Former NDP leader Dominic Cardy joins PCs as strategic issues director
Tory Leader Blaine Higgs says he and Cardy are 'directly aligned' on many issues
Dominic Cardy 2021 "You're children belong to the Province"
Automatic reply: Methinks challenging Higgy's leadership is on Andrea Anderson-Mason's agenda before he calls an election N'esy Pas?
Johnson, Margaret Hon. (DAAF/MAAP)<Margaret.Johnson@gnb.ca> | Fri, Jun 9, 2023 at 5:59 PM |
| To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | |
Thank you for your e-mail. I am currently away from the office and will return on Thursday, September 29, 2022. For urgent constituency concerns please contact Jane Staples for assistance at 506-276-4045 or at Jane.Staples@gnb.ca.
Thank you. ______________________________
Merci pour votre courriel. Je suis présentement absente du bureau et je serai de retour le jeudi 29 septembre 2022. Pour les préoccupations urgentes de la circonscription, veuillez communiquer avec Jane Staples au 506-276-4045 ou à Jane.Staples@gnb.ca.
Merci. | |
Thursday, 18 May 2023
PC caucus rejected review of gender-identity policy once before, former minister says
PC caucus rejected review of gender-identity policy once before, former minister says
Many Tory MLAs won’t say if they agree with review or endorse premier’s comments on LGBTQ students
The Fredericton West-Hanwell MLA, who sits as an independent, said the policy on sexual orientation and gender identity "was years in the making, involved considerable grassroots engagement and has been in effect without incident for a couple of years."
He said Premier Blaine Higgs raised several concerns in 2020, "most of which were not real," and took it to the PC caucus hoping MLAs would agree to review it.
Instead, the MLAs "largely reacted with support for the policy," he said.
The review of the policy, which sets minimum requirement for making schools safe and inclusive for LGBTQ students, has triggered a wave of criticism.
New
Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs provoked criticism on Tuesday when he
said schools should not be allowed to keep a student's adoption of a new
name and pronoun secret from their parents when the student is younger
than 16. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
Higgs said Tuesday he didn't act on his concerns when the policy was adopted because such policies don't get "a whole lot of air time" and don't require cabinet approval.
"I knew about it, but didn't know the particular content," said the premier, who questioned why it wasn't debated publicly at the time.
But Cardy said he sent the finished document to Higgs's office "for a final look-over" at the time and never heard back, so he signed it into effect just before the 2020 campaign.
It was only after the election that Higgs summoned him and deputy minister George Daley to a meeting to hear his concerns and then went to the PC caucus hoping to deliver a "coup de grâce," Cardy said.
Instead, the caucus was generally comfortable with the document.
"It was probably the most well-developed policy that the department had worked on in a number of years, in terms of the number of stakeholders involved and the efforts to get people's voices heard and to make sure it was done carefully," Cardy said.
Current Education Minister Bill Hogan said Wednesday he remembered no such caucus discussion after the last election and didn't recall ever discussing Policy 713 before this year.
Jill Green, minister for housing, wouldn't say if she thinks the policy should be changed. (Radio-Canada)
Housing Minister Jill Green, who co-signed a letter with Cardy in 2021 critical of the government's handling of Indigenous land declarations, wouldn't say if she recalled the caucus endorsing the policy.
"This policy has been in place for a couple of years. We're all aware of it and I'm not going to speak about what we were talking about in caucus or cabinet, of course," she said.
Green also wouldn't say if she thinks the policy should be changed.
"I strongly support children, I strongly support the safety of children, the safety of children in schools and the LGBTQSI children within the schools, and I will use my voice to continue to advocate for them," Green said.
Premier questions drag queen storytime
Higgs provoked strong criticism on Tuesday when he said schools should not be allowed to keep a student's adoption of a new name and pronoun secret from their parents when the student is younger than 16.
He did not clearly explain why he thinks parents should always know about the choice, even in cases where they may be hostile to their child's sexual orientation or gender identity.
He also questioned whether drag queen storytime events in school amounted to "promotion" of a different sexual orientation and refused to say if he thinks children would become gay after participating.
Those remarks prompted an outpouring of criticism online.
Several PC MLAs, including senior cabinet ministers Ernie Steeves, Mike Holland and Jeff Carr, would not take questions on the subject Wednesday.
Moncton South MLA Greg Turner, who chairs the PC caucus, also wouldn't comment.
Opposition Liberal Leader Susan Holt said she suspects most PC MLAs would like Policy 713 to remain as is and that the push to weaken it is coming from Higgs.
