NDP calls for Sask. legislation protecting students in gay-straight alliance groups

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on Premier Scott Moe'sgovernment to introduce legislation that would protect students'rights to form gay-straight alliance clubs.

Opposition Leader Ryan Meili said the clubs are a topic of debateright now in the Alberta election, where United Conservative LeaderJason Kenney has promised to replace legislation that prevents educators from telling parents if their children participate inGSAs.

Meili said such a move would be backward. He said theSaskatchewan Party government needs to legislate students' rights toform or join a GSA.

The NDP said Saskatchewan is one of the only provinces where a student's right to do so is not protected by legislation.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said a policy exists that allowsGSAs in school divisions and respects the confidentiality ofstudents.

Cat Haines, program co-ordinator with UR Pride Centre at theUniversity of Regina, said they knowyouth who face bullying andnegative comments about their gender and sexual identity.

Haines, who uses the pronoun "they", said the centre has encountered students who had difficultyforming GSAs because of unsupportive school staff andadministration, as well as students not feeling safe because theirparents may find out.

"A GSA really provides a safe space and community within theirschool where they can feel supported and where they feel like theycan really be themselves," Haines said Wednesday.

Without legislation around GSAs, students lack a clear path aboutwhat to do in cases where the policies are not being followed, Hainesadded.

Education Minister Gord Wyant said the province's existing policythat says school divisions should respond positively to studentrequests to form GSAs works well.

His office has not received acomplaint where a student has been denied forming such a group, hesaid.

Wyant said it's incumbent on people to report their complaintsand there is an online tool to help.

"If there's a student who ... isn't able to create a GSA or witha group of people to create a GSA, I'm not sure how I would know oranyone else would know that they were denied unless they told us," said Wyant.

Haines said expecting that of students is unrealistic.