The Million Person March, also known as #1MillionMarch4Children, was held on September 20 across Canada to voice parents’ opposition to teaching Sexual Orientation and Gender Ideology (SOGI) in schools.
The protest saw around 10,000 supporters gather in Ottawa, chanting “Leave our kids alone” and expressing their disapproval of the school curriculum, which allows children under 16 to decide to change their gender or pronouns without parental consent.
Event organizer Kamel El-Cheikh rallied the crowd with a promise to defend children and parents’ rights relentlessly. He also shared an incident where he felt bullied by New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh, promising to make Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “eat their words”.
Peoples Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier and Christian Heritage Party leader Rod Taylor were present at the rally, with both pledging their ongoing opposition to teaching gender ideology. El-Cheikh expressed his pleasure with the unity shown at the march, bringing together people from various faiths to protect Canada’s children. Pastor Rene McIntyre echoed this sentiment, stating that the education system has crossed a line and that it was time to take a stand.
However, the march faced resistance in the form of a counter-protest by pro-gender ideology demonstrators. The counter-protesters arrived as the march was about to begin, leading to a tense standoff.
The police managed to keep the two groups separate. It was later revealed that public sector unions had organized a Zoom call prior to the event in an attempt to thwart the Million Person March.
The event featured an array of speakers, including Pastor Henry Hildebrandt, high school student Josh Alexander, and former 700 Club host Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson. Nathan Pawlowski, the son of Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski, received particular applause. He criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s crackdown on civil liberties, drawing parallels between current events and his family’s experiences with Nazism and communism.
In his speech, Pawlowski emphasized that the decision to educate children rests with parents and families, not the government. He warned against the dangers of indoctrination and stressed the importance of unity in pushing back against overreach by governments and school teacher unions.
