CALGARY — Ottawa is spending $5 million of taxpayer money on "the realization of human rights by LGBTQ2IA+ people and the advancement of gender equality" in multiple Caribbean countries.According to Global Affairs Canada, the feds are sending the money to several of these countries, including "Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname," under its "Building Bricks Caribbean" program.The feds wish to "address the restrictive legal, sociocultural, religious and political norms and structures hindering LGBTQ2IA+ peoples’ access to high quality and comprehensive social, economic and civic services," within the countries.As to what they hope to accomplish by sending the money is the establishment of "LGBTQ2IA+ organizations and networks.".The feds also expect to see more "gender responsive programming" and "LGBTQ2IA+ advocacy," claiming these will be results of the program. Overall, they summarize their spending mission as being to encourage the " LGBTQ2IA+ rights movement in the Caribbean."The money is supposed to be dispersed over the course of four years, beginning in 2024 and lasting until 2028.Presently, almost $2 million has been dispersed among the list of countries.
