NB Premier Stands By Changes to School Gender Policy Despite Dissent in Caucus

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs attends a meeting of Canada’s premiers at the Marriott Chateau Champlain in Montreal, on Dec. 7, 2018. Martin Ouellet-Diotte/AFP via Getty Images

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says he may be willing to call an election rather than back down on changes to the province’s policy gender rules in schools announced on June 8.

For part of that day, eight Progressive Conservative dissidents, including six ministers in Higgs’ 18-member cabinet, sat out on legislative business in protest of the changes. Higgs told reporters the same day that disagreement within his party “potentially could force an election.”

Higgs and Education Minister Bill Hogan reviewed and updated three sections of the gender policy, called Policy 713. The new policy will take effect July 1.

Parental Rights

The policy previously stated that transgender or non-binary students did not require parental consent to officially change their names within the school system.

It said the school should ask permission from students to contact their parents on the issue, but “if it is not possible to obtain parental consent for the use of the preferred first name, a plan will be put in place to support the student in managing the use of the preferred name.”

It now says that “if it is not possible to obtain consent to talk to the parent, the student will be directed to the appropriate professional (i.e. school social worker, school psychologist) to work with them in the development of a plan to speak with their parents if and when they are ready to do so.”

It still recognizes that, in some cases, it may not be in the child’s best interest to speak to their parents, especially if it could cause the child physical or mental harm.

The end result is not, however, to mandate the use of the child’s preferred first name without parental consent, but rather to continue to direct the student “to the appropriate school professional for support.”

“We want to provide students, especially vulnerable students, with a safe space where they can learn and express themselves and grow, while ensuring parents also feel respected,” Hogan said in a June 8 press release.

“A student will always have the ability to speak confidentially to a teacher and get the help they need from a supportive professional.”

Private, Universal Changing Areas

The revised policy adds a sentence to section 6.4 regarding “universal spaces.”

The policy previously stated: “All students will have access to washroom facilities that align with their gender identity. The washroom facilities will be available to all students in a non-stigmatizing manner.”

Those points remain, but Higgs and Hogan have added, “Private universal changing areas will be available in all schools.”

“Students we spoke with told us that access to private universal washrooms and changing rooms was problematic and reiterated that they are important to have in every school,” Hogan said. “This addition is in direct response to what we heard and will bring clarity to this topic.”

Sports Participation

Policy 713 previously stated that “all students will be able to participate in curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities that are safe, welcoming, and consistent with their gender identity.”

That sentence now ends at “welcoming,” essentially removing the mandate that students may join girls’ or boys’ competitions based on how they identify.

Hogan told reporters at the June 8 announcement that 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.

Dissent

The eight dissenting MLAs released a statement saying their absence in the legislature on June 8 was to express their “extreme disappointment in a lack of process and transparency.”

Higgs told reporters that the caucus and cabinet had “endless meetings” ahead of the announcement of changes to Policy 713.

He said disagreement within his party “potentially could force an election,” and when asked if he’s prepared to fight an election on the issue, he said, “That’s a possibility.”

“I believe that strongly in the case of finding a solution here where we do not exclude parents in their child’s life,” Higgs said.

Liberal Leader Susan Holt said on June 8 that her party would support a no-confidence motion against the government.

“Whether this is time for an election or not is something that bears serious consideration, because it certainly seems like this government is unfit to lead,” she said.

Holt had said in the legislature on May 16 that she has heard from parents, students, and teachers who are “deeply concerned. I would say they’re more than concerned—they’re scared.”

Kelly Lamrock, the province’s child and youth advocate, released a report on May 10 saying Higgs and Hogan should halt their review of Policy 713 because it seems to “make human rights a political debating point and throw vulnerable kids into the culture wars of adults.”

Lamrock especially criticized Higgs and Hogan for saying an outpouring of emails from concerned parents had sparked the review. He said he only received three emails from the education ministry for his investigation into the matter.

Education ministry spokesperson Morgan Bell clarified, however, that Lamrock did not request to see all the emails.

“On April 25, Mr. Lamrock requested correspondences received up to that date that clarified the rationale for reviewing the policy. He specified this was not a request for all correspondence on the topic. Many other emails, letters and phone calls were received following April 25 as well,” Bell told The Epoch Times via email on May 17.

Age-Appropriateness

The issue of how schools treat gender has come to the fore across the country as Pride Month, June, has brought events and discussions to the schools that some parents say are not age-appropriate.

Higgs and Hogan have both publicly questioned the age-appropriateness of such discussions, though their current policy changes do not affect sex education or other learning activities.

“Any parent will want to understand what their kids are learning,” Higgs said in the legislature on May 16 while discussing his review of Policy 713.

Hogan told reporters at the legislature on May 10 that he wants to make sure parents are informed.

“I want to ensure that the rights are protected and that when we’re teaching our curricula, parents are informed and we’re not going places children are not developmentally ready to be.”

Shannon Boschy, an Ottawa parent who has been active on the issue since his daughter decided to change genders in 2021, organized a national walk-out day at schools on June 9 called “Canadian Parents’ Rights Day of Action.”

“I love my daughter very much. I’m concerned for her physical and mental well-being,” Boschy told The Epoch Times on June 6. “And between the schools and the online culture in this gender ideology, she’s been convinced that I’m the enemy.”

A mother in Richmond Hill, Ont., told The Epoch Times she is happy to see what Higgs is doing. She has been concerned about Pride Month discussions at her children’s schools, and her family participated in the June 9 walk-out. She preferred to not be named to protect her children’s privacy.

“We need to all do what New Brunswick has achieved,” she said.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.