Fierté Canada Pride Defends 2SLGBTQIA+ Students in New Brunswick Following Bill 713 Revisions

JUNE 9 2023  |  VANCOUVER, BC - New Brunswick’s Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan announced earlier this week the review and revision of three sections of the department’s Policy 713 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity), which will take effect on July 1 2023.  One policy change in particular will require parental consent for students under 16 to change their pronouns in New Brunswick schools.  The previous policy said teachers needed a student’s informed consent before discussing the student’s preferred pronouns or name with a parent.  

This change sends a devastating message of exclusion to trans and gender diverse students.  Not only may it force trans and non-binary students back into the closet, but it will have a direct increase of hate towards vulnerable students during a time of unprecedented violence and hate towards 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians.

Fierté Canada Pride is calling for an immediate return to the former version of Policy 713 with proper, legal protections for 2SLGBTQIA+ students, as well as an apology from Premier Higgs for his government’s Republican-style campaign of fear, transphobia, and disinformation.

We call on all our members and allies to join the fight and stop this rollback of human rights in New Brunswick.  Email Premier Higgs (premier@gnb.ca) and Minister Hogan (bill.hogan@gnb.ca) to express your concerns about this Policy change and to show your support of New Brunswick 2SLGBTQIA+ students.

Read our full Statement of Support here.