Higgs government faces caucus revolt over changes to LGBTQ school policy in N.B.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, facing a revolt from eight members of his caucus over changes made to the province's policy on sexual orientation in schools, said Thursday he is willing to call an election on the issue.
Higgs told reporters he stands by the changes made to the policy, which he said were "taking a strong position for families."
One major change is that students under 16 who identify as Trans and nonbinary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
The previous policy said teachers needed a student's informed consent before discussing the student's preferred name with a parent.
The eight Progressive Conservative dissidents, including six ministers in Higgs's 18-member cabinet, sat out question period and other legislative business Thursday in protest against the changes announced by Education Minister Bill Hogan.
The changes come into effect July 1.
They said in a statement their absence was a way to express their "extreme disappointment in a lack of process and transparency" in the review of the three-year-old guidelines known as Policy 713.
The members said they would not comment further, but some of them have previously called for Policy 713 to be left alone.
Earlier in the day, Higgs maintained the caucus and cabinet had "endless meetings" before arriving at Thursday's announcement. Adding that the disagreement within his party "potentially could force an election."
The Tories hold a majority with 29 of the legislature's 49 seats, and an election is not due until next year.
"That's a possibility," he said when asked if he was prepared to fight an election over the issue. "I believe that strongly in the case of finding a solution here where we do not exclude parents in their child's life."
Hogan defended the changes, which have stirred protests in the province since it was first revealed last month that the policy was under review.
"We believe that is fundamentally wrong to not share this information with the parents if we are using (a student's preferred name) on a daily basis," Hogan told reporters. "If we are using it on a daily basis, it puts teachers in a really challenging position."
The new policy is unclear on gender identity and participation in sports activities. "All students will be able to participate in curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities that are safe and welcoming," it reads.
The previous version added that student participation could be "consistent with their gender identity."
When questioned at the news conference, Hogan said organizations governing sports were doing a "wonderful job" ensuring that all students can participate in the sport they identify with. "We don't intend to interfere with that," he said.
The new policy will also require universal washrooms to be private. Previously it said all students would have access "in a non-stigmatizing manner" to washroom facilities that align with their gender identity, and that all schools would have at least one universal washroom.
"There's a lot of bullying that occurs in our washrooms, any place where students are out of the sight of our professionals," Hogan said. "Then there's things that happen that we'd prefer not to happen."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2023.
For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated home page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'