"I think his caucus is broadly supportive of the policy, of Policy 713. I don't think this is a partisan thing. I think it's more personal."
Minister of Women's Equality Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace also says she
doesn't know if Policy 713 should be changed. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Some other PC members said they supported the review.
"It's just a review. A simple review. That's all it is," said Moncton Southwest MLA Sherry Wilson. "It's nothing major to be changed."
She said she "absolutely" supports the premier.
Minister of Women's Equality Tammy Scott-Wallace said Wednesday she did not know if the policy should be changed.
She said all children need to feel safe and included at school, and parents have "a very important role to play" in their children's lives.
"I'm never afraid to have conversations. It is a new policy so I'm not afraid of the conversations circulating this past week," she said.
Review 'important' says Kris Austin
Public Safety Minister Kris Austin said it's important to have the review.
He said he has to consent to his school-aged children taking a Tylenol at school, having their picture taken and going on a field trip, and the pronoun issue was no different.
Hogan and Higgs both argued Wednesday that if a child feels they're in danger at home because of their sexual orientation or gender identify or any other reason, other mechanisms exist for teachers or school staff to step in.
"If a teacher believes there is a serious danger to a student, they are required by law to notify social services," Hogan said.
Margaret
Johnson, minister of agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries, didn't say
whether a child's choice of pronoun should be disclosed to parents. (Radio-Canada)
Carleton-Victoria MLA Margaret Johnson, a former teacher, read a statement in the legislature Wednesday marking the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
Johnson said she volunteered to read it as a former teacher who taught trans students.
She acknowledged to reporters that some children have relationships with their parents "that are not ideal" and agreed those students have ways to get confidential support at school.
But she didn't say whether a child's pronoun choice should have to be disclosed to parents.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
"Dominic Vautour, a member of the Anglophone East district education council, called the premier's comments on Policy 713 deplorable."
Reply to Lorelei Stott
Much to my chagrin even I agree with Higgy on this 713 nonsense
| ||||||||||
Ministerial Correspondence Unit - Justice Canada<mcu@justice.gc.ca> | Thu, Jun 8, 2023 at 9:24 PM |
| To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | |
Thank you for writing to the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. Due to the volume of correspondence addressed to the Minister, please note that there may be a delay in processing your email. Rest assured that your message will be carefully reviewed. We do not respond to correspondence that contains offensive language. ------------------- Merci d'avoir écrit à l'honorable David Lametti, ministre de la Justice et procureur général du Canada.
Nous ne répondons pas à la correspondance contenant un langage offensant. | |
David Amos<david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | Thu, Jun 8, 2023 at 9:24 PM | ||||||
| To: premier@ontario.ca, oldmaison@yahoo.com, dan.bussieres@gnb.ca, andre@jafaust.com, jbosnitch@gmail.com, briangallant10@gmail.com, brian.gallant@gnb.ca, blaine.higgs@gnb.ca, David.Coon@gnb.ca, Dominic.Cardy@gnb.ca, david.eidt@gnb.ca, hugh.flemming@gnb.ca, "Marco.Mendicino" <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, "Mike.Comeau" <Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, "kris.austin" <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, "Mitton, Megan (LEG)" <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, "Arseneau, Kevin (LEG)" <kevin.a.arseneau@gnb.ca>, Alaina.Lockhart@gnb.ca, BrianThomasMacdonald@gmail.com, martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca, "andrea.anderson-mason" <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, "jeff.carr" <jeff.carr@gnb.ca>, "robert.gauvin" <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>, "robert.mckee" <robert.mckee@gnb.ca> | |||||||
| Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "Jacques.Poitras" <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>, "Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca> | |||||||
| |||||||
Thursday, 8 June 2023 Higgs threatens election over Policy 713 as 8 PCs break ranks | |||||||
The Wannabe big cheese and Chucky Baby
Higgs threatens election over Policy 713 as 8 PCs break ranks
6 ministers, 2 backbenchers denounce 'lack of process and transparency' during review
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said he was willing to call an election over changes to Policy 713, which was designed to protect LGBTQ students, as he faced a rebellion from several of his top cabinet ministers Thursday.
Six ministers and two backbench MLAs refused to attend the morning sitting of the legislature "as a way to express our extreme disappointment in a lack of process and transparency," they said in a statement.
But any chance of the government falling appeared to fizzle by mid-afternoon when all eight returned to the house for a key vote.
The statement was signed by ministers Dororthy Shephard, Trevor Holder, Daniel Allain, Arlene Dunn, Jeff Carr, Jill Green, and backbenchers Ross Wetmore and Andrea Anderson-Mason.
