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Eleven interveners approved for Saskatchewan’s ‘pronoun policy’ case

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has granted intervener status to eleven organizations for the provincial government's appeal of a decision that allowed an amended court action against the province's pronoun consent law. 

This decision granted permission to individuals and groups who wanted to argue in favour, or against, the Government of Saskatchewan’s appeal. The focus of the appeal is on the notwithstanding clause, invoked by the government to pass the controversial Bill 137.

Those approved as interveners include the following:

• The Attorney General of New Brunswick,

• The Attorney General of Alberta,

• The Advocates’ Society,

• Amnesty International Canadian Section,

• British Columbia Civil Liberties Association,

• Canadian Civil Liberties Association,

• John Howard Society of Saskatchewan,

• Justice for Children and Youth

• Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund Inc., and

• A joint application from the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.

One applicant, Our Duty Canada, was rejected. The Court said the applicant was not focused on the constitutional question of the appeal and spoke to underlying issues.

The appeal is set to be heard on September 23 and 24.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said, “The whole reason behind this policy is we want to see parents more involved in their child’s education.”

Bill 137 was passed in an emergency sitting of the Assembly last summer and the Government of Saskatchewan invoked the notwithstanding clause to override the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to pass the legislation. Calls for a Parent’s Bill of Rights originally came after inappropriate sex cards were mistakenly handed out to students at a school in Lumsden.

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Packed room in Moose Jaw to discuss homelessness, addictions, shelter location

It was a full house in Moose Jaw Monday night as people gathered to share their opinions on the location of the Riverside Mission Shelter, homelessness, and addictions.

The decision on where to relocate the shelter has many vocal on the issue. The shelter is currently located downtown, but many want to see the shelter moved.

One resident spoke to the media afterwards and said, “I have a mixed message. I understand that we need services close by. We can’t put people out in North 40 and expect them to get there, but also feel strongly that our community here - it’s a tourism-based industry and we need to have our tourism. Without tourism, we don’t have business, without business we don’t have donations without donations, you can’t support locations. And so I believe it needs to be within the city, I don’t think it needs to be in the downtown core.”

At the most recent council meeting over forty delegates spoke to the issue.

Crystal Peterson works for the Willow Lodge and said, “It can be really scary for sure. Violence is scary, poverty can be really scary too, but you know what I’ve realized is that people just need a place to sleep and Souls Harbour being downtown is really important for the community, so that all of the vulnerable population can be close to the support that they need.”

Residents and elected representatives in Saskatoon, Regina, and now Moose Jaw, have debated the location of shelters during the past year.

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Provincial ombudsman probing inmate concerns for first time in 20 years

The provincial ombudsman Sharon Pratchler will be looking into inmate complaints from the Pine Grove Correctional Centre for the first time in over two decades. Pine Grove is located just north of Prince Albert.

Pratchler said, “We are aware of significant concerns through complaints made to our office, and decided it is in the public interest to investigate. We want to open the door for them to contact us with any concerns they may have about their experiences or the conditions at Pine Grove.”

The last report was conducted in 2002.

Nicole Obrigavitch, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan, last year said overcapacity is the only symptom of a bigger crisis. She described a ‘severe lack of housing and resources for people with addictions, mental health, poverty and intergenerational trauma.’

The ombudsman is asking anyone who was impacted by incarceration at Pine Grove to come forward.

(CTV News)

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More news and info

• Chrystia Freeland insists she has enough support to stay on as Finance Minister (The Toronto Star)

• Firefighters hope for rain as wildfires burn in Saskatchewan (PA Now)

• Third B.C. United MLA defects to Conservatives (Canadian Press)

• Kamala Harris launches $50 million ad buy - watch it here

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