Sudbury students protest cancellation of anti-bullying event
Sudbury students protest cancellation of anti-bullying event
There were protests Monday in response to a decision by the Rainbow District School Board to cancel an anti-bullying event that contained drag elements.
A student says the board told him it was too political and hypersexual.
Billboards and chants of ‘Classroom not a closet’ echo the hurt and anger amongst a group of students at Sudbury’s Lo-Ellen Secondary School.
Ra’Jah Mohamed said the school board decided to cancel the Courage Across Canada Tour for Anti-bullying Campaign International Day of Pink event at the last minute, despite the fact organizers followed proper procedures.
The presentation included elements of drag, which Mohamed said he believes led to the event’s cancellation.
“To call it hypersexual is one thing, calling it political is another thing,” Mohamed said.
“And then to not respond to our concerns and our voices in the petition that has over 2,700 signatures, it’s crazy and it’s completely, completely disingenuous.”
Now, the event will go ahead at College Boreal instead.
Mohamed said it’s the sound of silence from the school board that sends a message of its own to LGTBQ+ students.
“That their queer kids are not going to be listened to, they’re not going to be valued at rainbow district school board schools,” he said.
“That’s clear from how they’ve been treating this -- that’s how they’ve been treating us.”
Grade 10 student Lily Rose Lachance said she was infuriated by the school board’s decision.
“Every bit performative activism they try to shove in our faces as proof they’re progressive, while going around pulling stunts like this,” Lachance said.
“We will not back down. We exist. And that’s not stopping.”
There were protests Monday in response to a decision by the Rainbow District School Board to cancel an anti-bullying event that contained drag elements. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News)
Sudbury MPP Jaime West said the event was to allow people to feel seen.
“I think it’s important to recognize this was age-appropriate, this was educational, this wasn’t going to be a drag show, this was about people feeling represented,” West said.
The Rainbow board declined a request for an interview to comment on the protest, deferring to a statement it sent last week.
Students CTV News spoke with said they would like the school board to offer an apology to acknowledge the hurt they say they’ve caused.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a leaked cellphone call, commiserated with a COVID-19 protester about his trial while divulging to him there was an internal dispute over how Crown prosecutors were handling COVID-19 cases.
The Canada Revenue Agency will pilot a new automatic system next year to help vulnerable Canadians who don't file their taxes get their benefits. This week's federal budget says the Canada Revenue Agency will also present a plan in 2024 to expand the service, following consultations with stakeholders and community organizations.
Months after Canada's ban on foreign homebuyers took effect on Jan. 1, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has made several amendments to the legislation allowing non-Canadians to purchase residential properties in certain circumstances.
When the doors close at night at the administration office at Yukon's Carcross Tagish First Nation, a van hits the road and drives through the communities to offer naloxone to reverse overdoses, drug testing kits, food and even a friendly face to help those struggling because of the opioid crisis.
To help offset rising living expenses, the Government of Canada has introduced a one-time grocery rebate for low- and modest-income Canadians. Here is what we know about the rebate.
After a man was fatally stabbed outside of a Vancouver Starbucks in front of dozens of witnesses, video of the attack is circulating on social media, raising questions about why nobody stepped in to help.
Toronto city council will decide Thursday whether to grant the TTC the authority to withdraw up to $15 million from its reserve funds to deal with “unbudgeted measures” addressing health and safety.
The Canada Revenue Agency will pilot a new automatic system next year to help vulnerable Canadians who don't file their taxes get their benefits. This week's federal budget says the Canada Revenue Agency will also present a plan in 2024 to expand the service, following consultations with stakeholders and community organizations.
Parents had their say at a Vimy Ridge Public School town hall as the Ottawa-Carleton District School board addressed concerns around harassment and bullying.
Fire crews remain on scene of a blaze in east London. The call came in around 1:30 a.m. for a structure fire at 720 Cabell St. near Roberts Avenue and crews immediately started a defensive fight from outside the building.
Train whistles in Walkerville were discussed a committee of council meeting Wednesday night. Residents want the Essex Terminal Railway (ETR) to stop running trains between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
A beautiful sunny day is on the way for Windsor-Essex. The temperature will be slightly cooler than the average for this time of year with Friday being the warmest day of the week at 14 C with rain showers expected.
It's been two weeks since a major fire ripped through a heritage building in the heart of Old Montreal, killing seven people and forever altering the lives of families across the globe. For the families of those who died, the grieving process is only starting.
The CAQ government has unveiled its long-promised plan to improve Quebec's public health network. Tabled at the Quebec legislature Wednesday by Health Minister Christian Dubé, Bill 15 promises a major shakeup.
A young man found wounded late Wednesday night in the parking lot of a shopping centre in northeast Montreal is believed to be the victim of an earlier shooting in the same area. Montreal police (SPVM) reported Thursday morning that the 18-year-old man's life was no longer in danger.
The eve of the release of the final report from the inquiry into Nova Scotia’s 2020 mass shooting is a reminder for residents of Portapique of their small community’s traumatic past.
After British Columbia singled out a Nova Scotia practitioner for writing thousands of Ozempic prescriptions to Americans through pharmacies in metro Vancouver, officials in Nova Scotia began looking into the matter.
A Manitoba family has launched a lawsuit alleging their 23-year-old son had a stroke days after receiving a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving him legally blind.
A Winnipeg judge is set to make a court ruling on Thursday in the trial of a retired priest accused of assaulting a woman while she was a student at a residential school more than 50 years ago
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
A 15-year-old girl shot to death in the community of Martindale early Tuesday morning, has now been identified by friends and police as Sarah Alexis Jorquera.
Calgary police say they've arrested a woman in connection with a stabbing at the Lions Park LRT station that stemmed from a fight between several people.
A United Conservative Party candidate in Lethbridge claims teachers are exposing students to pornography and gender reassignment without parental knowledge.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta's energy regulator has defended its finding that the province's largest recorded earthquake was caused by oilpatch activity, saying the pattern of temblors since last fall clearly points to a water disposal well even though there's no suggestion rules were flouted.
Cloudy skies in the Edmonton area this morning. But, after a bit of light snow overnight, it looks like the city and surrounding areas are pretty much done with the precipitation for today.
The Riverview Hospital itself has been closed for more than a decade, but 289 people are currently receiving treatment for mental health, addictions or both at the old site.
Vancouver city council has asked staff to shape a policy that would require grant recipients to engage with officials in a "respectful manner," a move that one political scientist says suggests an attempt to prevent or punish criticism.
After a man was fatally stabbed outside of a Vancouver Starbucks in front of dozens of witnesses, video of the attack is circulating on social media, raising questions about why nobody stepped in to help.
There were protests Monday in response to a decision by the Rainbow District School Board to cancel an anti-bullying event that contained drag elements. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News)
