The most recent leader of the PC party and a premier throughout the 1980s disagree with their party’s decision to oppose the 1 Million March 4 Children..In a Facebook post Wednesday, the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador said it “stands firmly” with the sexual minority community..“Party and caucus members have proudly attended each No Space for Hate rally and will continue to do so,” the post said..“Our party agrees wholeheartedly with today’s counter-protest: there is no space for hate in Newfoundland and Labrador.”.The post was accompanied by a graphic that included the No Space for Hate slogan. It surrounded a map of Newfoundland & Labrador embossed with the sexual minorities flag..No Space for Hate is a nationwide initiative backed by organized labour, including the Ontario Federation of Labour, which organized against the march for children with its own counter-protests..The PC party in Newfoundland and Labrador has been without a leader since Ches Crosbie stepped down March 31, 2021 after losing his seat in the provincial election six weeks prior. The Western Standard asked Crosbie if he supported his party’s decision..“They need a leader. And no, I don't agree,” Crosbie said..“The local press are practicing inversionism, attributing intolerance to the pro-childhood folks and virtue to the alphabet soup people. The PC Party has blundered into the same error in their press release. I did not realize how far the sexualization of children in school had gone until I talked to parents at the rally.”.Brian Peckford, PC premier of the province from 1979 to 1989 told the Western Standard, the party’s decision was politics over principle. He said it was misplaced to characterize the march as opposition to a group of people..“The million person march for children was all about parental rights, it was about the right of parents to know what was going on in the school and then related to sexual education, gender education, for their students, for their children and that the parents have a right to know, the right to participate in what their children should be taught,” Peckford said in the interview..“For them to just take this one side without explaining the whole thing about parental rights is very sad. It really is a step back in the Progressive Conservative movement in Newfoundland.”.Peckford already wrote an article on his blog in support of the march prior to discovering the PC Party stance. Peckford, who taught school for five years, said the “core issue” behind the march was that parents had the “obligation” and “responsibility” to “nurture and guide” their children “until they reach the age of maturity.”.“Does the state have the right to withhold crucial information on gender/sex information in which a school is involved from the parents of the children — it is the parents who created the school and provide the money for its functioning, not the other way around,” he wrote..“The school is the servant of the people as is the provincial parliament.”.Peckford, the last living premier present for negotiations leading up to the Constitution Act, 1982, said the same principles that acknowledged “the supremacy of God” in the Charter also acknowledged the “primary position for the family in society.” .The problem, he wrote, was the public had conceded provincial governments, education departments and school boards “full reign” on school libraries, curriculum and teaching. This called for “strategic” action..“Petitions and protests are of some help — but the vested interests, the unions and those who now jealously hold the power and jobs, will sabotage, conflict of interest notwithstanding,” he wrote..“The existing political parties are not to be trusted. They have allowed this situation to be. They have created it.”.On the other hand, Peckford, who retired in Parksville, BC, said in the interview he welcomed the September 20 statement by BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad in support of parental rights..Rustad pledged if he became premier he would remove SOGI123 (sexual orientation and gender identity) materials from schools, give parents “honesty, transparency and accountability” from the education system and reserve women’s sports and bathrooms in schools for biological females.
The most recent leader of the PC party and a premier throughout the 1980s disagree with their party’s decision to oppose the 1 Million March 4 Children..In a Facebook post Wednesday, the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador said it “stands firmly” with the sexual minority community..“Party and caucus members have proudly attended each No Space for Hate rally and will continue to do so,” the post said..“Our party agrees wholeheartedly with today’s counter-protest: there is no space for hate in Newfoundland and Labrador.”.The post was accompanied by a graphic that included the No Space for Hate slogan. It surrounded a map of Newfoundland & Labrador embossed with the sexual minorities flag..No Space for Hate is a nationwide initiative backed by organized labour, including the Ontario Federation of Labour, which organized against the march for children with its own counter-protests..The PC party in Newfoundland and Labrador has been without a leader since Ches Crosbie stepped down March 31, 2021 after losing his seat in the provincial election six weeks prior. The Western Standard asked Crosbie if he supported his party’s decision..“They need a leader. And no, I don't agree,” Crosbie said..“The local press are practicing inversionism, attributing intolerance to the pro-childhood folks and virtue to the alphabet soup people. The PC Party has blundered into the same error in their press release. I did not realize how far the sexualization of children in school had gone until I talked to parents at the rally.”.Brian Peckford, PC premier of the province from 1979 to 1989 told the Western Standard, the party’s decision was politics over principle. He said it was misplaced to characterize the march as opposition to a group of people..“The million person march for children was all about parental rights, it was about the right of parents to know what was going on in the school and then related to sexual education, gender education, for their students, for their children and that the parents have a right to know, the right to participate in what their children should be taught,” Peckford said in the interview..“For them to just take this one side without explaining the whole thing about parental rights is very sad. It really is a step back in the Progressive Conservative movement in Newfoundland.”.Peckford already wrote an article on his blog in support of the march prior to discovering the PC Party stance. Peckford, who taught school for five years, said the “core issue” behind the march was that parents had the “obligation” and “responsibility” to “nurture and guide” their children “until they reach the age of maturity.”.“Does the state have the right to withhold crucial information on gender/sex information in which a school is involved from the parents of the children — it is the parents who created the school and provide the money for its functioning, not the other way around,” he wrote..“The school is the servant of the people as is the provincial parliament.”.Peckford, the last living premier present for negotiations leading up to the Constitution Act, 1982, said the same principles that acknowledged “the supremacy of God” in the Charter also acknowledged the “primary position for the family in society.” .The problem, he wrote, was the public had conceded provincial governments, education departments and school boards “full reign” on school libraries, curriculum and teaching. This called for “strategic” action..“Petitions and protests are of some help — but the vested interests, the unions and those who now jealously hold the power and jobs, will sabotage, conflict of interest notwithstanding,” he wrote..“The existing political parties are not to be trusted. They have allowed this situation to be. They have created it.”.On the other hand, Peckford, who retired in Parksville, BC, said in the interview he welcomed the September 20 statement by BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad in support of parental rights..Rustad pledged if he became premier he would remove SOGI123 (sexual orientation and gender identity) materials from schools, give parents “honesty, transparency and accountability” from the education system and reserve women’s sports and bathrooms in schools for biological females.
