Former Saskatchewan human rights commissioner Heather Kuttai says she spoke with her son before she decided to resign on Monday over the province害羞草研究所檚 proposed pronoun legislation.
Her son, who害羞草研究所檚 transgender, told her not to go quietly.
害羞草研究所淭hat was kind of my light, I think,害羞草研究所� Kuttai told The Canadian Press. 害羞草研究所淲e all hear those stories, but this one, when it came to light, it really stung. It felt personal for one thing.害羞草研究所�
Kuttai announced her resignation Monday in a letter to Premier Scott Moe.
She said children害羞草研究所檚 rights must take precedence over parental obligations.
害羞草研究所淭he assault on human rights of children really drove it home for me and my family,害羞草研究所� Kuttai said in the interview. 害羞草研究所淚 realized I couldn害羞草研究所檛 continue to be a part of a system that fundamentally is anti-trans.害羞草研究所�
She said if the province passes the legislation with the notwithstanding clause, 害羞草研究所淪askatchewan will no longer be a place that takes care of all its kids.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭his is the only province in Canada where the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ kids are not the same as other children in this country,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e all born into this country with rights. That害羞草研究所檚 part of what makes this country great. We don害羞草研究所檛 own our kids.害羞草研究所�
The province announced in the summer a policy requiring consent for pronoun and name changes in schools for students under 16.
Lawyers for UR Pride, a Regina LGBTQ organization, sought an injunction until a challenge could be heard in court later this year. It argued the policy violates Charter rights and could cause teachers to out or misgender children.
A judge granted an injunction at the end of September.
Last week, the Saskatchewan Party government introduced legislation containing the policy, along with the notwithstanding clause, overriding sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Saskatchewan害羞草研究所檚 Human Rights Code.
Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre said she害羞草研究所檚 sorry to learn of Kuttai害羞草研究所檚 resignation and would be reading the letter.
害羞草研究所淧eople have different views on this issue, and lawyers have different views on this issue,害羞草研究所� Eyre told reporters.
害羞草研究所淒o parents as non-human-rights experts have a right to have views on this issue? I will say parents are citizens, too. And we害羞草研究所檝e heard from thousands of them.害羞草研究所�
Kuttai said research shows LGBTQ youth face a higher risk of abuse, violence and mental-health harm.
It害羞草研究所檚 a mistake to put teachers in a position of outing a child before they are ready, and it害羞草研究所檚 harmful to misgender a child, she said.
害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 understand why you and your government would want to be responsible for a system that brings harm to children,害羞草研究所� she asked Moe in the letter.
The legislation says that if it害羞草研究所檚 believed a student would be harmed because of the consent requirement, the school害羞草研究所檚 principal is to direct the student to a counsellor. The counsellor would then develop a plan with the student to help them make a request to their parent to get consent.
Kuttai said the suggestion children will get all the counselling they need in schools is unrealistic, noting schools lack resources to help all children.
She said her son害羞草研究所檚 coming out was a difficult process, even though he felt confident his parents would love him.
害羞草研究所淥ne of the reasons he is now out, and thriving, is because of the support he received at school,害羞草研究所� Kuttai said in the letter. 害羞草研究所淚 hate to think of what would have happened if he had not had that support.害羞草研究所�
Kuttai is one of Saskatchewan害羞草研究所檚 six human rights commissioners. She said her resignation is effective immediately.
害羞草研究所淚 cannot tell you the depth of my disappointment in the government I have worked for and supported for the last nine years, but I promise you that my efforts as a community builder and activist will only become stronger because of this enormous letdown.害羞草研究所�
She said she texted her son Monday of her resignation.
害羞草研究所淚 said, 害羞草研究所業 guess you害羞草研究所檙e really out now,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Kuttai said with a laugh.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 sure he will be pleased that, on some level, his mom stood up for him and his trans brothers and sisters. I had to be able to ensure that my son, both of my sons, know what side of the fence I sat on.害羞草研究所�
Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck commended Kuttai for her courage and remarks.
害羞草研究所淚 would call upon the government to pause and listen to what is going on here,害羞草研究所� Beck said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 time for sober second thought. It害羞草研究所檚 time for them to pull away from their agenda.害羞草研究所�
Moe previously said the policy had strong support from the majority of Saskatchewan residents and parents.
Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill added Monday that the government decided to act when Regina Public Schools changed its policy so parents would not be informed of a child害羞草研究所檚 pronoun changes.
Cockrill said 害羞草研究所渕ultiple individuals害羞草研究所� informed the government in 2022 of the division害羞草研究所檚 new policy.
The government took nine days to draft its pronoun policy in August and released it to the public four days later.
READ ALSO:
READ ALSO:
