Re: “MLAs call convention a hit,” page 3, May 8 Gazette.
I was quite surprised to read that (United Conservative Party) MLA Jason Nixon and MLA Nathan Cooper described this past weekend’s UCP founding convention as a hit.
I found myself wondering – which part of the weekend was a hit? Was it when their leader called for the hard work of thousands of teachers across the province to be put through the shredder?
Or was it when their members voted in favour of outing kids to their parents? Or was it when one of their guest speakers described a gender balanced cabinet as patronizing?
I can only describe what happened this past weekend as incredibly disappointing.
Our government passed Bill 24 into law last fall because we know that GSAs save lives -- and student safety has been, and always will be, a priority for our government. Every single student should feel safe, welcome and cared for at school -- and that's what Bill 24 is all about.
Bill 24 ensures that students will not be outed if they join a GSA or QSA. We know Alberta parents love and support their children -- and they should play a key role in their education. Nothing in the legislation we passed last fall changes that. But we also know some students feel safer and more comfortable talking about these issues with their peers or their teachers. Students should be able to choose to tell their parents that they’ve joined a GSA when they’re ready.
It isn’t for us to decide when a student comes out – it’s up to the students.
The UCP showed us their true colours this past weekend, and that is that they hold extreme views that don't represent the majority of Albertans.
- David Eggen, minister of education
