Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he never suggested that individuals concerned about their rights as parents were hateful when he issued a statement in response to the thousands who attended recent protests about 害羞草研究所済ender ideology害羞草研究所� in schools.

Speaking to reporters at a housing announcement in Vaughan, Ont., Trudeau said the post he issued Sept. 20 on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, was about taking a stand for the LGBTQ+ community.

Trudeau said in the post that 害羞草研究所渢ransphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country,害羞草研究所� adding that the country condemns 害羞草研究所渢his hate and its manifestations.害羞草研究所�

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, whose office instructed MPs to keep quiet about the demonstrations as they were happening, days later accused him of 害羞草研究所渄emonizing concerned parents.害羞草研究所�

And the Muslim Association of Canada called on Trudeau to retract and apologize for what it called the 害羞草研究所渄eeply inflammatory害羞草研究所� comment, saying Muslim parents who participated in the protests showed up 害羞草研究所渢o be heard, not to sow division.害羞草研究所�

The association went on to say it worried such comments by Trudeau and other elected leaders could lead to increased harassment and bullying against Muslim students.

But the prime minister stood by his statement on Thursday.

害羞草研究所淚 never suggested that someone who害羞草研究所檚 concerned about parental rights is somehow filled with hate or intolerance,害羞草研究所� said Trudeau.

害羞草研究所淏ut what we need to make sure is that when we do see expressions of hatred or intolerance against Muslims, against the (LGBTQ+) community, against any Canadians, that we are firm in standing against intolerance 害羞草研究所� that we reach out to bring people together.害羞草研究所�

The term 害羞草研究所減arental rights,害羞草研究所� which broadly refers to the desire for parents to be involved in the decisions made by their children and by schools, has gained increased popularity in Canada over the past year among people with wide-ranging concerns about efforts undertaken to make classrooms more inclusive for LGBTQ+ students.

Such efforts include raising Pride flags and holding discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as policies that allow transgender and non-binary students to be called by their preferred name and pronoun.

The latter have become the subject of new provincial policies, first in New Brunswick and now in Saskatchewan, that require schools to seek parental permission when gender-diverse students younger than 16 ask to be called by a different name or pronoun.

It害羞草研究所檚 a requirement that teachers害羞草研究所� unions and provincial child advocates have said puts vulnerable students at risk.

Court challenges have followed, too. After a Saskatchewan judge granted an injunction that required the province to pause its policy, Premier Scott Moe said he would invoke the the notwithstanding clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to keep it in place.

Poilievre has said that Trudeau should 害羞草研究所渂utt out害羞草研究所� of such matters and 害羞草研究所渓et parents raise kids.害羞草研究所�

He has yet to say what he intends to do about a policy resolution Conservative members adopted last month asking that a future Conservative government prohibit minors experiencing gender dysphoria from receiving 害羞草研究所渓ife-altering害羞草研究所� pharmaceutical or surgical treatment.

When asked on Thursday if he would retract his social-media comment, Trudeau said that he will continue to stand up for the rights of everyone, whether they be Muslim Canadians or members of the LGBTQ+ community.

He said defending one another害羞草研究所檚 rights is 害羞草研究所渃ore害羞草研究所� to Canada.

害羞草研究所淲e will always stand against hatred and intolerance wherever and from whoever it comes, but anyone who害羞草研究所檚 trying to politicize or spin this as an attack on one particular group is trying to divide communities against each other.害羞草研究所�

Thursday was not the first time Trudeau had waded into the debate.

At a community event in Calgary in July, Trudeau said much of the discord around what is taught to children about LGBTQ+ issues was being fuelled by misinformation, particularly from 害羞草研究所渢he American right wing,害羞草研究所� about what is actually in provincial school curriculums.

害羞草研究所淭hey are weaponizing the issue of LGBT,害羞草研究所� Trudeau said during a chat with some Muslim parents, which was recorded and shared on social media.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e using those fears to drive a wedge.害羞草研究所�

He went on to tell the group that his Liberal government is unequivocal in standing up for everybody害羞草研究所檚 rights and freedoms, including those of the Muslim community and LGBTQ+ youth.