OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he believes “biological males” have no place in sports or change rooms that are labelled female.

Poilievre was asked at a news conference about his position on whether transgender women should be allowed in spaces that are labelled for women and whether he would introduce any legislation to stop it.

Poilievre told reporters he believes “female spaces should be exclusively for females, not for biological males.” 

That is in line with a policy resolution Conservative party members voted for at their convention last fall, which says that women should have access to “single-sex spaces” in areas like prisons, bathrooms and sports.

The discussion also mimics the debates across U.S. state legislatures that have prompted lawmakers to ban transgender individuals from using spaces that align with their gender identity. 

Poilievre says many of the spaces in question are controlled by provinces and municipalities so it is unclear what role the federal government could play.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb.21, 2024. 

The Canadian Press