The eight Tories stayed away from question period less than an hour after Education Minister Bill Hogan announced the results of his review of Policy 713.
The policy, enacted in 2020 after consultations with stakeholders and experts, established minimum standards for schools to ensure a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for LGBTQ students.
Ministers
Dororthy Shephard, Trevor Holder, Daniel Allain, Arlene Dunn, Jeff
Carr, Jill Green, and backbenchers Ross Wetmore and Andrea
Anderson-Mason said they refrained from participating in routine
business and question period Thursday 'as a way to express [their]
extreme disappointment in a lack of process and transparency.' (CBC)
Hogan's news conference laid out changes to three elements of the policy, including no longer making it mandatory for teachers and staff to respect the chosen names and pronouns of children under 16 without parental consent.
The PC rebellion by more than a quarter of Higgs's caucus became clear when the eight MLAs delivered a written statement to reporters shortly before noon.
Another change removes mention of gender identity when it comes to sports and other activities, saying only that students will be able to take part in safe and welcoming activities. A third change requires each school to have a general-neutral change room.
But that wasn't enough to end the blooming PC rebellion by more than a quarter of Higgs's caucus.
"It could potentially force an election," the premier told reporters moments after the dissidents released their statement.
He'd been asked whether he might be forced to step down but instead raised the idea of triggering a campaign.
"Would I do that? It's not without the realm of possibility. I believe that strongly in the case of finding a solution here where we do not exclude parents in their child's life."
The prospect of the PCs losing a vote in the house was real for several hours.
8 PCs return to defeat Green bill to ban shale gas
A Green Party bill to ban shale gas development was due for a second reading debate and mid-afternoon vote.
The statement by the eight PC dissidents did not say if they'd take part in that vote, but the government would need them in the house to stop the Green legislation from advancing.
By the time the Green bill came up around 2:45 p.m., all eight were back in the house, giving the government enough votes to defeat the legislation.
It wasn't clear whether they'd won any further concessions in return for their presence during a noontime caucus meeting.
Asked after a noontime caucus meeting if she would be in the house to vote, Dunn replied, "I don't know."
Allain was in the house for a committee debate on one of his bills, and Anderson-Mason told reporters she planned to fill in for Speaker Bill Oliver during the afternoon.
"It's always been about the process," she said. "For me, it's always been about the process. The process is incredibly important. It's the foundation of democracy."
Green
Party Leader David Coon and MLAs Kevin Arseneau and Megan Mitton say
Higgs has clearly lost the confidence of his caucus and should resign. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Green Leader David Coon said earlier in the day that the extraordinary move by those Tories means Higgs must resign.
"He clearly has lost the confidence of a sizeable part of his cabinet. He needs to go."
Liberal Leader Susan Holt said her party was ready for an election and her MLAs would support any no-confidence vote against the government.
"I think what we've seen today is this government is not up to the challenge of leading our education system, and not up to the challenge of leading a cabinet or a caucus," she said.
Another PC caucus member could take over, Cardy says
Former education minister Dominic Cardy, who resigned last October and was ejected from the PC caucus, said an election isn't necessary to remove Higgs from office.
He told reporters that if the premier visits Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy and asked her to dissolve the house, she should instead ask the PC caucus if another of its members could take over and lead a government with majority support in the legislature.
Cardy acknowledged that move, while possible in the parliamentary system, is rare but not out of the question.
"The lieutenant-governor's job is to ascertain whether there's anybody else who can command the majority of the house," he said.
"I'm saying there are very clearly people who could do that job. The premier has shown today he can't even command his own caucus, his own cabinet."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
"But Higgs will be feeling the heat," he added. "Politically, it's never good to lose or fire a cabinet minister. And he certainly doesn't want to precipitate a caucus revolt."
Former education minister Dominic Cardy, who quit last fall over proposed changes to French immersion, says there are plenty of reasons why ministers are reluctant to resign.
"You lose a very large chunk of your salary, you lose access to a government car, different benefits," he said.
"But in the end, what's the point of this job? The point of being an elected official is to serve the people of the province."
A wave of departures could either force Higgs back to the more moderate style he adopted early in his term or push him out, Cardy said."
"Former education minister Dominic Cardy, who resigned last October and was ejected from the PC caucus, said an election isn't necessary to remove Higgs from office.
He told reporters that if the premier visits Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy and asked her to dissolve the house, she should instead ask the PC caucus if another of its members could take over and lead a government with majority support in the legislature.
Cardy acknowledged that move, while possible in the parliamentary system, is rare but not out of the question.
