THEGAYUK

Tag: Canada News

Get the latest LGBT+ Canada news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Canada.

  • Why is online homophobia being ignored?

    Why is online homophobia being ignored?

    A shocking campaign shows how real life homophobia and transphobia is dealt with in minutes by law enforcement, but online hate can fester for years and years.

    A brand new campaign has set out to show the impact of online homophobia and transphobia.

    Every day thousands of homophobic and transphobic messages are posted online and some of these vile messages made their way onto a disturbing billboard in real life.

    Passersby were shocked by what they read and within twenty minutes the police had been called and the removal of the printed messages was underway.

    However, the filmmakers are keen to stress that these same messages still appear online.

    The powerful video, filmed in Canada, dubbed “Brutal postings” was created for the International Day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and is asking people to flag and report hate they see online.

    The video starts with a stark fact, that every 23 seconds an anti-LGBT message is posted online.

    Filmmakers set out to show what happens when homophobic and transphobic messages that have been published online are printed onto black and white cards and then pasted to a huge billboard.

    The result is a shocking wall of hate, which soon attracts the disgust of passersby, who remark at how vile the words are and that the huge billboard needs to be removed.

    Some of the messages target the trans community, while others focused in on the gay community.

    Within minutes the police are called and the messages are removed – but why doesn’t that happen online?

    Recently UK reality star, Bobby Norris shared some horrific anti-gay online hate directed at him. In early 2019 he started a petition which he delivered to 10 Downing Street asking the government to make online homophobia a specific crime.

    He managed to garner over 100,000 signatures to support his campaign.

  • Toronto’s gay serial killer pleads guilty to eight murders

    Bruce McArthur has pleaded guilty to the murder of eight men in the city of Toronto.

    Bruce McArthur pleaded guilty on Tuesday (January 29) to the first-degree murders of eight men between 2010 and 2017. McArthur appeared at the Superior Court of Justice, in Toronto where he entered guilty pleas for the killings of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, Majeed Kayhan, Skandaraj (Skanda) Navaratnam and Abdulbasir Faizi, Selim Esen, Soroush Mahmudi, Dean Lisowick and Andrew Kinsman.

    Despite pleading his crime he did not answer as to why he had killed the men.

    During their investigations, detectives found dismembered human remains in some 20 planters at a property which was used by McArthur. Detectives on the case made an extensive search of more than 30 other properties that are linked to McArthur.

    Seven of McArthur’s victims were known to Toronto’s gay community, and some of them were also immigrants from South Asia or the Middle East.

    During the trial, the court heard how many of his victims were dismembered and buried in planters. McArthur was a self-employed landscape gardener.

    Toronto Police detective David Dickinson said, “We are pleased that McArthur has pleaded guilty, sparing the communities and families a lengthy trial.

    “This is the best outcome… I hope we can start bringing some closure to the families and the communities.”

    The police have not yet finished investigating cold cases with Dickinson adding, “It’s not ending any time soon.”

    When asked why McArthur committed the murders, the Detective added, “I don’t know if we will ever know why.”

    Arthur will be sentenced in early February.

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  • Eighth charge in Canada serial killer probe, John Doe identified


    A Canadian landscaper accused of serial killings targeting Toronto’s gay community was charged Monday with an eighth murder after police identified the victim from a photograph seemingly taken after his death.

  • Accused serial killer in Canada charged with seventh murder

    Bruce McArthur has been charged with a seventh murder.

    Bruce McArthur has been charged with a seventh murder.
    Bruce McArthur has been charged with a seventh murder.

    The man accused of killing multiple men in Toronto, Bruce McArthur, 66 has been charged with a seventh murder after human remains were allegedly found inside large planters at an address in Canada.

    McArthur made an appearance, via a video link from a detention centre, at a court in Toronto, where the new charge was read to him.

    The charge relates to Abdulbasir Faizi, who went missing in 2010. His car was found in early 2011 close to a property used by McArthur to store gardening equipment, according to local reports.

    The gay community of Toronto have been shaken by the grim discovery of bodies, thought to be of gay men from the city.

    Investigators have found dismembered human remains in some 20 planters at the property’s garage. So far only four of the victims have been identified, one includes that of Mr Faizi, and another a former boyfriend of McArthur, Andrew Kinsman. All of whom went missing from Toronto’s gay village.

    So far, police have charged McArthur for the first-degree murders of Andrew Kinsman, 49; Selim Esen, 44; Dean Lisowick, 47; Soroush Mahmudi, 50; Majeed Kayhan, 59; Skandaraj Navaratnam, 40; and Abdulbasir Faizi, 42.

    Detectives on the case, have also searched more than 30 other properties that are linked to McArthur.

    Local media reports that police made the decision to arrest McArthur in January when, during surveillance of his property, saw a young man enter his property. Detectives found the man, unharmed, but tied up on a bed.

