Scott Moe ready to use notwithstanding clause to protect parents' rights in Saskatchewan

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This is just an excerpt from The Ezra Levant Show. To see new, ad-free episodes, which air Monday - Friday @ 8 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. MT, become a subscriber to RebelNews+. This episode originally aired on September 29, 2023.

On Friday's episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra was joined by Edmonton Sun columnist Lorne Gunter to discuss Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's battle for parental rights, which includes invoking the constitutional 'nuclear option': the notwithstanding clause.

Moe's decision to overrule a court decision that would allow schools to keep the gender identity of students secret from parents is exciting, noted Ezra. Moe's move to protect parents' rights is being criticized by progressives who claim it undermines the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. "The notwithstanding clause is part of the Charter of Rights and yet we're being told by the Media Party that it would destroy the Charter of Rights," said Ezra. 

Lorne explained the hypocrisy underlying the opposition to Moe's decision. "It's part of the Charter, it was included in the Charter... precisely so democratically elected governments could override court rulings." Critics aren't even account for the fact that around 60% of all bills passed in Quebec have the notwithstanding clause written in. 

"When the clause was put in that allowed judicial review of the constitutionality of individual laws, lots of premiers insisted that the notwithstanding clause be the counterbalance to that," pointed out Lorne.

"It's not like this was just plucked out of the air and nobody thought about what the consequences would be. When they gave judges the power to review legislation from a constitutional perspective, the premiers also said 'yes, but now you have to give us the power in the provincial legislatures to override judicial rulings or Charter rulings that we think abrogate the power of parliament."