Ottawa (June 14, 2023) - Today, 39 queer, trans, human rights, labour and educational organizations from across Canada have released an Open Letter to Defend 2SLGBTQIA+ Students in New Brunswick and call on Premier Higgs to reverse his attack on vulnerable students. Standing with students, parents and families, the letter calls on the Premier to reverse the weakened Policy 713, uphold human rights codes, and end the cruel campaign against 2SLGTBQIA+ New Brunswickers.
The coalition of organizations is condemning Policy 713’s mandated discrimination against 2SLGBTQIA+ students on the basis of gender identity and gender expression, as these changes contribute to increased bullying and violence. In the absence of a reversal from the Premier, the coalition is calling for swift legal action for students, with several national organizations volunteering to serve as intervenors in any class action lawsuits.
The government’s anti-2SLGBTQIA+ agenda has been staunchly opposed by over 16,000 parents and Canadians, educators, social workers, children’s advocates, human rights groups, unions and Progressive Conservative Ministers. The New Brunswick Child and Youth Advocate called the new policy “textbook legal discrimination”, warning it will make life harder for both students and educators.
“The New Brunswick Federation of Labour is committed to standing in solidarity with the New Brunswick Teachers Association and Pride in Education. Along with our affiliates, we will stand to protect the safety of education workers and students who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+” said President, Daniel Légère.
Fae Johnstone, President of the Society for Queer Momentum echoed the concerns from across Canada stating: “Changes to Policy 713 jeopardize the safety and inclusion of trans students in New Brunswick schools. These changes, undertaken without meaningful consultation, send a devastating message of exclusion and stigma to trans young people, and place trans youth with unsafe homes in an untenable situation: unable to be themselves at home or at school”.
Polling shows the move comes at a time of desperation for the Higgs government. The Higgs government has the highest dissatisfaction rate of any government in 24 years with nearly 70% of New Brunswickers dissatisfied. Premier Higgs also has the second-worst approval rating of any Premier in Canada at the moment, with only 28% of New Brunswickers approving of his leadership.
The abrupt focus on Policy 713 comes at a time when New Brunswick families are anxious about their province: wildfires are devastating communities, healthcare worker shortages are impacting hospitals, grocery prices remain high, affordable housing is continuing to plummet, and 84% of anglophone schools lack mental health resources for students. Changes to Policy 713 are a desperate attempt to distract New Brunswickers from their dissatisfaction with the Higgs government.
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Momentum is registered as a nonprofit in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, which we acknowledge as the traditional and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq. Momentum runs programming and advocacy campaigns that help 2SLGBTQIA+ people thrive. Our areas of focus — confronting hate, promoting mental health, realizing the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ children and youth, and ending gender-based violence — guide our work alongside 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
The Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) promotes the health of people of diverse sexualities and genders through research and intervention development. CBRC's core pillars - community-led research, knowledge exchange, network building, and leadership development - position the organization as a thought leader, transforming ideas into actions that make a difference in our communities. CBRC was incorporated in 1999 and is a non-profit charitable organization. Our main office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, and we also have satellite offices located in Edmonton, Toronto, and Halifax.
No Conversion Canada is a national, nonpartisan, grassroots organization and registered nonprofit dedicated to ending conversion “therapy” / conversion practices. We work directly with survivors of conversion practices, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, civil society organizations, medical professionals, experts and policymakers to raise awareness about conversion practices in Canada, develop comprehensive legislation to outlaw this abuse at all levels of government and develop fulsome survivor supports to foster healing.
For More Information
Fae Johnstone (she/her)
President, Society of Queer Momentum
fae@momentumcanada.net
Michael Kwag (he/him)
Executive Director, Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC)
michael.kwag@cbrc.net
Nick Schiavo (he/him)
Executive Director, No Conversion Canada
noconversioncanada@gmail.com