Saskatchewan Appeal Court says challenge of province's pronoun law can continue
It has granted, in part, the government's appeal of a decision that allowed the challenge.
But the court says a judge has jurisdiction to determine whether the law limits Charter rights.
The law, which came into force in 2023, requires parental consent if children under 16 want to change their names or pronouns at school.
Lawyers for the LGBTQ+ group UR Pride brought forward the challenge, arguing the law causes irreparable harm to gender diverse youth and its case should move ahead.
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The government argued its use of the notwithstanding clause should end the challenge.
1:36
Sask. government lawyers argue pronoun law is in best interest for gender diverse children
Nearly a dozen groups intervened in the appeal, including the government of Alberta, which argued in favour of Saskatchewan.
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Alberta passed a law last year requiring students 15 and younger have parental consent to change their names or pronouns. Students 16 and 17 don't need consent but their parents have to be notified.
New Brunswick also had a pronoun policy but Premier Susan Holt revised it after she was elected in 2024.
More to come.
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