Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of 2SLGBTQIA+ groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.
Johnson was kicked out of caucus last May after her September 2022 comments comparing transgender children in schools to having feces in food became public.
On Wednesday, the board of the Red Deer-South Constituency sent Smith a letter saying that Johnson had sufficiently apologized for her comments and asked for her to be reinstated to the UCP caucus.
"Member Johnson has, in our view, sufficiently made amends for her comments that came to light during a closely fought election last spring. It is our view that the time has come to move past this incident and welcome Member Johnson into caucus."
On Saturday, the premier’s office issued the following statement.
“The Premier’s previous comments on this topic stand and there has been no decision made to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson to Caucus.”
The Lacombe Pride Society, along with HOME, RDQCA and Central Alberta Pride, as well some other queer agencies, said they “have seen no real tangible steps forward to indicate she has moved past these egregious beliefs.”
Letter from Red Deer-South constituency office to Premier Smith
In May 2023, Johnson issued an apology for the comments.
“I apologize for the way I discussed these issues in September of 2022,” she said. “I have nothing but love and compassion for everyone equally and am embarrassed that I have caused hurt in this way.”
Lacombe Pride board member Jonathan Luscombe said in the letter that after Johnson was elected, vandalism and homophobia surged in central Alberta, “from Ponoka United Church’s pride crosswalk being vandalized, to a home of our society’s board member being targeted 12 times with vandalism, theft and threats in the span of one month.”
The letter called for Johnson to lay out tangible steps she will take to rectify the situation, recommending that she take courses from “some of the leading queer organizations in Canada” while also attending local events.
In an interview with CTV News, Luscombe said, “What we need to see is real tangible steps that she has taken or is taking in order to make sure that this doesn't happen again.
“If an elected official can say those things about queer kids, and still be elected by a two-thirds majority in her riding," Luscombe added, "what stops anyone else from using those same things against someone to justify their hateful behavior?”
With files from Tyler Barrow
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cellphone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things 'full circle'
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
'Endless Shrimp' just one misstep for Red Lobster as it eyes bankruptcy protection
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
B.C. man shot sex worker in the back during drug-fuelled birthday, court hears
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
'Inhumane conditions': 68 dogs pulled from Winnipeg home
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
Driver said he smoked pot oil, took medication before Florida crash that killed 8 Mexican workers
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.