Here's what Simcoe-Grey candidates would do to support LGBT+

CollingwoodToday has worked with a journalism student from Algonquin College to prepare a series of questions and answers with Simcoe-Grey candidates for your information. The topics discussed have a particular focus on the issues impacting youth and young adults in Canada, and in the Simcoe-Grey riding.

This series will include seven different articles with one question per article posted over the next couple of days.

This Q and A has been edited down for length and clarity.

The following are each candidate's answers to the following question: What will you do to support youth in the LGBT+ community in your area?

Tony D’Angelo, Veteran’s Coalition Party: I think that this community has come a long way.

I feel that everyone should be treated equally regardless of who you are, and what your beliefs are. That shouldn't come into play in any way shape or form.

I mean we're all people. We should all be treated equally. There should be no special treatment for one individual over another. I think it should be a level playing field for everyone.

Richard Sommer, PPC: People in that community are Canadian citizens and as such, we believe that they should have as much support as anybody else.

We are not too much into, especially on a federal level, providing special benefits for you know people, whether they be of ethnic groups or other groups mentioned. But, by all means, they should have the same rights as any other Canadian as they shouldn’t be discriminated against. We have hate laws that apply to people who might express things against them as well as against any other person. So, they should be protected.

Lorne Kenney, Liberal: We really need to better support our LGBTQ2 youth.

Society is still evolving and, while full acceptance of same-sex marriage is now firmly entrenched as a fundamental right, the values of some Canadians continue to evolve slowly.

I am always delighted when I see Prime Minister Trudeau and other Liberal leaders at the front of gay pride parades (I’ve attended some myself).

We need to encourage and enable LGBTQ2 students and youth in our school system to feel comfortable in their sexual orientation, when they are at an age where the experience of realizing one’s own identity can sometimes be painful.

I was delighted to learn that several local leaders of our own LGBTQ2 community are pursuing an initiative to make the area a welcoming and friendly destination and I support and encourage them.

As the Member of Parliament for Simcoe-Grey I will work to integrate their efforts into the Liberal government’s National Tourism Strategy. This is particularly important for our local LGBTQ2 youth who are seeking economic opportunities as they start their careers.

Terry Dowdall, Conservative: My government, and myself, will defend equal rights for all Canadians. As an MP, I will represent everyone in my riding regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. I will encourage everyone to feel safe and welcome at all events, and ensure that there is no tolerance for intolerance whatsoever.

Sherri Jackson, Green: We think it's critically important that our LGBT+ community is well protected.

We need to beef up our equality rights. We need to make sure that there is no discrimination happening for that community. They face substantial amounts of discrimination already. So we need to make sure that opportunities for renting, opportunities for employment, all of those kinds of things are not being prevented.

We also need to look at mental health protection, suicide prevention, treatment programs, those kinds of things to make sure that people are safe, they are often susceptible to more persecution and more mental health problems as a result of the problems that they face in dealing with community and misunderstanding of people. So we need to make sure that we are creating a gender-equal environment for every Canadian.

Ilona Matthews, NDP: We care about everyone it doesn't matter who they are, what colour they are, what orientation they are, everyone is important.

We need to take care of everyone's needs, we need to educate people and make sure they understand that they are human. They have the same basic needs and they deserve the same opportunities as everyone else.

We are very adamant about this. They need to have programs as well, they need to be included. So inclusivity and diversification is something that we should be proud of.