Statement from Mandy Lamoureux regarding the schoolbook ban
"Teens need adults to actually be adults about sex"
EDMONTON, Alberta, May 26, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE 3550 represents 3,500 employees (including library workers) at the Edmonton Public School Board. President Mandy Lamoureux issued the following statement regarding Alberta Education Minister Dimitrios Nicolades's policy on 'age appropriate books' in school libraries.
"The problems in Alberta education today stem from underfunded schools. Today's announcement is a transparent attempt to distract from funding issues with dubious culture wars.
The government should talk to parents, who will tell them book censorship does nothing to solve the real issues students face.
The education minister is nearly silent about the fact schools are laying off staff as Jordan's Principle funding dries up. The Minister also avoids discussing overcrowding in classrooms, funding levels that don't match inflation, support for special needs kids, and staff wages that don't keep up with the cost of living.
Instead, Minister Nicolades bans books with gay and queer themes.
Experts agree that in an age when teens can access pornography at almost anytime, young people need literature with healthy depictions of sexuality. Sex is something kids know about, and need to learn about in thoughtful and respectful ways.
The UCP plan to divert attention from the failures of their own education system will only hurt teens who need adults to actually be adults about sex."
:clc/cope 491
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250526076673/en/
Contacts
Lou Arab, Communications Representative 780.271.2722 larab@cupe.ca
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fewer Americans are visiting Canada. Ad campaigns assure them they're welcome here
Late last year, Dan Davis of Cleveland, Ohio, began planning a motorcycle trip with friends this summer that includes several days in Ontario. But those plans became a little uncertain after U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January and imposed tariffs on Canada, sparking a trade war. That, coupled with Trump's frequent threats to make Canada the 51st state, has sparked anger among many Canadians. Davis noted that, in February, Canadians booed the U.S. national anthem at several NHL hockey games, and in March, the Canadian government ran a billboard campaign in a dozen U.S. states, including Ohio, declaring that Trump's "tariffs are a tax." "Those things just made us wonder, 'Wow, are we going to be welcome in Canada?' " said Davis, adding that the licence plates on the group's motorcycles reveal they're from Ohio — a state Trump won in the 2024 election. "On a motorcycle, you're a little more vulnerable," he said. "All it takes is one person to say, 'You know what, I'm going to show these guys a lesson,' whether it's vandalizing a bike or … throwing a beer can at you." Fewer U.S. tourists visiting Canada Since Trump took office and Canada-U.S. relations have become strained, fewer Canadians are visiting the U.S., and fewer Americans are coming to Canada. The number of trips Americans took to Canada by car declined 10.7 per cent in April and 8.4 per cent in May compared to the same time last year. Air travel declined 5.5 per cent in April and 0.3 per cent in May. Some tourism associations worry a number of Americans may be staying away because they fear a chilly reception, so they've launched ad campaigns which assure their neighbours they'll be warmly welcomed. It's a worthy cause considering what's at stake: The majority of Canada's tourists come from the U.S., and they spent $15.3 billion in the country last year. "It was really important for us to send the message to these visitors … that they are truly welcome, not to be scared to visit us," said Isabelle Charlebois, general director of Tourism Eastern Townships, a region in southeastern Quebec near the U.S. border. The group launched a TV ad in late May, running in New England and New York state. Set in the Eastern Townships, it shows a U.S. tourist whispering sheepishly to a hotel clerk that he's American. The clerk smiles knowingly, and gives the American a big, warm hug. "Come hug it out in the Eastern Townships," says the tagline. WATCH | Quebec tourism group offers to 'hug it out': Charlebois says the ad campaign was partly inspired by the fact that local tourism operators were fielding numerous calls from concerned Americans. "They were calling … asking if they should postpone their trip, or if they will be welcome in Quebec," she said. "This relationship we have with our neighbour is really important for us. That's why we sent this message, and I hope it works." 'Perception is reality' In May, out of the 200 businesses surveyed by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, 32 per cent reported lower summer bookings by Americans compared to the same time last year. John Kinney, owner of Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours, says, so far this season, his location just outside Niagara Falls has seen 15 per cent fewer American customers compared to this time last year. "Unfortunately, perception is reality," said Kinney. "If it's perceived that there's political woes, people say, 'I hear Myrtle Beach is nice.' They just go to a completely different area." To encourage Americans to heard north, Niagara Falls Tourism has launched a page on its website just for them. Along with listing attractions, it declares, "To our friends in the U.S.A. — we can't wait to welcome you!" Back in Cleveland, Davis spotted a billboard last week on the highway and says he took it as a sign he's welcome in Canada. This time, instead of denouncing Trump's tariffs, the billboard invited Americans to visit Ontario and take advantage of the low Canadian dollar. Destination Ontario, the province's tourism organization, launched the campaign in several U.S. states last month. "It's good to see that they are encouraging visitors," said Davis, who is now looking forward to his Ontario trip. "We all just need to come together as human beings on both sides of the border and embrace each other." B.C. bear tour operators beckon Americans Over on the West Coast, British Columbia businesses that specialize in