  • More human remains found in planters in Canada serial killer case

    A forensic search uncovered more human remains hidden in large planters used by a Toronto landscaper and alleged serial killer charged with murdering gay men, Canadian police announced Monday. Authorities appealed to the public for help in identifying one victim from a photograph seemingly taken post-mortem. (more…)

  • Canada ‘serial killer’ charged with sixth murder

    A landscaper accused of killing Toronto gay men was charged Friday with a sixth murder after human remains found hidden in large planters were matched to a missing person. Bruce McArthur, 66, was arrested in January following an investigation into the disappearances of two men from a predominantly gay neighborhood in downtown Toronto last year, which led police to the planters at a property that he used for storage. (more…)

  • Suspected Serial Killer Charged With Murdering 5 Men

    A self-employed landscaper is currently facing five first-degree murder charges, Toronto Police Service (TPS) said. Bruce McArthur, 66, was arrested Jan. 18 on two first-degree murder charges for his alleged involvements in the deaths of Selim Esen, 44, and Andrew Kinsman, 49. (more…)

  • Canada ‘serial killer’ linked to five deaths, targeted gay men

    A landscaper charged in the deaths of two Toronto gay men is a suspected serial killer, police said Monday, as they linked him to three additional victims and scoured sites around Canada’s largest city for more remains. (more…)

  • Justin Trudeau wore brilliant Eid Mubarak socks

    In a powerful show of unity, Canada’s President, Justin Trudeau was reaching out to more than just the gay community this past weekend.

    As Toronto Pride was in full swing this year, Canadian President, Justin Trudeau was doing his bit. Proudly waving and joining in with the festivities, but it was what was under his trousers that caused the biggest stir.

    Embed from Getty Images

    To celebrate the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Mr Trudeau wore brightly coloured socks with “Eid Muburak” written across them. Eid Murburak means Blessed Eid which is a traditional Muslim greeting reserved for use on the festivals of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. The word Eid means”celebration” and Mubarak means “blessed”.

    https://twitter.com/flahertykeely/status/879097657490153472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinknews.co.uk%2F2017%2F06%2F27%2Fthis-is-why-justin-trudeau-wore-ramadan-socks-to-toronto-pride%2F

    Speaking about his decision to wear the socks President Trudeau said,

    “It is all about including people.

    “This is why I am happy to wish a Eid Muburak to everyone of the Muslim faith.

    “It’s all about how we celebrate the multiple layers of identities that make Canada extraordinary and strong, and today we celebrate with the entire LGBTQ community.”

    Last year President Trudeau became the first President to take part in an LGBT+ parade and since his inauguration, he has overseen progressive equality legislation for the LGBT+ community.

  • Toronto Pride parade goes ahead without police in the parade

    Toronto Pride went ahead this weekend with the exception of one long-running supporter in the parade, the police force.

    Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans police officers in Toronto did not take part in this year’s event after Black Lives Matter protestors disrupted last year’s parade and demanded that they be excluded from the parade along with other requests, which the organisers signed on the spot – without consultation.

    Black Lives Matter said it had launched its objection to hold Pride answerable for its “anti-blackness”.

    Instead of taking part in a parade which was on their home turf, 100 TPA officers and civilians marched in the New York City parade.

    The Pride organisers were keen to clarify that the force was not “banned” saying that LGBT officers were welcome to take part with “select conditions”. They were asked not to include “uniforms, weapons, and vehicles”.

    They said,

    “We welcome and encourage their participation to add to Pride this year as members of our community. LGBTQ+ police officers and their allies can march in the parade with community groups, with the City of Toronto, or even create their own group.

    “We are simply requesting that their participation not include the following elements: uniform, weapons, and vehicles.

    “The Toronto Police Service has been involved and supportive to us throughout our festival planning. They will provide all the necessary services to ensure that the festival weekend and parade are secure and successful.

    What Were The Black Lives Matter demands?

    • Continued space, including stage and tents, funding and logistical support for Black Queer Youth.
    • Self-determination for all community spaces at Pride, allowing community groups full control over hiring, content and structure of their stages.
    • Full and adquate funding for community stages, including logistical, technical and personnel support.
    • Doubling of funding for Blockorama to $13,000.
    • Reinstatement of the South Asian stage.
    • Prioritising of the hiring of Black transwomen, Indigenous people and others from vulnerable communities at Pride Toronto.
    • More Black deaf and hearing sign language interpreters for the festival.
    • Removal of police floats in the Pride marches and parades.
    • A town hall organised in conjunction with groups from marginalised communities, including but not limited to Black Lives Matter – Toronto, Blackness Yes and Black Queer Youth, in six months, where Pride Toronto will present an update and action plan on BLM-TO’s demands

    Black Lives Matter did not take part in this year’s parade saying they wanted to ensure their “presence is felt through the parade” through other organisations.

  • Charity urges teenagers to send naked mole rat pictures instead of nudes

    A charity has urged teenage boys to send pictures of naked mole rats instead of their genitals in a bid to prevent criminals obtaining pictures for blackmail purposes

    The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (CCCP) has asked teenage boys not to send pictures of their penises but instead to send pictures of the naked mole rat to prevent cyber criminals from obtaining illicit pictures which they can use to extort and blackmail.

    Executive director Lianna McDonald said,

    “Awareness is critical because you can’t avoid a threat you don’t know about,

    “Sextortion is based on deceiving youth and obtaining sexual images – we need to drive home the Don’t Get Sextorted message that teens don’t send one.

    “We must break down the communication barriers around embarrassing topics for teenagers. Our campaign gives teens, parents and educators an easy ‘way-in’ to a tough conversation.”

    According to the charity, there has been an 89 percent increase in the last two years in sextortion of teenage boys.

    The charity has made downloadable images and memes of the mole rat available, which they have encouraged people to send.