Labour groups vow to make Sask. Party 'uncomfortable' if pronoun bill proceeds

Leaders from the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and the Service Employers International Union West (SEIU-West) say they will turn up the heat if the province shields its controversial pronoun rules by invoking the notwithstanding clause.

Lori Johb, the president of the SFL, stood outside of Saskatchewan Party MLA Gord Wyant's office on Wednesday to call the tactic "desperate and dangerous."

"Let me be clear, if this bill passes, workers will only increase the pressure," she said.

"We will call, we will email, we will show up and we will make noise. They will know what they've done is wrong. And if the Sask. Party does not change course, we will make their support of the notwithstanding clause as uncomfortable as possible."

Bill 137, dubbed the Parents Bill of Rights by the Saskatchewan Party, states that parents will provide consent before a student’s teachers and other school employees use a desired gender identity or gender-related preferred name if the student is under the age of 16. The legislation also bars third-party organization from offering sexual education in schools.

The bill invokes the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian constitution to override certain sections of the Charter and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code that protect the rights of children in order to skirt an active legal challenge against the new rules.

The province intends to table and hold first reading of the bill on Thursday.

"Instead of playing political games with the constitution, the premier should be focused on things that really matter to Saskatchewan people," Johb said.

Many groups have opposed the bill and the Sask. Party’s use of constitutional manoeuvering.

Tuesday, hundreds of people gathered outside the legislative building to protest the issue. Last month, a Regina judge granted an injunction on a legal challenge mounted by the University of Regina Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity (UR Pride).

“He's giving himself immunity even from legal repercussions with this bill. What he is doing is wrong. Scott Moe has not only lost this one in the court of the law, but he's losing it in the court of public opinion as well," Johb said.

Even under intense opposition, Johb doesn't predict Moe or the Sask. Party will back down from passing the bill as soon as it can.

"I don't think Scott Moe has it in him to do the right thing around this issue," Johb said.

Barbara Cape, the president of SIEU-West, said the issue is an attempt to distract people in Saskatchewan from the real issues they're facing, like affordability.

"It's not just unionized employees who are demanding a change to what's happening. It's workers all across this province who are sick and tired of a government that, quite frankly, isn't focused on day to day issues that matter to the people of Saskatchewan," Cape said.

Cape says the province is determined to keep its pronoun bill as a topical issue in Saskatchewan, and if people don't like it, they can make their voice heard at next year's upcoming election.

"People need to stand up and say this is not what I hired you for," she said.

“And keep in mind, we hired these folks, and we can fire them."

Gathering outside of Wyant's office wasn't accidental. In 2014, Wyant amended the Saskatchewan Human Rights code when he was justice minister to include prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of gender identity.

"For him to be standing in the legislature and voting against the very legislation that he built and put into place is so hypocritical," Johb said.

-With files from Drew Postey