Sask. Party Pledges to Set Gendered Change Room Policy in Schools If Re-elected

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe speaks during a debate in the Saskatchewan legislature in Regina on Oct. 10, 2023. The Canadian Press/Heywood Yu

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe says if re-elected his party will develop a policy restricting access to change rooms in schools to biological gender.

“I’ll be very clear, there will be a directive from the minister of education that would say that biological boys would not be in the change room with biological girls,” Moe said. “It would be the first order of business if we’re re-elected.”

The issue was not included in Moe’s party platform, released Oct.12. It was also not included for discussion as part of the leaders’ debate where Moe faced off against NDP Leader Carla Beck. Saskatchewan’s provincial election will be held on Oct. 28.

Beck said that the change room policy would make “already vulnerable kids more vulnerable” and accused Moe and the Sask. Party of “choosing their own political interests” in the issue. She made the comments at an unrelated press conference in Regina on Oct. 17, in response to a reporter’s question on Moe’s announcement.

It’s not the first time Moe has developed a school policy that tackles gender issues.

In August 2023, his then-Education Minister Dustin Duncan announced a policy that would require schools to obtain parental consent if a student wanted to change their names or pronouns.

That policy was challenged by UR Pride, an LGBT peer support group. In September 2023 the Court of King’s Bench of Saskatchewan issued an injunction against the policy, pending a full hearing.

Moe’s government went on to move the policy forward as a bill, called the Parents’ Bill of Rights, using the notwithstanding clause. The bill passed into law in October 2023. The legislation requires parental permission for students under 16 years who want to change their name or pronoun.

Legal hearings on whether the UR Pride challenge can proceed through the courts wrapped up on Sept. 24. The provincial Court of Appeal has reserved its decision for a future date.

Alberta followed Saskatchewan by introducing its own pronoun policy, as well as banning gender-altering surgeries for those aged 17 years and younger, and a putting prohibition on puberty blockers for those 15 years old and younger. Premier Danielle Smith also said that women-only sporting divisions will not be open to transgender athletes.

In mid-2023, New Brunswick became the first province in Canada to implement a policy change that required teachers to obtain parental consent before using the preferred first name and pronoun of a transgender or non-binary student who is under 16.