Canada’s Minister for Women, Gender Equality, and Youth has expressed concerns about policies in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick that require parental consent for students under 16 to use their preferred pronouns and names in schools. Marci Ien stated that these policies put transgender and nonbinary children in a “life-or-death situation.” While she did not comment on potential court challenges, Ien mentioned that the Liberal government is closely monitoring the situation.
Saskatchewan recently changed its policy to mandate that teachers seek parental permission before allowing students under 16 to use preferred pronouns and names. The provincial government made this change in response to parental concerns and to establish a uniform policy across all school divisions. The Premier of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, announced this change in light of the summer spotlight on parental consent issues related to sexual health, orientation, and gender identity.
The policy changes in Saskatchewan also led to a suspension of sexual health presentations by Planned Parenthood and other third-party organizations. In June, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs became the first provincial leader to address parental consent, garnering support from social conservatives. The province now requires parental consent for students under 16 to use their preferred pronouns and names, with some exceptions for specific professionals.
These policies have drawn criticism from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, which believes they discriminate against transgender and gender-diverse students. The organization argues that the policies cause harm by imposing different standards for cisgender and transgender students. Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce also voiced support for parental awareness of their children’s name and pronoun changes without committing to any policy changes. Manitoba Progressive Conservative Leader Heather Stefanson promised to grant more parental rights regarding curriculum and presentations if re-elected.
Egale Canada, a national LGBTQ+ organization, has called for the suspension of the policy change in Saskatchewan and threatened to seek a court injunction on behalf of the University of Regina’s Pride Centre. The Minister for Women, Gender Equality, and Youth expressed concern for the safety of children and cited a study showing that the use of preferred names and pronouns reduces suicidal thoughts among transgender youth.
The Liberal government has emphasized its commitment to the rights of LGBTQ+ Canadians and has allocated funding to organizations for this purpose. The NDP MP for LGBTQ+ issues, Randall Garrison, urged the government to take concrete actions to protect LGBTQ+ children, including increasing funding for organizations and ensuring gender-affirming healthcare availability. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association suggested expanding the Court Challenges Program to cover provincial laws and policies in addition to national matters to enable advocacy groups to launch challenges.
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