It is an honour to rise to celebrate Pride Month. June is a vital month to celebrate Pride and to advocate for the human rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in every community in this province. I’ve had the privilege of marching in many Pride parades in communities of all sizes across Ontario over the years and I’ve always been inspired—inspired by how people come together to show solidarity and allyship with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. It is essential, now more than ever, that we honour and celebrate the history, struggle and resistance of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community: resistance to anti-2SLGBTQIA+ violence, hate and systemic injustice that we are sadly still confronting today.

Pride is about coming together and standing up for change, resisting oppressive norms and creating space for every person to be seen, heard, cared for and included in our province. It takes so much strength and courage to combat hate with love, to confront violence with solidarity and to overcome injustice with pride. Thanks to the activism of 2SLGBTQIA+ community, we can be proud of how far we have come as a province. But, Speaker, let’s be honest: We must also acknowledge that there is so much more to do.

I’m especially concerned about the rise of hateful, targeted attacks on trans folks in Ontario and across North America and the pushback on 2SLGBTQIA+ symbols in some corners of society today. It is a reminder that we, as elected officials, have a special responsibility to push back against hate in our words, our actions and our laws. All of us in this House, regardless of party, have a special responsibility to push back against hate and to ensure that we build inclusive, caring communities that embrace 2SLGBTQIA+ neighbours.

I want to thank the faith leaders who are here today for having the courage to stand up and speak about how we care for each other. To everyone in Ontario, have a safe and happy Pride.

We are proud to celebrate Pride Month alongside our 2SLGBTQIA+ friends and neighbours. This month and every other month, we have an obligation to uplift our communities that have for too long had their voices diminished.

During Pride Month, we celebrate the strength, achievements and diversity of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. With continued discrimination, it is vital to come together and show the beauty and talent of this community while advocating for a more inclusive future for all. Let’s use Pride Month to ensure that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is seen and heard, so that our friends in future generations, who too often face barriers in letting their true selves shine, might see themselves represented as leaders and role models in their community. That’s what Pride is all about.

The parades are fantastic and the community spirit is inspiring, but most importantly, it’s a chance for us to make everyone feel welcome. Pride Month is a time to reaffirm our support of the community, which has long been an integral part of who we are. Let’s raise our voices so others might see them and feel safe. To all my friends, happy Pride, be safe, be happy and always be yourself.