Religious figures who have expressed negative attitudes towards LGBT and Muslim people have been facing opposition and protest from concerned citizens and religious leaders in Vancouver.

Supporters of a federal bill that will include trans people in the Human Rights Act faced off against a New Westminster pastor who has been against it.

Trans rights activists turned up at the New West Community Church to confront Pastor Paul Dirks on March 5, according to CBC News.

Dirks has led a campaign against Bill C-16, which would legally protect transgender people against discrimination. The bill was introduced by Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould on May 17.

On the Woman Means Something campaign website, Bill C-16 is described as "a Bill that completely undermines and destroys women’s rights, freedoms, protections, and identity under the law. It seeks to provide a voice from a wide range of backgrounds, from family-values voters on the right to feminists and lesbians on the left."

Signs against Bill C-16, addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, were posted in Vancouver's West End in February.

In other local news involving LGBT issues and religion, U.S. evangelist Franklin Graham stirred controversy when he headlined a three-day evangelical Christian event in Vancouver.

The Greater Vancouver Festival of Hope was held at Rogers Arena from March 3 to 5.

Graham has expressed discriminatory attitudes against Muslims, LGBT people, and refugees. He has called Islam "a very evil and a very wicked religion".

He also has called for a boycott against Disney due to the depiction of a same-sex couple kissing and the inclusion of a gay character in Beauty and the Beast.

https://twitter.com/Franklin_Graham/status/837350570784669697

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and 14 local leaders from Anglican, Catholic, Christian, and evangelical groups met on February 10 to discuss concerns about Graham and to have him removed from the event.

On February 24, religious leaders representing over 60 percent of Christians in the Metro Vancouver area signed an open letter expressing concerns about his potential to incite hostility.

Meanwhile, a petition launched to express opposition to Graham gathered 2,000 signatures.