Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province will be restricting access to gender reassignment surgeries for those under the age of 18 and announced a slew of new policies around gender identity and transgender youth
On Wednesday afternoon Smith released a seven-minute Youtube video in which she details a host of new provincial policies similar to the “parental rights” policies adopted in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan last year.
The policies, Smith says in the video, include restricting access to gender reassignment surgeries for those 17 years old and younger; eliminating access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy for those 15 years old and under; children 15 years old and younger will need parental consent to have their preferred pronouns be used in schools; and more.
Smith says in the video that youth 16 or 17 won't need parental consent to have their pronouns changed in the school system under her government's proposed policy, although parents will still need to be notified.
“We know that nearly all parents, even those who may disagree with the decision of their children, will love and care for their children no matter what choices they make,” Smith says, referencing concerns raised in other provinces after similar policies were announced last year. “However, in the handful of rare situations, one or both of the parents reject or become abusive to a child who identifies as transgender, we have child protection laws that will be strictly enforced.”
“Prematurely encouraging or enabling children to alter their very biology or natural growth, no matter how well-intentioned or sincere, poses a risk to that child's future that I, as premier, am not comfortable with permitting in our province,” Smith says.
Smith also says another policy the provincial government plans to implement is to require parental notification and “opt-in” when “gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality” will be taught in schools.
“Furthermore, all third-party resource materials or presentations related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality in our K-12 school system will need to be pre-approved by the Ministry of Education to ensure the materials are age-appropriate,” Smith says.
Another topic Smith talks about in the video is working with sports organizations “to ensure women and girls have the choice to compete in a women's only division in athletic competitions, and are not forced to compete against biologically stronger transgender female athletes.”
St. Albert resident Dr. Kristopher Wells, a MacEwan University professor and the Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Smith's proposed policies are “the most draconian legislation ever introduced in Canada.”
“It is a full on attack against trans and 2SLGBTQ+ communities,” Wells wrote. “There is no evidence or research to support any of these recommendations.”
“This is ideological warfare.”
Smith is scheduled to announce more details tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.
Great West Media will have more to come.
