The pathway to a Green-Liberal minority government in New Brunswick remains unclear amid growing opposition to parental rights. Both parties want to rollback Policy 713, parental consent legislation, but are unsure what form that will take.

A Green government would restore the province’s radical gender policy to its original version, while the Liberal party would include students wanting to change their preferred name or pronouns, starting at Grade 6. 

Since July 1, 2023, ‘transgender’ and ‘non-binary’ students under 16 cannot change their names or pronouns for any school activities without parental consent. Their legal name would be present on report cards and official documentation.

As first reported by the Telegraph Journal, Liberal rollbacks would incorporate recommendations by New Brunswick’s child and youth advocate Kelly Lamrock in August 2023.

A school principal would develop a “plan” for students roughly 12 years of age and older in consultation with professionals. Only those students with the “capacity” to make that decision would be considered, it said.

“It’s the teacher’s job to find a path forward with professionals, with that child in their best interest that supports the conversation and ensures a safe environment at home,” Liberal Leader Susan Holt told reporters on September 16.

The Liberal approach would adjust – but not eliminate – the parental consent requirement, the party said. Meanwhile, Green Party Leader David Coon said his government would revert to the 2020 version of Policy 713 as a first step before reviewing Lamrock’s recommendations.

“There were no problems with the original Policy 713 in terms of complaints from parents,” Coon said Saturday. “No parent ever complained that they were ever left out of the loop, so I don’t see why we couldn’t put 713 back in place while looking at Mr. Lamrock’s report and determining whether we wanted to make any modifications or tweaks.”

Education Minister Bill Hogan earlier said the highly-anticipated education reform balanced parental rights while maintaining a safe learning environment for sexual minorities.

Lamrock’s proposed guidelines were in response to a Liberal motion calling for his office to review changes the Progressive Conservative government had started to make in June 2023 to Policy 713 for public school students.

Coon said a list of conditions to support a minority government is in the works. It’s unknown if the Green Party would make reverting Policy 713 a condition of supporting a possible minority Liberal government.

In his review, Lamrock, a lawyer and former education minister, opined the revised policy could pose a Charter Rights violation. 

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) sued the Province of New Brunswick in September 2023 over the revised policy. None of the allegations have been tested before the courts.

Blaine Higgs, the Progressive Conservative leader, earlier told Rebel News that “parental rights” as a ballot issue came as a “surprise” to him. “Shockingly so,” said Higgs, noting Policy 713 garnered national attention.

In May 2023, then Minister Hogan cited hundreds of complaints from parents and teachers for his decision to review Policy 713. Most of the complaints were later found to be about drag queen story times, inclusive reading materials and issues unrelated to the policy.

“We're teaching kids to develop and grow, and they need to be making decisions as they get older and they get wiser,” Higgs told reporters the previous summer. 

He gave the example that drag queen story hours are not appropriate for children. “Are we trying to teach tolerance and acceptance, or are we trying to teach promotion?”

“Our policy has been clear: We believe that parents need to continue their role as the main oversight with young children, and that age for us is 16,” the PC leader said after he voted at an advance poll in Quispamsis last weekend.

Holt, while on the campaign trail, called the current iteration of Policy 713 “very misconstrued.” She said: “We have heard from some parents who are concerned about the 12-year age so we’re always open to hearing from people.”

Her Conservative counterpart earlier frowned at the idea of educators “keeping secrets” from parents. “For it purposefully to be hidden from the parents, that's a problem,” he said. “To suggest that it's OK that parents don't need to know — just stop and think about that question for a moment.”

Higgs recently told media he is “concerned” that parental involvement in a child’s life has been equated to a “far-right” position. 

“Our society was founded on strong families and parents being engaged,” he told Rebel in January.

When asked if this was a “winning issue” among voters, the premier said: “Certainly, the response I’ve had from parents was to stand up for parents.” 

A SecondStreet.org-sanctioned poll said 57% of Canadians believe schools should inform parents if their child discusses changing their gender pronouns or transitioning. Only 18% disagreed with this statement, while 25% didn't know.

Nationwide, most schools are not legally required to inform parents about gender transitions.

“In any society, parents come in many diverse situations, but they all care about the kids they’re raising,” Higgs said. “I think it’s a fundamental issue … parents are the continuity that children have throughout their life.”

Go Ad Free