A new poll suggests that Saskatchewan residents would not rank the Sask. Party’s proposed “parental inclusion” legislation, also known as the pronoun policy, as one of the most important issues for the provincial government to tackle.
A poll from spark*insights delved into the topics of transgender Canadians and Saskatchewan’s pronoun policy, showing where many Canadians and Saskatchewan residents sit on these matters. The poll was commissioned by Egale Canada describes itself as Canada’s “leading organization” for LGBTQ2 people and issues.
About 1,300 Canadians were polled online between Oct. 4 and Oct. 8, with over-samples of 350 Saskatchewan residents and 300 parents of children under the age of 18. “Over sample” means the poll, while conducted nationally, weights respondents who are from Saskatchewan and are parents more heavily.
The pronoun policy, parental rights and the use of the notwithstanding clause have been hot topics in Saskatchewan, but the top three issues highlighted by those polled were the need to address the rising cost of living, improving health care, and making housing more affordable. Protecting parental rights scored number 14 in a list of 15 issues.
The poll looked at how many people knew someone who was transgender, with 67 per cent of people polled saying they didn’t.
One of the questions in the poll asked: “If a student aged 16 or younger begins to identify as transgender in school, should their teacher be required to inform that student’s parents, or should the teacher have the discretion to not inform a parent if there is a credible risk to believe telling a parent could put the student at risk?”
Overall, the poll found 51 per cent of people felt that a teacher should be able to use their discretion in the matter.
Looking closer at the demographics, 55 per cent of Saskatchewan residents polled wanted teacher discretion and the same could be said for 58 per cent of women and 72 per cent of NDP voters.
About 67 per cent of conservative voters wanted parents to be informed, as well as 56 per cent of men and 53 per cent of parents.
When asked how likely it was that children under the age of 16 would be harmed if the province’s new education policies were put in place, overall, 60 per cent of people said kids were likely to be harmed.
Men and supporters of the pronoun policy were the largest demographics to believe that kids would not be harmed due to the policy, but 42 per cent of those who supported the policy still believed that kids would be harmed.
Regardless of demographic, most Canadians polled believe that courts should be able to review the Sask. Party education policies before more action is taken, with only 27 per cent of Canadians in favour of the notwithstanding clause being used to push forward this legislation.
Egale Canada took the data collected from spark*insights and called for the province to put a halt to implementing these policies.
“We have long known that school is a lifeline and a refuge for gender diverse students, especially for those who don’t have safe home environments. If enacted, the Government of Saskatchewan’s school pronoun policy will cause irreparable harm to some of the most vulnerable students, and even put their lives at risk,” Egale Canada said in a statement.
Egale Canada linked to a 2018 study from the Journal of Adolescent Health, a 2019 study from the University of British Columbia, and a 2018 study, also from the University of British Columbia, that showed that allowing trans kids to use chosen names and pronouns can reduce depression and suicide attempts, and that many trans youth face physical and sexual violence at home.
Global News has reached out to the provincial government for a response.
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