00:03:38.000No, actually, our goal is not to teach about LGBTQ.
00:03:47.000Actually, our goal is to provide alternatives for people and kids to go and see something different and something bright and, you know, learn about being themselves and accepting themselves.
00:04:14.000So, as you can see, I decided to wrap up my report here at home.
00:04:17.000So, when I arrived at the venue, I immediately introduced myself to the organizers as a journalist.
00:04:22.000And when the event started, I began recording.
00:04:24.000It was shortly thereafter, and you saw it at the beginning of the video, where the organizers asked me to step outside and they informed me that they weren't permitting the recording of the event.
00:04:33.000The only people that were allowed to record the event was going to be the library.
00:04:37.000A journalist wasn't allowed to record, a parent wasn't allowed to record, and a concerned taxpayer wasn't allowed to record the event.
00:04:43.000So, the only people with footage of the event is the Pickering Public Library.
00:04:48.000The event organizer then asked for my contact information and showed me downstairs, where he told me I was allowed to record what was going on on a TV screen where a live feed of the event was being displayed for an overflow crowd.
00:05:00.000I spoke with Maxim Kryukov of the Durham Children's Aid Society.
00:05:04.000He's the one you see at the beginning of the video introducing the men to the children.
00:05:08.000I asked him why he felt that the event was appropriate to be marketed for children, given that it's on public property at a public library.
00:05:14.000We all know that drag performances are held at bars where alcohol is involved, and it's clearly an adult thing.
00:05:19.000It's clearly not designed for children.
00:05:21.000So, I asked him why he felt that an event like this, specifically for kids, was appropriate to be held at a public library.
00:05:29.000Why would an event like this be targeted specifically for children rather than, for example, at a library rather than for the general public?
00:05:36.000It's actually targeted at the general public, but we also wanted to send a message to all the children that there's safe spaces where they can go no matter what they feel they are,
00:05:47.000and they know that they can be safe and accepted there and have fun.
00:05:50.000So, interestingly, he told me that the event wasn't specifically for kids. It was for the general public, even though the Pickering Public Library website clearly states that it's for 0-12 year olds.
00:06:02.000What's even more wild is that he told me he doesn't even believe the event itself is sexual in nature.
00:06:08.000He doesn't believe that men wearing women's outfits, showing off their legs, and dancing for little children and toddlers is sexual in nature. Just watch this clip.
00:06:17.000The program was billed as a, you know, dancing story time and all that. Do you see that criticism as being valid that this is a sexualized and in nature sort of event?
00:06:27.000I don't see anything about it to be sexualized, to be honest with you.
00:06:30.000Okay. So, one observation I had about this event immediately after arriving was that people who organize these sorts of events for children
00:06:37.000aren't expecting anybody to publicly scrutinize or cover their events. They don't expect people to care what they're doing in front of children.
00:06:44.000So, the last thing they're expecting is for a journalist to show up and to start asking them questions.
00:06:48.000I wasn't the only person there who took issue with the event.
00:06:51.000There was one person that I could find protesting the event in the parking lot in a minivan covered in signatures from the Freedom Convoy
00:06:58.000blasting music out of his trunk with a sign that read, Save the Children.
00:07:02.000I asked him why he was there and why he took issue with the event. Here's what he had to say.
00:07:06.000What brings you out here today? Why are you protesting this event? You're the only one I've seen who's protesting here.
00:07:11.000Yeah, no, you got it. I've seen that there's a whole lot of similar events going on in the States
00:07:16.000where you got pictures of kids lying on top of drag queens. You got them putting dollar bills in their panty line.
00:07:22.000Just weird stuff kids shouldn't be exposed to. I mean, the story time itself is a little weird.
00:07:27.000Why you're having a drag queen read kids story books in the first place. I don't see the point there, but
00:07:34.000just we need to not be sexualizing kids the way that people are doing it.
00:07:38.000There's a line that we're crossing that, you know, it's time people need to start saying something about it.
00:07:44.000And lastly, I just want to get a shot of your car here, sir. You've got signatures and messages from all over.
00:07:50.000Where'd you get all these signatures in your car?
00:07:53.000This was right outside the Supreme Court on the convoy and stayed there the entire time.
00:07:58.000Stayed there quite a while after and still out here fighting for freedom.
00:08:02.000The only person with any footage of this event outside of the library is myself.
00:08:06.000That's because the library has refused to release the footage to the public.
00:08:09.000And you won't see any of this coverage from the mainstream media because they're not interested in covering these sorts of events.
00:08:14.000It's only independent outlets like True North who take these issues seriously.
00:08:18.000Now, if you like dark coverage and you like our journalism, consider helping us out by donating to us and supporting our work.
00:08:24.000For True North, I'm Harrison Faulkner.