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Macdonald-Laurier Institute vs. transgender people

Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) is a Canadian public policy think tank involved in anti-transgender activism. MLI has commissioned reports critical of policies impacting trans people, including youth, athletes, and prisoners.

Background

Macdonald-Laurier Institute (L’institut Macdonald Laurier) was founded in 2010.

MLI publishes the periodical Inside Policy and other media.

Anti-trans activism

For 2023 Women’s History Month, MLI held a fundraiser called “Protect Women and Girls from Extreme Gender Ideology Worldwide.” It was led by anti-trans activist Linda Blade, a sex segregationist focused on opposition to transgender athletes participating in sex-segregated competitive sports.

In 2025, a group of 14 anti-trans physicians signed a statement published by MLI that concludes: “So-called “gender-affirming care” has proven risks and harms, but unproven benefits. It is not “life-saving,” but it is permanently life-altering. We are 14 of the many physicians who strongly believe that minors should not be allowed to make such decisions. The self-proclaimed “experts” do not speak for us.”

Signatories:

  • Dr. Arney Lange MSc, MD, FRCPC
  • Dr. Brent McGrath, MD, FRCPC
  • Dr. Chris Millburn MD
  • Dr. David Zitner MD
  • Dr. Dion Davidson MD, FRCSC, FACS
  • Dr. Duncan Veasey MD
  • Dr. Julie Curwin MD FRCPC
  • Dr. Lori Regenstreif MD, CCFP (AM), FCFP
  • Dr. Mark D’Souza MD, CCFP (EM), FCFP
  • Dr. Martha Fulford MD, FRCPC
  • Dr. M.J. Ackermann MD
  • Dr. Richard Gibson MD, FCFP
  • Dr. Roy Eappen MDCM, FRCP (C)
  • Dr. Shawn Whatley MD, FCFP (EM)

Post-publication signatories

  • Dr. Khai Phan MD (May 16)
  • Dr. York N. Hsiang MB. ChB, MHSc, FRCSC (May 16)
  • Dr. Stephen Malthouse, MD (May 16)
  • Dr. Alanna Fitzpatrick MD, FRCSC (May 16)
  • Dr. Gregory Chan, MD (May 16)
  • Dr. Joanne Sinai, MD, MEd, FRCPC (May 20)
  • Dr. Leslie MacMillan, MD, MHSc, FRCPC (emeritus) (May 22)

People

Anti-trans contributors include

Supported media

MLI also shared the following anti-trans pieces from primarily conservative and fascist media outlets:

Epoch Times

EU Observer

  • Marcus Kolga [1]

The Hub

Inside Policy

National Post

Toronto Star

  • Marcus Kolga [1]

Toronto Sun

Washington Examiner

The Times (UK)

UnHerd

Western Standard

  • Peter Menzies [1]

Selected anti-trans publications by MLI

14 signatories (May 14, 2025). Medical organizations and media let Canadians believe gender medicine is safe and universally accepted. It’s not. Inside Policy https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/medical-organizations-and-media-let-canadians-believe-gender-medicine-is-safe-and-universally-accepted-its-not-14-physicians-sign-statement-for-inside-policy/

MLI (June 4, 2024). Alberta’s Gender Policy Sparks Ivory Tower Outcry. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/albertas-gender-policy-sparks-ivory-tower-outcry/

SĂ©rafin, StĂ©phane; Sigalet, Geoffrey (June 4, 2024).The children’s charter: Alberta’s trans policies and legislated rights for children. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/the-childrens-charter-albertas-trans-policies-and-legislated-rights-for-children/

Pew, James (May 8, 2024). Canada’s dangerous commitment to trans-affirming care for minors. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/canadas-dangerous-commitment-to-trans-affirming-care-for-minors-james-pew/

Kaufmann, Eric (February 15, 2024). The politics of culture wars in contemporary Canada. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/politics-of-culture-wars-canada/

MLI (February 15, 2024). Canada is a lot less ‘woke’ than you might think
 https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/canada-less-woke-than-you-think/

Phoenix, Jo (September 26, 2023). Gender diverse prisoners and sex-based patterns of offending. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/gender-diverse-prisoners-and-sex-based-patterns-of-offending/

MLI ( March 8, 2023). 2023 Women’s History Month Fundraiser (domestic). https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/linda-blade-womens-history-month-fundraiser/

Blade, Linda (March 10, 2023). Support MLI’s Work to Protect Women and Girls from Extreme Gender Ideology: Coach Linda Blade launches Fundraiser. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/protect-women-girls-from-extreme-gender-ideology-worldwide/

MLI (February 21, 2023). Allowing male-bodied athletes to compete in women’s sport rejected by female athletes by wide margin. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/allowing-male-bodied-athletes-to-compete-in-womens-sport-rejected-by-female-athletes-by-wide-margin/

Blade, Linda (February 21, 2023). Breaking the silence – Female athletes speak about safe and fair sport in Canada. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/breaking-the-silence-female-athletes-speak-about-safe-and-fair-sport-in-canada/

Kitzul, April (February 8, 2023). Reflections on the impact of gender self-identification policies in the Canadian correctional system. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/reflections-on-the-impact-of-gender-self-identification-policies-in-the-canadian-correctional-system/

Phoenix, Jo (February 6, 2023). Rights and wrongs: How gender self-identification policy places women at risk in prison. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/rights-and-wrongs-how-gender-self-identification-policy-places-women-at-risk-in-prison/

MLI (February 6, 2023). Prioritizing gender identity over sex in prisons endangers female prisoners. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/prioritizing-gender-identity-over-sex-in-prisons-endangers-female-prisoners/

MLI (February 2, 2023). Most Canadians think prisons should continue to house male and female prisoners separately. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/most-canadians-think-prisons-should-continue-to-house-male-and-female-prisoners-separately/

Paul W. Bennett (November 9, 2022). Unsettling the status quo: Stirrings of reform in the school board trustee battlegrounds. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/unsettling-the-status-quo-stirrings-of-reform-in-the-school-board-trustee-battlegrounds/

Zitner, David (September 29, 2022). Gender dysphoria in children: Risking harm from well-intentioned parents and doctors. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/gender-dysphoria-in-children-risking-harm-from-well-intentioned-parents-and-doctors/

Pike, Jon (December 8, 2022). Transgender Women Athletes and Elite Sport – Misleading at best, intellectually dishonest at worst. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/transgender-women-athletes-and-elite-sport-misleading-at-best-intellectually-dishonest-at-worst/

MLI (December 7, 2021). Body check: Reconciling biology and fairness for female athletes while supporting trans inclusion in sport. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/biology-fairness-trans-inclusion-sport-paper/

MLI (August 5, 2021). Webinar Panel Video: A level playing field – Sex, gender and fairness in women’s sport. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/webinar-panel-video-level-playing-field-sex-gender-fairness-womens-sport/

MLI (August 4, 2021). Canadians’ Views on Women’s Sport and Gender Identity. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/canadians-views-gender-identity-womens-sport/

MLI (August 4, 2021). By a four-to-one margin, Canadians believe transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sport is “unfair”: New MLI poll. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/gender-womens-sports-poll/

Media

MLI with Mia Hughes, Abigail Shrier, and Coleman Hughes (January 17, 2025). Coleman Hughes and Abigail Shrier on Identity, Speech, and Policy / MLI. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Vt3EkSjvs

MLI with Peter Copeland and Emma Hilton (October 3, 2024). We must preserve safety and fairness in women’s sport: Peter Copeland and Emma Hilton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zTyzOcFNKc

Resources

Macdonald-Laurier Institute (macdonaldlaurier.ca)

Facebook (facebook.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)