Higgs government faces caucus revolt over changes to LGBTQ school policy in N.B.
CTV
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, facing a revolt from eight members of his caucus over changes made to the province's policy on sexual orientation in schools, said Thursday he is willing to call an election on the issue.
Higgs told reporters he stands by the changes made to the policy, which he said were "taking a strong position for families."
One major change is that students under 16 who identify as Trans and nonbinary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
The previous policy said teachers needed a student's informed consent before discussing the student's preferred name with a parent.
The eight Progressive Conservative dissidents, including six ministers in Higgs's 18-member cabinet, sat out question period and other legislative business Thursday in protest against the changes announced by Education Minister Bill Hogan.
The changes come into effect July 1.
They said in a statement their absence was a way to express their "extreme disappointment in a lack of process and transparency" in the review of the three-year-old guidelines known as Policy 713.
