#lgbtq cdnpoli canada canadian politics canadian news canadian saskatchewan

[allthecanadianpolitics]

New Brunswick's attorney general says the province is asking to be an intervener in a court case over Saskatchewan's gender-identity policy for schools. The case, currently before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, is already being supported by Alberta as an intervener. In a brief statement, posted around 4 p.m. Friday, New Brunswick Attorney General Ted Flemming said he had sent a letter to the Saskatchewan court that the province is seeking to intervene by the July deadline. "We believe in the principles of law. This is a constitutional issue about whether the notwithstanding clause is the final word when a legislature invokes it," Flemming said in the statement. "We believe that legislative assemblies have the right to make laws that are important to the people of their province, and that they have the right to protect those laws through the use of the notwithstanding clause, if necessary."

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[bronzecats]

Queer and trans people are our friends, family, neighbours and coworkers. Just like everyone in Canada, queer and trans people deserve the freedom to be ourselves, to be safe in our communities, and treated with dignity. Through a National Rainbow Week of Action from May 11th to 17th 2024, we are lifting up our voices to urge governments and elected officials at every level to take action for Rainbow Equality and address rising hate. Right now, hate is on the rise, powered by far-right groups and opportunistic politicians who are scapegoating 2SLGBTQ+ people for political gain. Instead of addressing the housing crisis, fixing our healthcare system or supporting fair wages, they're trying to distract and divide by taking cheap shots at a vulnerable community. Underneath their pretty slogans is an insidious agenda - an effort to restrict our freedoms, control our bodies and sow division. But we reject their agenda - we choose unity, love and a better Canada for all our families instead. That's why we are speaking up for the free, equal, and socially just future we all deserve - for a Canada where all our families are safe and supported. Join us for a week celebrating the kind of Canada we want: one where everyone feels safe and is free to be their true selves. Where we aren't divided by our differences but united in our diversity. Where politicians deal with the big issues facing our communities, instead of sowing division and fear to gain power. Together, we can speak up for the kind of Canada all our families deserve. Ultimately, that's what #RainbowEquality is all about. Join us - attend a rally in your community, send your MP a letter, and lift up your voice for a more free and equal future for all our families.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The Saskatchewan government on Friday passed its proposed Parents’ Bill of Rights, which also received royal ascent and is now in force across the province. On Friday, the legislature voted on the third reading, which was passed using the notwithstanding clause to prevent the new law from court challenges under certain provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The new law also protects the legislation from challenges under the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code. The new law will prevent children under 16 from changing their names or pronouns at school without receiving parental consent.

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Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is condemning policies in both New Brunswick and Saskatchewan that require parental consent for students under 16 to change their pronouns and names at school.

The AFN, a national advocacy organization for First Nations across Canada, said the policies violate basic human rights and put two-spirit and LGTBQ youth at risk of being involuntarily outed at home or misgendered at school.

In a news release, AFN interim National Chief Joanna Bernard said First Nations in Canada have a rich history of honouring 2SLGBTQ people.

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Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Alex Schmidt says she knows she may face consequences for not following the province's pronoun law, but it's a risk she's willing to take. The Regina public school teacher says she'd rather ensure gender-diverse children who could be put at risk by the law are safe. "Part of the process has always been: 'No. 1, thank you for sharing this with me, and No. 2, how can I support you?"' Schmidt said. "I think that respects the rights of parents. And if children say, 'I need you to support me and not share this information until I understand how,' then that is the way that I would support students." Schmidt and dozens of other teachers have signed an online petition calling on school divisions not to follow the law. It says the legislation harms gender-diverse students, as it could force them to come out or have teachers misgender them.

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

Coy Nolin and his mother say they had no idea the four people in their living room were about to conduct a violent exorcism to cast out Coy's "gay demons."

Coy says that three days earlier, in an office at Saskatoon's Christian Centre Academy, the school's director had interrogated him for several hours after informants told the director Coy is gay. Coy, who was 16 years old at the time, says the director called him "evil" and "an abomination."

Coy was suspended and told they would try to "cure" him.

"He told me I'd have to take it like a man," Coy said.

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Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Amid Pride celebrations across Saskatchewan, experts are raising concern over the provincial government's decision to boost funding for certain independent schools that are operated by churches with anti-LGBTQ policies.

Last month, the province formally announced the 21 independent and four "historical" schools in Saskatchewan that will receive $17.5 million in operating grants for the 2022-23 school year. Per the latest provincial budget, that includes $2.6 million toward a new "certified independent school" category. The province says the schools that will fall under the new category are still to be determined.

[...]

In a letter to the minister, Hinz pointed to those statistics and to Westgate Heights Academy in Saskatoon, which — according to the school's website — is run by Westgate Alliance Church.

That church's discipline and restoration policy reads that "homosexuality" is in "violation of scriptural moral standards" and is equivalent to crimes such as fraud and sexual assault.

