The first openly transgender person to run for the federal Conservatives warns that a policy adopted by the party over the weekend could harm gender-diverse children if it ever becomes law.

However, Hannah Hodson said she feels it害羞草研究所檚 unlikely the contentious policy would be a top priority for the Conservatives if the party is voted into power.

害羞草研究所淚f these policies (are) passed, people are going to die, children are going to die in this country without access to any gender-affirming care,害羞草研究所� said Hodson, who ran for the party in the 2021 federal election in Victoria, B.C.

Party delegates voted in favour of a future Conservative government prohibiting 害羞草研究所渕edicinal or surgical interventions害羞草研究所� for gender-diverse and transgender children on Saturday. The vote came during a three-day policy convention in Quebec City.

The proposal, which passed with assent from 69 per cent of the voting members, came from a riding in British Columbia.

However, like past leaders, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has said he is not bound to include the policies adopted at party policy conventions into an eventual election platform.

After the proposal that any future Conservative government prohibit 害羞草研究所渓ife-altering medicinal or surgical interventions害羞草研究所� for those under 18 was accepted, Hodson posted online about the betrayal she felt.

害羞草研究所淭o all the (Conservative Party of Canada) people who have told me they love me, support me, and would fight for me, and who are now telling me to calm down and just go along with this,害羞草研究所� she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

害羞草研究所淚 see you and I will not forget.害羞草研究所�

The vote comes as the issue of children and gender identity is gaining traction among Conservatives in both Canada and the United States.

Hodson said Canadian politics is beginning to resemble the American playbook.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a long and storied history of political actors using vulnerable minorities in order to early on achieve power, raise money,害羞草研究所� she said in an interview. 害羞草研究所淚t is like, 害羞草研究所楬ey look over there, not over here at this other serious problem, that we害羞草研究所檙e not fixing.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Hodson said she began distancing herself from the Conservative party after last year害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy害羞草研究所� protests in Ottawa, where she and her friends were subjected to harassment.

She finally withdrew her membership when New Brunswick instituted a policy in June requiring students under 16 who are questioning their gender identity to get their parents害羞草研究所� consent before teachers can use their preferred first names or pronouns at school.

害羞草研究所淧ierre Poilievre gave it tacit approval,害羞草研究所� Hodson said. 害羞草研究所淭hat really just was the last straw.害羞草研究所�

Poilievre was asked about the province害羞草研究所檚 decision earlier this summer, and he suggested Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should stay out of the issue, saying he believes the matter is one for the province and parents to decide.

His office has not yet responded to a request for comment since Saturday害羞草研究所檚 vote.

Saskatchewan has also ushered in changes requiring schools to seek parental consent if a child under 16 wants to be referred to by a different name or pronoun.

Over the weekend, delegates at the Conservative convention voted on a suite of amendments to the party害羞草研究所檚 policy handbook, ranging in issues from foreign affairs to the environment and health.

They also passed a motion to amend Conservative policy to say the party believes women should have access to 害羞草研究所渟ingle-sex spaces害羞草研究所� in areas like prisons, bathrooms and sports. That motion passed with 90 per cent of delegates害羞草研究所� votes.

Helen Kennedy, executive director of the LGBTQ advocacy group Egale Canada, said the wording specifically targets transgender people.

害羞草研究所淭rans women are women, and trans women have a right to use women害羞草研究所檚 bathroom,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no debate about that.害羞草研究所�

She said the next federal election will likely come as housing costs soar, health-care systems fail and life becomes increasingly unaffordable.

害羞草研究所淏ut we害羞草研究所檙e having an election over trans rights,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲hen we just want to be left alone.害羞草研究所�

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