OTTAWA –
Nearly half of Canadians say they support their province using the notwithstanding clause to ensure that schools tell parents if their child wishes to use a different name or pronoun, a new poll suggests, and more people support that idea than oppose it.
New data also suggest a majority of Canadians believe teachers should have to notify parents of such changes. Just under half said that should be the case even if a child tells their teacher they don’t feel safe informing their parents.
Polling firm Leger recently asked Canadians a series of questions regarding the ongoing debate around “parental rights.”
The phrase, which refers to parents’ desire to be involved in the decisions of their children and of schools, has gained increasing traction in Canada over the past year.
Many people who use the term say they are concerned about lessons kids are learning on the topics of gender identity and sexual orientation.
Those pushing the issue have also been critical of policies designed to make transgender and nonbinary students feel more welcome in classrooms, as well as activities like raising the rainbow Pride flag at schools.
According to the new results from Leger, Canadians are divided on whether sexual orientation and gender identity should be discussed in schools at all.
Just over half of respondents, or 54 per cent, agreed that these are important topics kids need to be aware of, and schools need to discuss them.
The other 46 per cent said their views were more aligned with a statement saying such topics shouldn’t be discussed in school, and should only be left to parents to address with their children.
Christian Bourque, executive vice-president of Leger, said what is noteworthy is the fact that Canadians appear more divided on this issue than on other topics taught in schools, such as racism and climate change.
“Is there a form of unease that these things are discussed in schools?” he asked.
Nearly half, or 48 per cent, of respondents said sexual orientation should be discussed in classrooms across the country, while 42 per cent said gender identity should be discussed.
But there was far more support for the discussion of alcohol and drugs, at 82 per cent; racism, at 80 per cent; climate change, at 78 per cent; and truth and reconciliation, at 74 per cent.
A total of 1,518 Canadians participated in the web survey from Oct. 6 to Oct. 9. It cannot be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered truly random samples.
On the issue of whether schools should notify parents if their child wants to use a different pronoun, the survey suggests Canadians have drawn a clearer line.
Leger found that 63 per cent of respondents expressed support for a school having to inform a child’s parents if they wish to be referred to by a different pronoun or gender. Only 22 per cent said that should not be required.
Bourque noted that the level of support dropped when respondents were asked to think about the consequences to a child.
When asked whether teachers should be obligated to notify parents that their child is using a different name or pronoun even when the child tells the teacher they don’t feel safe informing their parents, 45 per cent of respondents said yes, compared to 35 per cent who said no. Another 20 per cent of respondents said they were unsure.
Bourque said the findings suggest that while Canadians clearly support the call for “parental rights,” that support is “not at any cost.”
Both New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have introduced policies that make it a rule for schools to seek parental consent if a student younger than 16 wants to be called by a different name or pronoun – a change that has raised concerns from teachers’ unions and child advocates, who say it could harm some kids.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced plans to invoke the notwithstanding clause to keep the change in place after a judge granted an injunction last month.
The court challenge had been mounted by Egale Canada, an organization that promotes LGBTQ2S+ rights and argued the case on behalf of the UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity at the University of Regina.
The notwithstanding clause is a provision in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that allows federal, provincial and territorial governments to pass laws that override certain Charter rights for up to five years.
At least 46 per cent of the respondents surveyed said they would support their province using the notwithstanding clause to ensure schools have to inform parents if their child wants to be called a new name or pronoun.
Another 31 per cent said they are opposed to such a move, while 22 per cent said they did not know.
“The results cannot be ignored,” said Bourque.
Support for the move was not markedly higher with respondents in Atlantic Canada and the Prairies.
The poll also asked if people would support the use of the notwithstanding clause to ban discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools altogether.
On that question, 40 per cent opposed the use of the clause, while 37 per cent supported it and 24 per cent said they didn’t know.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2023.
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
—
Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Sentencing hearing continues for University of Waterloo gender studies class stabber
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio making a difference off the pitch as well as on it
Inequality has broad impacts on the health of Montreal children, report finds
Liberal majority victory shifts political landscape in New Brunswick
Thomson Reuters acquires AI accounting assistant developer Materia
Legault ‘shocked’ by Montreal teacher scandal, pledges to toughen secularism measures
Ontario aiming to become energy superpower, Energy Minister Stephen Lecce says
Sonia Furstenau staying on as B.C. Greens leader in wake of indecisive election
