People in Moncton hold rally in support of Policy 713
New Brunswickers showed up for the Pride community on Saturday, standing together in support of Policy 713 and speaking out against the government’s plan to review it.
“We can’t go backwards. We just can’t,” said Liette Arseneault, a teacher and ally. “This policy is super important for our kids to feel safe, our kids to feel secured and it’s our job as educators to make them feel that way.”
Despite the wet and cold conditions, supporters of all ages gathered outside of Moncton’s city hall for a two-hour rally hosted by River of Pride.
The event saw multiple speakers talk about the importance of having the policy in place and helped highlight the support that 2SLGBTQIA+ students have in the province.
“My biggest teachers these days are students in our district who are showing us every single day what courage is, and the fact that they themselves know they have to fight their own battles,” said Kristin Cavoukian, member of the Anglophone East District Education Council.
“I am so proud to know you, all of the students that have been standing up against this government,” she added.
Policy 713 sets the bare minimum requirements for school district to create a safe, welcoming learning environment for all 2SLGBTQIA+ students.
Recently, the government of New Brunswick announced that it would be reviewing the policy.
“I think this is now in the fourth week of sending a message to this government that their attack on this policy and on LGBTQ students, the people in New Brunswick are not going to stand for it,” said Don Darling, who was there in support on Saturday.
“There’s been no transparency in who’s going to be consulted. Every term, the government seems to embarrass themselves with every discussion. We did start a petition to save Policy 713 that over 15,750 people have signed so far,” he added.
He says the signatures come from across the entire province, helping to showcase the support the Pride community has.
“I just want you to know that this isn’t going to go away,” said another speaker on Saturday.
“So even though William Hogan says that he wants to put this to bed sooner than later, it’s not going away if they change one single part of that policy.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.