CUPE Saskatchewan has been on the frontline of the fight against Bill 137, organizing community support and taking legal action to protect the rights of education workers and 2SLGBTQI+ youth.
Scott Moe’s anti-trans Bill 137 was passed into law in October 2023. It pre-emptively invoked the Notwithstanding Clause, suspending charter rights for vulnerable children in Saskatchewan. Not only is this bill an attack on youth, it also compels education workers to inflict harm on them. The use of the Notwithstanding Clause sets a dangerous precedent in overriding the rights of workers and children into the future.
CUPE Saskatchewan was proud to host Fae Johnstone, Executive Director of Queer Momentum and long-time 2SLGBTQI+ advocate Senator Kristopher Wells for a panel discussion at their annual convention.
Fae reminded us that so-called ‘parental rights’ do not exist in law and have been instead used by a right-wing movement that seeks to both deny the rights of children and attack the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Fae explained that it is not a debate between parents and kids, but rather a government attack on freedom and intended to divide. She reminded us that when the government tries to make this discussion about parental rights, parents can feel defensive or afraid which makes it harder to talk about the harms that children and workers may experience. She acknowledged that there are fears around Trans inclusion and our conversations must include compassion and one-on-one conversations. Inclusion, at its core, is about providing children the confidence and the space to be free to explore who they are.
Senator Kristopher Wells reminded us that the policies that support Bill 137 are not based on facts but ideology. He emphasized that the key to opposing the parental rights legislation is to remind folks of the humanity of those impacted by it. This is a health and safety issue; we need to ensure that both parents and children have rights to safe and inclusive schools. Senator Wells said that now, more than ever, we need to stand up for Canadian democratic values and as our Canadian anthem states, “stand on guard” to defend them.
Fae encouraged everyone to have conversations with community members and amplify the advocacy of groups like Queer Momentum, and for people to sign on to the Rainbow Equality Campaign
“We win by staying hopeful. Every time a homophobe or transphobe has attacked our rights we have fought back, and we have won, and we have won even better,” said Johnstone. “In solidarity we will win, and together we will build a better future.”
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