Protecting growth and 'parental rights': Key messages in Scott Moe's address at Sask. premier's dinner

Premier Scott Moe said the government plans to introduce legislation in the upcoming fall session that will protect "parental rights," further doubling down on a controversial policy announced last month.

Moe made the comments to a room full of community leaders, dignitaries and Sask. Party supporters during Thursday night’s premier’s dinner. The remarks were met with cheers.

Last month, the province introduced a policy that requires teachers to obtain parental consent if students want to change their names or pronouns in school. The policy has drawn criticism from a number of groups who say it violates children’s rights and discriminates against trans and non-binary students.

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Moe said for months parents have asked the government to protect parental rights in the classroom. Despite the backlash, the government plans to introduce it as legislation in the upcoming fall session.

“We take those requests very seriously,” Moe said.

“Given the importance of parents’ involvement in their child’s life and specifically in this case their child’s education, we are very serious. Serious enough to introduce legislation to protect parental rights when we return to the legislature.”

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The premier said the province will use all the tools available to ensure the policy is implemented. However, school divisions are still working on what the implementation plan looks like, Moe added.

UR Pride has taken legal action against the government over the name and pronoun change policy. A court hearing is scheduled for later this month.

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan’s child and youth advocate is reviewing the policy to determine if it violates children’s rights.

When asked if he was confident the policy does not violate children’s rights, the premier responded by saying there also needs to be discussion in respect to parental rights.

Protecting Saskatchewan was a main theme throughout the premier’s keynote address.

Besides parental rights, Moe said the government is focused on protecting growth, the economy and the province’s most vulnerable at a time when inflation pressures run high and drug overdoses are happening in record numbers.

With the next general election a little more than a year away, Moe said every party is building towards the campaign.

“This is really kind of in many ways a flashback to the crossroads that we faced in this province in 2007 where people of Saskatchewan heading into an election had a choice to make between what was a growth-focused government and ultimately using that growth to invest in communities versus a party that had a different idea,” he said.

Saskatchewan’s general election is scheduled to be held on or before Oct. 28, 2024.