Saskatchewan to appeal school funding decision that it already plans to bypass

REGINA - The Saskatchewan government says it will appeal a Court of Queen's Bench ruling that says the province can't provide Catholic schools funding for students who aren't Catholic.

In a release, Justice Minister Gordon Wyant says he hopes the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal will clarify the lower court's decision.

The move is not surprising, given that Saskatchewan has already said it will use the notwithstanding clause to avoid the court's directive.

Education Minister Don Morgan says invoking the rarely used section of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms will give parents certainty about the schools they chose for their children, regardless of the outcome of the appeal.

The court ruling released last month said provincial government funding of non-minority faith students attending separate schools infringes on religious neutrality and equality rights.

Justice Donald Layh's decision stems from a lawsuit over the province's policy of funding separate schools based solely on student enrolment without regard to the religious affiliation of the students.