Moe takes a step back from change room promise

Speaking for the first time since before the results came in on election night, Premier Scott Moe seemed to take a step back from a possible change room ban in schools.

During the election campaign, Moe said handing down a policy to schools saying students could not use a change room that wasn’t of their “biological gender” would be the first order of business if his party were to form a new government.

On Thursday, Moe said he misspoke. He said the new cabinet he had just announced was a new beginning for his government, and a new beginning starts with him.

“There’s times where I might jump out – I’m a decisive personality and I might say some things without maybe giving them the proper thought, and I would say that when I said this would be the first order of government, that would be one of those times,” explained Moe.

He said he needs to take a breath sometimes and consult with people.

Moe said other things — like forming government — were the real first order of government, while things like putting together a cabinet and assembling a legislative agenda for the fall were two and three.

The premier didn’t give a definitive yes or no as to whether such a policy would still happen. He said his government will wait until after the municipal elections next week, which also include elections for school board trustees.

“I would be asking the minister of education to consult with the 27 school division chairs, whoever they might be after their election, and to work towards ensuring that we do have a policy in this space, in the change room space, that is supportive of each and every child, in every classroom, in every school, in every community across the province,” said Moe.

When you start to have discussions about what is logical and practical, according to Moe, there’s isn’t a lot of difference in how you can support all the children.

“I’m not going to preclude where those discussions will land but I think parents across this province can be confident that those discussions are going to happen and that they’re going to be supportive of every child,” he said.

When asked when he arrived at this change of decision, Moe repeated what he said on election night – that the majority voted for his party’s plan, but many also voted for change – but he also expanded on that.

“I think it’s fair for us as a government … to be humble and realize that there’s a tone that needs to change, and that starts with me,” said Moe.

This isn’t the first time a Scott Moe government has gotten wrapped up in controversy around the 2SLGBTQIA+ community — last fall his government passed its law about pronouns in schools and invoked the notwithstanding clause to keep it in place. A lawsuit about the law is still making its way through court.