Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed that he does not support the use of puberty blocking hormones for minors under the age of 18.
Poilievre has faced questions over his position at several media appearances since Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced plans to ban puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children aged 15 and younger.
Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill Wednesday, Poilievre said he is against the use of puberty blockers for children, and that parental rights and children should be protected.
Until Wednesday morning, Poilievre had not said outright that he supports Smith’s stance, instead saying that he supports parental rights and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should “butt out” of parents’ decisions and leave issues of schools and hospitals to provincial governments.
During his exchange with reporters, he asked them to state what ‘medical interventions’ they were referring to in their questions.
After some delay, with reporters telling Poilievre to check with his own party members as to what these interventions were, one reporter asked directly about puberty blockers and hormone treatments.
“For minors?” asked Poilievre.
“Yes,” said several reporters.
“Irreversible?” asked Poilievre.
His followup question drew a momentary pause in the dialogue before a flurry of indiscernible questions came in.
“I think that we should protect children and their ability to make adult decisions when they’re adults,” said Poilievre.
“You are against puberty blockers for children under the age of 18, to be clear,” followed up one of the reporters.
“Yes,” responded Poilievre.
He then went on to say that Trudeau would ultimately back down on this issue as well, accusing him of only using it as a wedge issue to divide Canadians and distract them from the soaring cost of housing and his quadrupling of the carbon tax.
