For nearly two years, New Brunswick has implemented a policy that requires teachers to use the preferred names and genders of their students. However, Premier Blaine Higgs has introduced a new policy that mandates teachers to obtain parental permission for children under the age of 16. This policy change, which does not require legislative approval, has sparked significant controversy and has the potential to destabilize Higgs’s government.
Critics of the new policy include LGBTQ activists, political opponents, teachers, former public servants, and the province’s child and youth advocate. The opposition to Higgs’s decision has even led to a revolt within his own Progressive Conservative caucus. Additionally, the legislature has passed a motion calling for the government to review the premier’s plan, essentially rebuking it.
The child and youth advocate, Kelly Lamrock, has described the policy as “shoddy and inadvertently discriminatory.” Lamrock is particularly concerned that students who do not want their parents involved will be referred to mental health workers, raising concerns that this could resemble conversion therapy, which is illegal in Canada.
The education minister in New Brunswick has claimed that the government has received numerous complaints about the policy, but when Lamrock requested copies of these complaints, he was only given three emails that did not specifically address the policy and contained homophobic comments.
It is worth noting that Higgs’s decision has faced opposition from national organizations involved in gender issues, including the Canadian Gender Report, which opposes medical transitions for children, gender identity teaching in schools, and the replacement of biological sex with subjective gender self-identity.
Despite the backlash, Higgs remains steadfast in his stance. He has characterized gender dysphoria as a “popular and trendy” phenomenon and argued that the current policy undermines the role of families in raising their children.
The exact reasons behind Higgs’s concern about the policy in recent years are not entirely clear. During a debate on the motion he lost, Higgs mentioned that it was initially implemented in 2020 and only attracted broader attention when people became aware of drag queen story times in libraries. However, a representative of the group that helped develop the policy stated that they had been working on it with the government for around a decade.
Higgs has agreed to allow the child and youth advocate, Lamrock, to conduct a review of the policy, with the report due by the end of August. However, he has not committed to implementing any of the recommendations that may arise from the review. Furthermore, Higgs has indicated a willingness to face an election over the policy, even in the face of opposition from his own caucus.
Gail Costello, a retired teacher and co-chair of Pride in Education, a teachers’ group involved in the development of the now-revoked policy, believes that Higgs has a broader agenda in mind. She suggests that targeting Policy 713 could potentially lead to changes in the curriculum and the removal of certain books from schools. Costello remains confident that the premier’s plan will ultimately be struck down by the courts.
In other news, wildfires continue to ravage northern Quebec, with smoke affecting other regions. A road tragedy in Manitoba claimed the lives of at least 15 people, while the company behind the popular Instant Pot has filed for bankruptcy protection. On a more positive note, the Vegas Golden Knights have won the Stanley Cup in just their sixth season.
Ian Austen, a journalist with The New York Times, has been reporting on Canada for the past 16 years. Feedback on the newsletter and Canadian events is encouraged and can be sent to [email protected].
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