Future of Policy 713 to 'hopefully' be made public this week: N.B. education minister
New Brunswick’s education minister says the future of Policy 713 could be made public as early as Wednesday.
Question period at the provincial legislature resumed Tuesday, following the last daily sitting on May 19.
The first question from Liberal leader Susan Holt was about the government’s review of Policy 713, which mandates minimum standards and requirements within the public school system for all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan said the review’s results could be made public “hopefully by mid-week.”
“I am looking forward to moving forward and ensuring that we continue to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community as well as affirming the rights of parents in our society,” said Hogan in response to Holt’s question.
“Because they are our stakeholders and partners.”
Hogan was not made available to scrum with reporters after Tuesday’s question period.
'AN UNINFORMED REVIEW'
A few dozen members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and supporters were watching Tuesday’s question period from the legislature’s public gallery.
“The privacy and safety of students trumps the rights of parents who are hell-bent on throwing out their queer kids,” said Astrid Deurloo, after listening to question period.
Hogan reportedly met with parents and students in the past two weeks, but several notable groups say they were not included.
“At least from the outside looking in, it looks certainly like an uninformed review,” said Mariah Darling, president of Saint John Pride and the education coordinator at Chroma NB. Darling confirmed neither group had been approached by the provincial government for input.
The New Brunswick Teachers’ Association said Tuesday it also hadn’t been asked by the provincial government for advice. Pride in Education, the volunteer committee that hosted a session for teachers in early May about Policy 713, was also left out of the review.
“We really don’t have our voice in play at the table,” said Darling.
Previously, the provincial government said its review specifically included students under 16 using their preferred first name and pronouns without parents knowing, as well as the process for team sport selection, participation, and washroom access based on gender identity.
For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.