I used to fault former federal Conservative leader Erin O’Toole for cozying up to the extremists in the Tory base. I hate to admit it, but these days I’m looking back on his reign with a certain nostalgic longing. O’Toole only played footsie with the extremists. Current Tory leader Pierre Poilievre kisses them.
I am absolutely disgusted with the way Poilievre has lately sided with social conservatives who have declared war on transgender people.
Some years back, I was the volunteer secretary for a transgender support organization. I heard many heartbreaking stories of discrimination, harassment, bullying, violence and suicide intervention — part of being transgender. Poilievre and his social conservative buddies are making the situation much worse.
I’m a life-long nerd. I have some sense of what it’s like to feel that you don’t fit in anywhere — that you can’t be yourself, that you have to hide who you are. I know that transgender people have it 10 times worse than I ever did.
You know what’s funny? Trans people have been better about accepting me than so-called mainstream society. Hey, Pierre, how about you focus on issues that affect the majority of Canadians, like the high cost of groceries and the shortage of affordable housing?
Anti-trans rhetoric from social conservatives and their enablers puts trans adults and kids at risk for physical harm. Trans people get beat up and murdered over this stuff. Using already vulnerable people as pawns to score votes and donations is beyond skeevy.
Petra Seyffarth, Regina
Muslims major contributors to community
Many people of Regina and Saskatchewan have contributed to the multicultural fabric of Canada. Here in Regina, those attending the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque have done many deeds of benevolence.
The mosque, with its men and women, has established many worthwhile projects for the good of our populace.
The following come under that category: Run for Regina, with proceeds to the Circle Project; donating and building a play-structure at Standing Buffalo Reserve; introducing police training graduates to Islam; hosting First Nations speakers at mosque during the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; hosting Voices for Peace with speakers from the Jewish, Christian, First Nations and Muslim sectors; food drives every December with non-perishables going to the Regina Food Bank; clothing drive by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association in December; blood drive-donating every autumn; and Canada Day celebrations at the mosque.
These are just a few of the Ahmadiyya Mosque’s contributions to our communities. Professionals such as Arslan Ahmed, Safeer Ahmed and Dr. Habib Rehman, as well as wives and older children have especially been very generous with their time and resources.
Thank you Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque for all you have done and continue to do.
Randall Cobbledick, Regina
