West Lincoln mayor under fire for remarks about LGBTQ, Indigenous and Black communities

St. Catharines Liberal MP Chris Bittle did not mince words about West Lincoln's mayor Thursday afternoon when the latter said on live radio that identity politics" - which includes the raising of a gay pride flag at municipal halls - has made society more violent and more divisive.

Mayor of West Lincoln wonders What are they (LGBTQ2 community) still fighting for?'" Bittle wrote on Twitter about David Bylsma's Thursday interview on AM radio station 610 CKTB.

The easy answer - bigots like you, Mr. Mayor."

During an interview with CKTB host Matt Holmes, Byslma said while there are injustices in society, there is nothing left for the LGTBQ, Indigenous or Black communities to fight for.

There are always going to be injustices, correct. But in terms of rights, what are they, what are anyone who's flying a flag whether that's Black Lives Matter in America or the Pride flag, what are they still fighting for? Is it necessary? Or have they won?" Bylsma said.

I'm saying identity politics is not working. We have 30 years of identity politics that shows this is not the solution."

Byslma also said he does not support the slogan Black Lives Matter," but likes All Lives Matter" - repeating a talking point that erroneously suggests Black Lives Matters means only Black lives are important.

That is concerning," Bittle said, because the meaning of Black Lives Matter is not that Black lives are the only ones that matter, but that there is systemic discrimination against the Black community. There is a real tone-deafness to his comments that suggests there isn't systemic discrimination.

Bittle said Bylsma's comments about the LGBTQ, Black and Indigenous communities on CKTB show why those communities are still fighting for their rights.

Now is the time for people like David Bylsma and myself to listen to communities like the Black community, like the LGBTQ community, like the Indigenous community and ask what we can do and how we can be part of the solution."

Holmes interviewed Bylsma to ask him about whether West Lincoln will fly the Pride flag during Pride Month. The township is the only Niagara community that doesn't fly the rainbow flag.

Thirty years of identity politics, singling out a particular right or a particular grievance from one community against the next, what has that accomplished?" Bylsma said in reference to the LGBTQ community. After 30 years we're more violent, we're yelling at each other louder and we're becoming more polarized."

Byslma also told Holmes securing and acknowledging Indigenous rights" has made Indigenous people violent.

In addition to being a mayor and Niagara Region councillor, Bylsma is the national president of the Christian Heritage Party, which in 2019 said it wanted to suspend same-sex marriages in Canada.

The party's official platform, under the heading Defend Marriage," said same-sex marriage was forced on an unwilling nation" and suggested children of same-sex parents may be suffering negative long-term effects."

The party wants to end marriage equality until a Royal Commission can study its alleged impacts.

Bylsma declined an interview request from The St. Catharines Standard Thursday, claiming in a text message the newspaper refused to cover the successes he had as chair of Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. He was the first chair of NPCA after it emerged from years of political scandals and controversy.

The Standard covered the actions of the board Bylsma led, along with his denials that human industrial activities contribute to global climate change - a position in keeping with the official platform of the CHP which claims that Canada's major political parties have been duped by anti-industrial global warming' propaganda."

After The Standard published an interview with Bylsma in which he explained his rejection of climate science, he was voted out as NPCA board chair.

I said my opinion this morning," Byslma wrote in his message to The Standard. The flag will likely fly (at township hall) yet this June. But only after an honest debate in council."