Calgary's Tegan and Sara call out Alberta government at Junos
Calgary singer-songwriters Tegan and Sara were honoured at this year's Juno Awards for their efforts to support 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
The pair were given the 2024 Humanitarian Award for their work through the Tegan and Sara Foundation in Halifax on Sunday night.
During their acceptance speech, they called out the "discrimination that threatens the wellbeing of the 2SLGBTQ+ community."
They specifically took aim at the Alberta government.
"Threats like the Alberta government's attempts to prevent trans youth from accessing vital care," Sara said.
At the end of January, Premier Danielle Smith announced her government was pursuing legislation that would ban puberty blocks and hormone therapy for children 15 and younger except for those who have already started those treatments.
Smith said 16 and 17-year-olds can begin hormone treatment if they are deemed mature enough and have the approval of their parents, physician and psychologist.
The proposed legislation would also prohibit top and bottom surgery for those under 17.
The award was presented to Tegan and Sara Quin by Halifax-born trans-actor and producer Elliot Page.
"The Tegan and Sara Foundation has one simple mandate — to provide safety and community to 2SLGBTQ+ people," said Page, transitioned in 2020.
"Tegan and Sara have proven time and time again their commitment to ensuring that the lives of 2SLGBTQ+ people are happy, healthy and, most importantly, long."
The sisters also took the time to thank all the organizations they've worked with across Canada.
"Thank you for existing and for standing up for our community. To the many who have come before us and fought before us, we share this honour with you."
Backstage, Tegan told reporters that governments should instead be focused on other issues such as climate change, the fentanyl crisis and affordable housing.
Alberta's proposed legislation regarding trans youth is expected in the fall.
The premier's office said the proposed changes are aimed at supporting the transgender community.
"The government is introducing these policies across several ministries to preserve the choices children and youth have before potentially making life-altering and often irreversible adult decisions," said Sam Blackett, Premier Smith's press secretary, in a statement that did not directly address the comments made by the pop duo.
"To reaffirm our support for the transgender community, we are also providing additional supports to assist transgender adults to secure the health care they need like bringing medical professionals who specialize in transgender care to Alberta."
The legislation is also expected to build a database of doctors for transgender Albertans and launch a pilot project for counselling to help transgender youth and their families.
(With files from CTV Atlantic and the Canadian Press)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.