Saskatoon Pride bans Sask. Party members from participating over 'alarming' pronoun law

Saskatoon Pride has joined the chorus of organizations banning members of the Sask. Party from Pride events this month over its controversial law that would effectively “out” children who want to go by a different name or pronouns in school.

“The Sask. Party and its members who stood up and answered ‘Yea’ to Bill 137 are banned from our 2024 Pride Parade and other festival activities and events,” Saskatoon Pride said in a statement on Wednesday.

“They are not allies to two spirit, trans, or other queer people in this province.”

Pride organizations in Prince Albert, North Battleford, and Regina made similar announcements last month, all related to Bill 137 — dubbed the Parents Bill of Rights.

The law requires parental consent for students under the age of 16 to change their names or pronouns while at school.

Initially introduced as a Ministry of Education policy in August 2023, the pronoun rules drew immediate pushback from the University of Regina's Pride organization, UR Pride, which launched a legal challenge alongside Egale Canada claiming the policy violated the Charter rights of children.

To prevent the pronoun rules from being struck down, the Sask. Party enshrined the policy into law in October, invoking the notwithstanding clause to shield it from a potential court order.

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In February, a King's Bench judge said Egale’s Charter case could proceed anyway. Even if the court could not strike down the law because of the notwithstanding clause, a judge could still hear the case and decide if the law violated the Charter rights of children.

The provincial government turned to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal to intervene. It’s arguing that the use of the notwithstanding clause should prevent a judge from even hearing the case.

The bill also implements sweeping restrictions of sexual health education, including barring third-party health organizations and sexual assault centres from presenting in schools.

“The ongoing anxiety the Sask. Party government created when they invoked the notwithstanding clause to avoid the scrutiny and power of the courts thereby limiting the rights of queer and trans young people is both telling and alarming,” Saskatoon Pride’s board said in its statement.

“It shows how far sitting Sask. Party members of the day, and particularly the premier, and the justice and education ministers, will go to appease the extreme right of the province.”

Saskatoon Pride says the law turns back the clock on years of progress made by the community.

“Given their attack on rights of queer and trans youth there was no way in which our board would approve their participation in our festival.”

In a statement to CTV News on Thursday, a spokesperson for Saskatchewan's Executive Council and Office of the Premier said it’s up to the organizers to choose who can attend their events.

“With respect to pride parades, the organizers determine attendance for their events and we will respect their decision.”

The province did still proclaim June 2024 as Pride Month, the spokesperson said.