Politics · Canada · 14 hrs ago
Saskatchewan rallies call for repeal of Bill 137
People gathered in Saskatoon and Regina on Saturday to call on Saskatchewan’s government to repeal Bill 137, three years after it was passed.
The law says students under 16 cannot use a different name or pronoun at school unless their parents consent.
It also lets parents opt their children out of sexual health classes and bars outside sexual health organizations from teaching students.
Saskatchewan used the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to shield the law from constitutional review.
Rally participants said the law has made school feel unsafe for some transgender youth.
Opposition leader Carla Beck has promised that an NDP government would repeal it within 100 days of taking office, if the party wins the next provincial election.
A legal challenge to the law is awaiting a hearing at the Supreme Court of Canada.
People gathered in Saskatoon and Regina on Saturday to call on Saskatchewan’s government to repeal Bill 137.
The law bars students under 16 from using a different name or pronoun at school without parental consent.
It also lets parents opt children out of sexual health classes and bars third-party sexual health organizations from teaching students.
Rally participants said the law has made schools feel unsafe for some youth and has harmed transgender people.
The provincial government has said the bill outlines parents’ rights to be involved in their children’s education.
- Who
- Rally participants in Saskatoon and Regina, including transgender rights supporters.
- What
- They called on the Saskatchewan government to repeal Bill 137.
- When
- Saturday, on the law’s third anniversary.
- Where
- Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan.
- Why
- Participants said the law has harmed transgender youth and made some feel unsafe at school.
Rally participants
Saskatchewan government
Purpose of Bill 137
Rally participants
Participants called for the law’s repeal, citing harm to youth and unsafe school environments.
Saskatchewan government
The government said the bill outlines parents’ rights to be involved in their children’s education.
Parental consent
Rally participants
Participants opposed the law’s restrictions on students using a different name or pronoun without parental consent.
Saskatchewan government
The government said the bill sets out parents’ rights in their children’s education.
I’ve heard a lot of things from various trans youth that they don’t feel like it’s safe to try and be themselves at school, and then they’re just kind of running out of places to be themselves
I think it’s really important that we continue speaking out on the harms of Bill 137 and the way it’s affecting our youth as well as re-traumatizing trans adults who are living in this province and dealt with things similar to what the bill enforces while they were growing up
Kind of embarrassing for the province with the highest rates of syphilis and HIV to be letting kids have less access to sex ed
As we’ve heard here today, just the stories from kids and family members, we know that we need to build a better relationship with our kids and with our teachers and our parents in our province
Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck said an NDP government would repeal Bill 137 within 100 days of taking office if elected.
Rallies were held in Saskatoon and Regina on the law’s third anniversary.
- Bill 137
- Bars students under 16 from using a different name or pronoun at school without parental consent
- Rallies
- Saskatoon and Regina
- Sexual health classes
- Parents can opt their children out
- Third-party organizations
- Barred from teaching students about sexual health
- Proposed repeal
- NDP said it would repeal the bill within 100 days of forming government
Sources
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