Government faces criticism as parental rights march draws millions nationwide

A growing wave of opposition to the government’s handling of education policy is set to intensify Friday, as the ‘Hands off our Kids’ movement returns with marches expected to draw upwards of two million participants across the country. The group, advocating for parental rights and opposing what they call the “proliferation of identity politics” in schools, is calling on Canadians to resist government overreach in shaping children’s education.“We are calling on Sept. 20 for parents across Canada to stand up, to stand out, to stand firm, and to speak out,” said Dr. Anne Gillies during a news conference on Parliament Hill on Thursday. The group argues that “sexually explicit content and gender ideology” in schools undermines family values and threatens societal stability. “These ideologies erode family authority and integrity and pose a threat to the stability and security of our society,” added Gillies.The return of the movement follows last year’s marches, which were met with harsh criticism and accusations of hate from some quarters, including LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and unions.Hands off our Kids, however, has rejected these labels, insisting their cause is centred on preserving family rights.“We are a peaceful movement, we do not hate any minority group,” said Kamel El-Cheikh, founder of the group.“I ask our prime minister and all these groups who are smearing us in the media that we are not transphobic or homophobic, whatever that word means. We don’t adhere to the pronouns and what you believe — we respect it, but we’ll respectfully disagree.”Marches are scheduled in cities across the country, with counter-protests by unions and sexual minority groups expected in response. Despite this, El-Cheikh emphasized that the movement is focused on challenging government policies and protecting parental authority, not targeting any specific minority group.As the debate heats up, the government faces growing criticism for what many see as an imposition of controversial ideologies on children without sufficient consultation with parents.