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Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Something good for trans healthcare coming out of Saskatchewan!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/trans-health-navigator-transgender-gender-diverse-health-care-1.6240044?fbclid=IwAR2tGCNeY7pqobHz1cDy0L0p7eckcATbGpT7pYvwW7Q6prhQ7KYZ5LPR0TQ

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The Saskatchewan government is apologizing for using a photo of two men to promote World AIDS Day.

The government posted the picture Tuesday on social media, which showed the two men standing side by side with their heads touching.

An accompanying message said HIV infections were on the rise in Saskatchewan and encouraged people to get tested.

Social media users condemned the government’s use of a same-sex couple to talk about HIV as perpetuating the myth of AIDS being a “gay disease.”

Saskatchewan struggles with high rates of HIV, with many of infections coming from injection drug use.

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

Saskatchewan’s Minister of Highways and Infrastructure has been sharing questionable messages from a pair of Texas pastors who preach extreme views, including one known for railing against “homosexuals” and another who authored a book that warned of the end of the world.

On Sunday, Greg Ottenbreit, who is a candidate for Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party in the province’s 2020 election, tweeted out a Thanksgiving message to his followers: “If you need an inspirational message today, watch this.”

Ottenbreit shared video of a sermon by Texas Pastor Ed Newton, someone the Sask candidate said he and his wife have met in person. He added that he’s “enjoyed his messages daily for a a week late last year while on a break.”

Newton is the lead pastor at the Community Bible Church in San Antonio Texas, an evangelical megachurch, who has taken questionable public positions on LGBTQ rights.

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

Students in a small Saskatchewan town had a rough start to their day when they found out their Pride flag had been burned.

The Stoughton Central School just had its flag-raising ceremony Monday. The rainbow-coloured flag was pulled down from its pole and burned early Wednesday morning, say RCMP.

RCMP confirm an investigation is underway in the community 140 kilometres southeast of Regina.

Grade 9 student Nikita Nahbexie, the head board member of the school's gay-straight alliance club, said students are devastated.

She said burning the Pride flag is appalling.

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

A pilot project will allow LGBTQ students at the University of Saskatchewan to choose to live together in on-campus housing.

The queer housing program will start in 2019 for students living in the College Quarter residence.

Student life manager Sarah Sotvedt said the project is the product of years of work and consultations to make campus more accommodating for LGBTQ and two spirit students.

“We’ve had students before move in and then have a roommate that maybe came from a culture where they weren’t used to, or hadn’t learned about what it meant to be queer.”

She said other students have reported finding it disruptive to have to spend time explaining their sexuality to roommates.

Along with preventing issues between roommates, Sotvedt said students also reported feeling that a queer housing program would benefit them in other ways.

“They feel like it’s going to boost their mood and confidence to be with like-minded people. They feel like they’re going to be able to live with people who feel understood, feel comfortable, feel included.”

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

Saskatchewan residents can now choose an undesignated marker (“X”) for the sex designation field of their SGI driver’s licences and photo identification cards.

“An X designation means sex is not specified. Anyone of any age can make this selection on their SGI driver’s licence or photo ID card upon request,” SGI said in a news release issued Monday. The change took effect the same day.

“SGI is committed to inclusiveness,” said Penny McCune, chief operating officer of the Auto Fund, said in the release. “We recognize that some of our customers wish to refrain from identifying as either female or male or any gender at all on their identification. Customers now have the flexibility to designate their sex on their ID with an F or M, or choose a non-gendered option by indicating X.”

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

Premier Scott Moe will not be marching in the pride parades in Saskatchewan’s two largest cities this month, with his office citing an out-of-province visit and prior scheduling commitments.

Moe will be out of the province during the Queen City Pride Parade in Regina on Saturday, according to his press secretary, who also said scheduling conflicts related to commitments in Moe’s constituency will prevent him from attending the Saskatoon Pride Parade on June 22.

Dan Shier, co-chair of Queen City Pride, called Moe’s absence “disappointing.” NDP Leader Ryan Meili, who will be marching in the Saskatoon event, urged the premier find a way to fit one of the province’s many parades into his schedule.

“He should be there,” said Meili.

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on Premier Scott Moe’s government to introduce legislation that would protect students’ rights to form gay-straight alliance clubs.

Opposition Leader Ryan Meili said the clubs are a topic of debate right now in the Alberta election, where United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney has promised to replace legislation that prevents educators from telling parents if their children participate in GSAs.

Meili said such a move would be backward. He said the Saskatchewan Party government needs to legislate students’ rights to form or join a GSA.

The NDP said Saskatchewan is one of the only provinces where a student’s right to do so is not protected by legislation.

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

OutSaskatoon says $1.1 million in new federal funding to provide support for LGBT people, particularly youth, who are survivors of gender-based violence will help the organization make a difference in a community disproportionately affected by violence.

Rachel Loewen Walker, executive director for the organization, called the five-year commitment from the federal government for two projects "phenomenal." She noted that OutSaskatoon often struggles year-to-year with funding.

"But to have a five-year timeline, to be able to set it up well, build in the evaluation strategies, build up a team, hire the right staff — it gives us an opportunity to really make a difference with this work," she said.

The organization provides short-term counselling, social support groups and outreach, along with other programming.

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