For nearly two years, New Brunswick has implemented a policy requiring teachers to use students’ preferred names and genders. However, Premier Blaine Higgs has introduced a new policy stating that teachers must obtain parental permission for children under 16. This policy change has ignited controversy and could potentially lead to the downfall of Higgs’s government.
Criticism of Higgs’s policy has come from LGBTQ activists, political opponents, teachers, former public servants, and the province’s child and youth advocate. Additionally, the Progressive Conservative caucus, including two members of Higgs’s cabinet, publicly challenged the premier, and a third cabinet member resigned due to the issue.
The legislature passed a motion calling for a review of Higgs’s plan by the child and youth advocate. The advocate referred to the policy as “shoddy and inadvertently discriminatory.” Concerns have been raised that students who do not want their parents consulted may be sent to mental health workers, which some argue could be a form of illegal conversion therapy.
Higgs remains defiant despite the backlash. He described gender dysphoria as “popular and trendy” and claimed that the current policy undermines the role of families in a child’s upbringing. However, it is unclear why Higgs has suddenly become concerned about the policy after two years. He mentioned that it gained attention when people became aware of drag queen story times in libraries.
Higgs has agreed to a review of his policy but has not committed to accepting any recommendations. He has also indicated that he is willing to fight an election over the issue, despite the dissent within his caucus.
Gail Costello, co-chair of Pride in Education, a teachers’ group involved in the original policy, believes that Higgs has a broader agenda. She worries that if Policy 713 is attacked, it may lead to changes in the curriculum and even the removal of books discussing these topics from schools.
Despite the controversy, Costello is confident that the policy will not hold up in court and that changes will be made by September.
In other news, wildfires in northern Quebec have caused smoke in the south, and a tragic road accident in Manitoba claimed the lives of at least 15 people. The company behind the Instant Pot has filed for bankruptcy, and the Vegas Golden Knights have won the Stanley Cup in their sixth season.
Ian Austen, a Canadian journalist for The New York Times, encourages readers to share their thoughts about the newsletter and Canadian events and sends his contact information for feedback.
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