Liberal Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault says he wants a meeting with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to discuss her recent policy announcement on transgender youth.
Smith was in Ottawa on Monday after announcing last week that her United Conservative Party government would ban puberty blockers and hormone therapy for children 15 and younger who have not already begun those treatments.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith arrives for a news conference in Ottawa on Monday, Feb.5, 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
That proposal, along with her government’s plan to require that parents be notified if kids under 15 want to go by a different name or pronoun at school, has spurred several days of protest.
Boissonnault, who is openly gay and the only Liberal cabinet minister from Alberta, said Smith is pushing “draconian” measures on some of the province’s most vulnerable youth.
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The federal government’s ability to ask for a Supreme Court reference on any use of the notwithstanding clause by provinces is an “important legal tool,” he noted.
“We will be playing very close attention to see what’s in Premier Smith’s legislation, which I hope never makes it to the floor of the (legislature),” Boissonault said.
He said he has invited Smith to sit down and discuss the policy, but had yet to hear back.
Smith said her office is working on scheduling meetings with Liberal ministers and her chief of staff is in touch with Boissonnault’s office.
However, Liberal officials confirmed that they received a message from Smith’s office on Friday politely declining their meeting request.
Asked about Smith’s policy at a news conference Monday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said: “Let parents raise kids and provinces run schools and hospitals.”
He did not specifically address Smith’s proposals.
In Toronto, Ontario Premier Doug Ford signalled that his government would not follow Alberta in restricting the availability of surgeries and treatments for transgender youth.
“No. We have a law here and we’re leaving everything alone,” he said, echoing previous remarks from the province’s health minister.
Local advocates in Ottawa, meanwhile, were organizing an “emergency” protest downtown later Monday in light of Smith’s visit to the capital.
Smith was in town to open an Alberta government office near Parliament Hill that is intended to help advance the province’s priorities and fortify federal-provincial ties.
In a news release, the Alberta government said the office would “help create stronger relationships with governments in Ottawa and across Canada while increasing the province’s advocacy on matters of importance to Albertans.”
Smith was also expected to give a luncheon speech to members of the Economic Club of Canada.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
