender community.
“If the focus was on the lives lost and the hardships faced by the trans and marginalized community, I would have undoubtedly stood up,” Khan conveyed to reporters. “But it was not. It was politically driven and calculated, precisely what this NDP government aimed to achieve.”
The address on Thursday was delivered by Logan Oxenham, MLA for Kirkfield Park and the first openly transgender individual elected to Manitoba’s legislature. Oxenham commenced by recognizing Transgender Day of Remembrance as “a solemn day to pay tribute to the lives of transgender and gender-diverse individuals lost to violence, discrimination, and hopelessness.”
Oxenham underscored that transgender individuals are still subjected to “targeted political assaults,” citing Alberta’s utilization of the notwithstanding clause to safeguard three bills impacting transgender youth and adults from legal challenges, which Oxenham condemned as “appalling and detrimental.”
The Alberta government has defended the bills as measures to safeguard the welfare of children and youth and enhance parental access to information and decision-making authority over children. However, critics argue that the bills infringe upon rights due to misinformation.
Oxenham emphasized that Manitoba has taken a different approach that aligns with the transgender community. He urged all political leaders in the province and country to denounce the misuse of the notwithstanding clause to undermine Charter rights and to stand up for the rights of every transgender individual, particularly transgender children, to live, flourish, and be liberated.
Premier Wab Kinew denounced the Tories’ conduct as a “cowardly display,” particularly singling out Khan for his refusal to acknowledge Oxenham’s statement, questioning the inconsistency in the Opposition leader’s approach to different communities.
Kinew criticized the Tories for what he viewed as a pattern of discriminatory behavior against the transgender community, referencing the party’s previous election pledge to expand parental rights, which Kinew labeled as “anti-trans,” and the four Tory MLAs who dissented from the caucus in 2024 and voted against a bill establishing a Two-Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility.
Kinew went on to brand the Tory leader as a “bigot,” emphasizing his disapproval of Khan’s actions.
Khan countered by suggesting that the NDP was leveraging the situation for political gain, highlighting the absence of acknowledgment for the transgender community members present in the gallery during the speech and the lack of a request for a moment of silence to honor those who had lost their lives.
Describing the speech as politically motivated to create division among Manitobans, Khan defended his decision not to applaud or stand. He refrained from commenting on the notwithstanding clause in Alberta, stating that it falls outside his jurisdiction.
Khan also expressed uncertainty regarding Kinew’s stance on the notwithstanding clause, highlighting Kinew’s criticism of the clause while also aligning with other premiers in denouncing a recent Supreme Court ruling on child pornography and advocating for the clause’s application.
Despite the accusations of bigotry from the premier, Khan denied the allegations, suggesting that the Speaker of the House should have deemed the language used as “unparliamentary.”