Nearly half of Canadians believe gender reassignment surgery on minors and the prescription of hormones to children should be banned, according to a recent poll.
According to the Leger poll conducted on behalf of Postmedia, about 45% of Canadians support a total ban on gender reassignment surgeries on minors, while 11% believe they should be allowed to have gender reassignment surgeries “without parental consent.” to carry out.
Nearly 30% of respondents said these medical procedures should be allowed with parental consent, the Brantford Expositor reported.
The survey results were released shortly after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced sweeping changes to transgender policies across the province last January.
“Making permanent and irreversible decisions about their biological sex from a young age can seriously limit a child’s choices in the future,” the United Conservative leader said in a video address as she announced the new regulations.
Ms. Smith unveiled new rules that strengthen parental consent for transitioning youth in schools, impose a comprehensive ban on mastectomies and genital surgeries for minors, and place restrictions on prescribing hormones to treat gender dysphoria.
Andrew Enns, executive vice president of Léger, noted greater engagement from participants from Canada's Prairie provinces, who have recently seen increasing tensions in the public debate over transgender rights.
The survey was conducted online February 9-11 among 2,439 Canadians aged 18 and over.