So to get clarity I asked GAC yesterday, who confirmed that 🇨🇦's intention is to communicate support for the court, and not to take a position on the merits of the case.
Canada is not taking the US-UK-German position that the case is without merit. Nor does it support S. Africa.
US and Toronto psychologists who don’t provide gender-affirming care to minors in N.B. or Canada were invited to present to Higgs’ government about the issue. Higgs publicly quoted one of them, “misrepresenting” how easy is it for minors to get treatment. https://t.co/NTitv6wU6v
Instead of providing an interview, Higgs’ office set up a zoom call with Erica Anderson, a US psychologist who advocates for “more caution.” I asked if she had any evidence Canadian doctors are not being cautious enough when providing gender affirming care to minors. She said no.
Higgs invited James Cantor to present to government. Cantor has testified in more than 25 US cases, supporting bans to trans healthcare and washroom/sports access. Cantor is a Toronto psychologist who has previously said he’s never treated trans youth https://t.co/NTitv6wU6v
2 groups want to support the province. They argue affirming kids' gender identities could be harmful.
One says on its website that being transgender is not real. It supports parents in how to "create an environment" for their kids to stop transitioning.
https://t.co/qFnEnPWDvO
Also in May, he said “parents didn't know anything about it, and there wasn't any discussion about it.”
The 2019 briefing note said parents, PSSCs were involved and "Significant public interest has been generated around this policy, and pressure is increasing for its release.”
Higgs’s run ins with the policy before review began:
- 2019 Briefing note
- 2020 Conversations about it
- 2021 Caucus meeting
- 2022 Another briefing note
- 2022 Emails Bill Hogan, attaches policy
- March 2023 Meeting scheduled with Hogan https://t.co/gViT4RgJCS
The minister has previously said if a parent complains about a teacher using a gender-related name or pronoun they don't approve of then the teacher could face sanctions.
The minister says teachers can "just ask," if they're not sure if a child is just asking for a nickname or is asking for a new name because they're transitioning.
https://t.co/8YnVdvYJQD
From the CBC's @HadeelBIbrahim: Changes to Policy 713 violate N.B. Human Rights Act, Education Act, Charter of Rights, says child & youth advocate. https://t.co/Yz3vksbVnn