Sask. government got 18 complaints before implementing pronoun policy

The Saskatchewan government received 18 official complaints about pronouns, sexual education and Pride activities before it created policies surrounding those issues in August.

The policies eventually were turned into legislation; the Parents’ Bill of Rights was passed in October after Premier Scott Moe recalled MLAs two weeks ahead of schedule to debate it.

According to The Canadian Press, the 18 complaints leading to the creation of the policies comprised emails and letters from June and July. The complaints were obtained by The Canadian Press through Access to Information legislation.

The government repeatedly has said it had heard from a number of parents before developing the policies. It even referred to the complaints when lawyers took the province to court over the pronoun rules.

The policies prevent children under the age of 16 from changing their names or pronouns at school without parental consent, require parents to be notified when sexual health education is happening and what will be taught, and pause third parties being brought in for sexual health education presentations, excepting from the Ministry of Health or Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Most of the complainants urged the province to follow the New Brunswick government, which implemented parental consent over pronouns before Saskatchewan did.

One complainant wrote that they felt their child can be easily manipulated, and that there should be a “God week” if there is a “Pride week.”

Another said they pulled their child from Pride activities and wished the school would let other parents know about the option to do so.

The announcement of the pronoun policy resulted in rallies involving people who supported it and protests held by those who opposed it.

In late September, a King’s Bench justice granted an injunction that put the policies on hold. The University of Regina-based 2SLGBTQI non-profit UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity and national advocacy organization Egale Canada were behind the legal action.

In response, Moe said his government would use the notwithstanding clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to protect the proposed legislation against Charter challenges.

Saskatchewan’s Advocate for Children and Youth said the pronoun policy was discriminatory, and a human rights commissioner resigned her position in opposition of the policy. The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission also urged the government to reconsider the legislation.

On Oct. 20, the Saskatchewan Party majority passed the legislation.

Cost of early recall

Meanwhile, government services has admitted there was a cost associated with recalling MLAs two weeks before the fall sitting was supposed to begin.

Sessional ushers had to be brought in early, at a cost of about $3,900. And according to the Legislative Assembly Service, the costs of chamber activities and MLA entitlements for the extra two weeks was around $110,000 extra.

Security is always at the building so there was no extra cost associated with that.

— With files from The Canadian Press