notwithstanding clause

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Canadian Teachers Federation, and the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour are all teaming up to fight the provincial governments gender and pronoun policy. In particular, the Sask Party Government’s use of the not withstanding clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. All three groups are concerned the policy […]

The province of Alberta will be an intervenor in Saskatchewan’s appeal of the Parents’ Bill of Rights case going to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. The province is appealing the decision of Justice Michael Megaw at the Court of King’s Bench on the UR Pride court case against the province’s Parents’ Bill of Rights legislation […]

Lawyers for the provincial government argued for a judge to dismiss a challenge of a law that requires parental consent when children under 16 want to change their names or pronouns at school. Deron Kuski told court the law doesn’t breach the Charter and is in the best interest of gender-diverse children. He said children could be […]

A judge will be hearing a legal challenge over a law that requires parental consent when children under 16 want to change their names or pronouns at school. The law was put in place and is protected by the “not withstanding” clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Lawyers for UR Pride, an LGBTQ organization […]

Alex Schmidt says she knows she may face consequences for not following the province’s pronoun law, but it’s a risk she’s willing to take. The Regina public school teacher says she’d rather ensure gender-diverse children who could be put at risk by the law are safe. “Part of the process has always been: ‘No. 1, […]

Saskatchewan politicians are returning to the legislature today for third reading on the government’s proposed pronoun bill.  If the bill is passed at third reading, it would become law in the province once it receives royal assent.  The bill would prevent children under 16 from changing their names or pronouns at school without receiving parental consent. […]

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission is asking the province to reconsider its proposed pronoun legislation, saying it infringes upon the rights of students.  In a letter, the commission says invoking the notwithstanding clause to override the provincial Human Rights Code significantly affects the rights of minors.  It says the code is meant to protect all residents equally […]

More than two dozen students at a Regina high school have walked out of class in protest of the Saskatchewan government’s proposed pronoun legislation. It was among several walkouts that had been planned across the province.  Those who participated say the legislation is harmful to students who aren’t ready to come out to their parents at home. […]

Former Saskatchewan human rights commissioner Heather Kuttai says she spoke with her son before she decided to resign on Monday over the province’s proposed pronoun legislation.  Her son, who’s transgender, told her not to go quietly.  “That was kind of my light, I think,” Kuttai told The Canadian Press. “We all hear those stories, but this one, […]

Saskatchewan legislation that requires parental consent when children under 16 change their names or pronouns at school fails to ensure gender-diverse youth aren’t harmed, say two legal professors.  The Saskatchewan Party government tabled the bill with the notwithstanding clause last week, overriding sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Saskatchewan’s Human Rights Code. A judge granted […]