Ontario PC leader promises to scrap Liberals’ sex-ed curriculum if elected

Date: August 31, 2016

Photo Credit To Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS

The curriculum was updated last year for the first time since 1998, although some changes prompted protests from parents.

Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown is promising to scrap the Liberals’ sex-ed curriculum if his party forms government after the 2018 election.

In a letter distributed this week — with days to go before a by-election in the east Toronto riding of Scarborough-Rouge River — Brown wrote that “a PC government would scrap the controversial changes to sex-ed introduced by Premier (Kathleen) Wynne and develop a new curriculum after thoughtful and full consultation with parents.”

The curriculum was updated last year, for the first time since 1998, to include same-sex relationships, and the dangers of online bullying and sexting.

But parts of the curriculum were controversial for some parents, who complained that the government should have consulted them more. Other were angered by mentions of same-sex relationships, gender identity and masturbation.

Tory leader Patrick Brown apologizes for sex-ed ‘mistake’

A Progressive Conservative government would retain Ontario’s updated sex education curriculum and Tory Leader Patrick Brown said it was “a mistake” for his party to claim otherwise.

A Progressive Conservative government would retain Ontario’s updated sex education curriculum and Tory leader Patrick Brown admits it was “a mistake” for his party to claim otherwise.

It’s a major climbdown after his campaign told voters casting ballots in Thursday’s Scarborough-Rouge River by-election that “a PC government would scrap the controversial changes to sex-ed” the Liberals implemented last year.

The revamped syllabus includes Grade 3 students learning about gay and lesbian relationships, Grade 6 pupils being told about masturbation and “gender expression,” and those in Grade 7 being warned of the dangers of sexting.

My sex-ed letter was a mistake: Patrick Brown

The Ontario PC leader says he strongly supports an updated sex-ed curriculum, and never should have sent a letter to voters in Scarborough-Rouge River suggesting the opposite.