'Education over indoctrination': Regina's RCAAN backs candidates who promote 'family' values

The fiery debate over Saskatchewan's Education Act changes and pronoun policy may have simmered down, but parental rights and gender and sexual identity are still a core issue for some candidates running in the fall election.

One civic group says it's pushing for change in the Nov. 13 Regina school board and municipal elections by promoting its members and other candidates who share a focus on "family" values, but some educators worry that this type of rhetoric is making schools in the province less safe for 2SLGBTQ+ students.

Retired lawyer Wayne Bernakevitch is one of the founders of the Regina Civic Awareness and Action Network (RCAAN), a group supporting seven school trustee candidates in the upcoming election. RCAAN opposes diversity, inclusion and pro-2SLGBTQ+ initiatives in schools.

"We vet the candidates to see whether they align with our principles. And if they align with our principles, we'll provide an endorsement for them," Bernakevitch said.

Among those who've announced their attention to run for Regina's public school board is Lise Merle, an RCAAN member who's been outspoken on social media about her views on keeping parents informed about what's happening in schools, eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in public education, and promoting "education over indoctrination," as one of her billboard proclaims.

One local teacher said the wording within certain would-be trustees' platforms makes him feel uneasy.

"I am seeing a lot of people that are coming in under the guise of parental rights and saying that they're here to stand up for the kids and for the parents and everything. But often my question is at what cost are we doing this thing? And what exactly are parental rights?" Brendan Dickie said.

He said voters should be probing aspiring public school board trustees about their ideologies.

"How are they going to implement policies that are going to keep queer kids and trans kids in our school building safe?"

Bernakevitch said his concerns about municipal and school board politics was piqued back in 2021, when the City of Regina began steps toward banning conversion therapy, a practice aimed at changing a person's gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Bernakevitch said that at the time, he was approached by some local business owners who were also concerned about the city's direction.

"I just thought this is not helping our business community. And I thought the city was out of its lane," he said, noting that he was among the several delegates that spoke out against the ban, which ultimately did pass.

Further city decisions to change street names and remove the John A. Macdonald statue from Victoria Park were also a concern for him. He said the city was taking a revisionist approach to history instead of focusing on enhancing safety and improving things for the business community.

"Then I was meeting with the client for lunch one day and he mentioned how his five-year-old son came home and asked if he was really a boy, because his teacher said he might be a girl," Bernakevitch said.

He said this conversation put a spotlight on the school system and educators straying out of their lane by discussing gender identity issues within classrooms.