bear viewing are also rolling out the welcome mat. More than a dozen took part in a video, posted on YouTube on May 30, which promises Americans "open arms" and "warm hospitality." B.C.'s Commercial Bear Viewing Association, which put together the ad, says it will soon be launched as part of a social media campaign in select U.S. markets. WATCH | B.C. businesses welcome U.S. tourists: Marg Leehane, general manager of Great Bear Lodge in Campbell River, B.C., shouted out, "You're always welcome," in the video. It's a message she hopes will resonate, as American bookings at her lodge are down by 28 per cent so far compared to this time last year. "Americans always make up a good percentage of our visitors, and we're disappointed to not have them coming," she said. "I think they're worried the political message will get reflected on them. But of course, that's not how most Canadians feel." Leehane says she's getting more Canadian bookings this year than usual, which helps offset the decline in American customers. Still, she worries that decline could have lasting repercussions. "We don't want to lose that pipeline of American visitors," she said. "They would have come back as repeat guests. So it's not just this year that we would lose out on those visitors, it's the future years." Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Israel's allies impose sanctions on ministers over West Bank violence
A group of Western nations allied with Israel announced sanctions Tuesday against two far-right ministers they say have incited violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank. Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway all said in a statement that they were taking measures against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir — both ultranationalist settler leaders and members of Israel's coalition government.
CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
U.S. allies sanction 2 Israeli cabinet members "for inciting violence against Palestinians" in West Bank"
Five of the United States' long-time allies — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom — announced Tuesday that they were jointly imposing sanctions on two senior Israeli officials, far-right nationalists who are members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet. In a statement posted on the U.K. government's official website, the foreign ministers of all five nations said Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich were being sanctioned "for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank." The sanctions were not laid out in detail, but could include bans on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir entering the U.S. allies' territory, and the freezing of some foreign-held assets. "Settler violence is incited by extremist rhetoric which calls for Palestinians to be driven from their homes, encourages violence and human rights abuses and fundamentally rejects the two-state solution. Settler violence has led to the deaths of Palestinian civilians and the displacement of whole communities," the statement said. "Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous. These actions are not acceptable. We have engaged the Israeli Government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity. This is why we have taken this action now — to hold those responsible to account." Itamar Ben-Gvir (left), Israeli far-right lawmaker and the current Minister of National Security, and Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right lawmaker who is currently the Minister of Finance, attend a rally in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, in an Oct. 26, 2022 file photo. GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP/Getty The countries said that while the sanctions announced Tuesday "focus on the West Bank," Israel's actions there "cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza. We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid." The five nations said the measures "do not deviate from our unwavering support for Israel's security and we continue to condemn the horrific terror attacks of 7 October by Hamas," adding that in their view, the rhetoric of the two Israeli cabinet members also undermines "Israel's own security and its standing in the world." The sanctions were announced as the Palestinian Red Crescent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank said 80 people were injured Tuesday during Israel's ongoing military operations in the Palestinian territory, in the town of Nablus, specifically. Israel insists its military operations in the West Bank are necessary to root out terrorists who plan and launch attacks from the territory. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Tuesday that the Israeli officials had used "horrendous extremist language" and that he'd "encourage the Israeli government to disavow and condemn that language." Last month, Smotrich said Gaza "will be entirely destroyed" and that civilians "will start to leave in great numbers to third countries." He has repeatedly called for Israel to completely annex the West Bank, which has long been occupied by Israeli forces. Israeli forces aim their guns toward a man after two Palestinian brothers were killed in an Israeli raid after one of the brothers tried to take a soldier's gun and his brother intervened in Nablus, West Bank, June 10, 2025. Nedal Eshtayah/Anadolu/Getty CBS News has met Palestinian residents and Israeli activists in the West Bank who say violent attacks by Israeli settlers have increased significantly since the war in Gaza began, including attacks that have driven people from their land. The statement published Tuesday by the British Foreign Ministry said there had been more than 1,900 "attacks against Palestinian civilians since January last year" in the territory. Smotrich said in a social media post that he'd heard about the sanctions as he attended the inauguration of a new settlement in the West Bank on Tuesday. Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, which are illegal under international law, have flourished over the last two years, and Smotrich said Tuesday: "We are determined to continue building." Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions "outrageous." He said he'd discussed the measures with Netanyahu, and that Israel would decide upon its response next week. Israeli human rights lawyer Eitay Mack, who has spent years campaigning for international sanctions against Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, told The Associated Press that Tuesday's move was "historic," but that it was "unbelievable that it took so long for Western governments to sanction Israeli politicians — and the fact that it's being done while Trump is president is quite amazing." "It is a message to Netanyahu himself that he could be next," Mack told the AP. All of the nations behind the new sanctions are closely allied with the U.S., and three of them are fellow members of the NATO alliance. Australia and New Zealand are not NATO members, but they work closely with the U.S. through the "Five Eyes" intelligence sharing alliance, along with the U.K. and Canada. More Palestinians reportedly killed near U.S.-backed group's aid hub While the negotiations drag on, the war raging in Gaza continues to take a steep daily toll in Palestinian lives. The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said Tuesday that more than 30 people had been killed around two of the controversial, U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution hubs in the enclave. Witnesses said the victims were shot, echoing accounts of numerous previous incidents around the GHF's four operational distribution hubs in Gaza. The Israeli military said it was aware of reports of people being injured in the area, and that the details were under review. Soldiers "fired warning shots hundreds of meters from the aid distribution site" in question before it opened on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. The shots were fired "toward suspects who posed a threat to the troops," according to the IDF. Israel does not allow foreign journalists to enter Gaza, so it was difficult to determine what actually happened on Tuesday, as it has been in all of the previous reported killings near the GHF hubs. The GHF, in a daily note on its operations sent to media outlets, said: "Aid distribution at both sites proceeded without incident" on Tuesday. The U.S.-based group's aid centers, which are staffed by armed, private American contractors, are located adjacent to heavily militarized zones in the Gaza Strip, which the IDF has declared off-limits to civilians from dusk to dawn. CBS News' local team in Gaza has reported widespread confusion among families trying to seek aid at the hubs. Residents have told CBS News that it is often unclear which of the four aid hubs are open at any given time. Large crowds have gathered near the hubs in the overnight hours, with people hoping to be first in line for food distribution, which can start as early as 6 a.m. local time. Nevertheless, video has shown steady streams of people leaving the centers with sacks containing aid, including dried lentils and cooking oil. Virtually no one in Gaza has gas left to power stoves, however, so families have been burning trash, including plastic, to cook with. Many of the dry goods in the GHF aid parcels are inedible unless they're cooked. Trump says Iran involved in talks with Hamas and Israel President Trump told reporters at a White House event on Monday night that Iran is involved in negotiations between Hamas and the U.S. and Israel aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages from the Palestinian territory. "Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel, and Iran actually is involved," he said. He didn't offer any further details, but said: "We'll see what's going to happen with Gaza. We want to get the hostages back." The U.S. has long been engaged in ongoing negotiations in Qatar aimed at brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but there has been no indication of an imminent breakthrough in those talks, though Netanyahu said in a video message Tuesday that the dialogue had advanced. Iran has never been mentioned by the U.S. previously as a party to the talks, and no member of Netanyahu's government has ever acknowledged engaging in negotiations with Iran. Israeli media outlets cited anonymous officials on Tuesday as denying any discussion with Iran, but there was no on-the-record statement from Netanyahu's government about Mr. Trump's remarks, which came after a telephone call between the two leaders earlier on Tuesday. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump reportedly discussed the separate talks the U.S. has been holding with Iranian negotiators aimed at striking a new deal to impose limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the easing of crushing economic sanctions. Those talks are due to resume toward the end of this week, either in Oman or Oslo, but thus far the Iranian government has said the country will not agree to abandon entirely its domestic enrichment of uranium, something the White House continues to insist on publicly. Israel strikes Houthi-held port in Yemen Israel's navy has also stepped up its attacks on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, firing two missiles at Houthi-held port facilities in the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, the IDF said Tuesday. The military said the strikes were carried out to "stop the use of the port for military purposes," including the movement of weapons. Hodeida's docks have been attacked in the past by Israel's air force, and the strikes were meant as a fresh warning to the Houthis to stop firing missiles at Israel. On average, the rebels have launched a missile at Israel every other day for several months. Almost all have disintegrated in the air or been intercepted by Israeli air defenses. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said if the attacks don't stop, Israel will impose a complete air and sea blockade on Houthi territory in Yemen, not unlike the one Israel is currently imposing on Gaza. "We warned the Houthi terror organization that if they continue to fire at Israel, they will face a powerful response and enter a naval and air blockade," said Katz. The Houthis did not offer any assessment of the damage inflicted by the Israeli strike, and there was no video evidence immediately broadcast by the group's own satellite news outlet.