"The lieutenant-governor's job is to ascertain whether there's anybody else who can command the majority of the house," he said."
Higgs faces growing dissent from cabinet on LGBTQ policy review
Minister Jeff Carr says government should strengthen policies, not take away rights
Jacques Poitras · CBC News · Posted: May 25, 2023 3:30 PM ADT
The Conservative Party of Canada told us the election wasn't necessary...
Will you pay for it?
Are we basing the protection of our democracy now on the cost of elections?
Content Deactivated
“The arse is out of 'er now.”
Reply to Paula Carr
Civil liberties group concerned about 'domino effect' of LGBTQ-protection policy review
N.B. Education Minister Bill Hogan began review of Policy 713 in April, decision expected this week
The results of the review of Policy 713, which outlines minimum requirements for a safe environment for LGBTQ students, will be announced Thursday at a 9:15 a.m. news conference, which will be livestreamed by CBC News.
Harini Sivalangam, director of equality programs at the association, said they are especially concerned because of the rise of anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans sentiment in the country.
"We're also concerned about the domino effect that this may have across other jurisdictions," she said. "These policies were developed in consultation with stakeholders, and unilaterally making any changes to them is deeply concerning."
Harini
Sivalangam, director of equality programs at the Canadian Civil
Liberties Association, says lawyers will be closely reviewing any
changes to Policy 713. (Submitted by Canadian Civil Liberties Association)
Sivalangam said many provinces have almost identical policies to New Brunswick's. The move to review such a policy is unprecedented in Canada, she said, but has been seen in the United States.
"We don't see any governments trying to alter a policy that is working and is meeting the needs of students and school communities, which are trying to provide an inclusive space."
In Quebec, a group of parents, teachers and activists sent a letter to Quebec's minister of education asking him to take the same step as Higgs. They're asking to make it mandatory for teachers to tell parents if a child changes their name, pronoun or gender presentation.
In Prince Edward Island, flyers have been popping up in people's mailboxes and windshields urging parents to keep their children out of school to protest LGBTQ-protection policies.
What's under review
Two of the sections under review affirm students' rights to choose extracurricular activities and use washrooms that align with their gender identity.
A third says a principal must get the consent of a child under 16 before contacting parents to get their permission to make a name change official on school records.
Premier Blaine Higgs and Education Minister Bill Hogan have both said the rights of LGBTQ children will not be rolled back.
Concerns 'echo the claims' of anti-LGBTQ groups
The New Brunswick Women's Council has called on the province to suspend the review partly because the concerns cited are similar to those shared by transphobic and anti-LGBTQ groups.
Premier Higgs has said it's inappropriate for children in younger grades to be exposed to drag storytime. The policy does not address drag events and curriculum, and it's not clear if any school has ever had drag events as part of class.
New Brunswick Education Minister Bill Hogan says the results of the review will be announced this week. (Radio-Canada)
Hogan has also said one of the concerns driving the review is "the rights of female students and whether or not they're comfortable going into a washroom with a biological male."
The right to use the washroom that matches a person's gender identity has been protected by both the federal and provincial Human Rights Act since 2017.
Hogan began reviewing Policy 713 on April 21, suspending funding to training sessions and preventing department staff from giving presentations about it.
On May 5, a group of protesters appeared outside a New Brunswick Teachers' Association career-day event, holding signs calling educators "perverts" and sharing debunked conspiracy theories about children using litter boxes in schools. That's when the province confirmed it is reviewing the policy because of "misinterpretations and concerns."
When Child and Youth Advocate Kelly Lamrock asked the province to provide all correspondence that shows these concerns, he received copies of three emails. All three contain anti-LGBTQ sentiment, with one calling LGBTQ education "marxist ideology," and another denying that trans people exist and mentioning debunked conspiracy theories.
Sivalangam said hate against LGBTQ people has been on the rise. Just this week, the federal government announced $1.5 million for pride organizations to increase their security during events.
Protecting children from abuse
Gail Costello of Pride in Education helped implement the policy. She was a teacher for 30 years and said she's seen children kicked out of their homes, living on park benches and abused because their parents found out they were queer. She said this is why the policy says the school should check with the child before involving parents in the conversation.
Higgs cited "rights of parents to know" if their child is using a different name and pronoun in school. When asked if that means even homophobic parents, he said "I'm not distinguishing one parent from another."
The premier has also said he's questioning whether allowing transgender girls to play on girls' sports teams would affect "fairness" for non-trans players. The New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletics Association, which represents all school sports, has previously said there have been no concerns about fairness, and it's received zero complaints about trans kids in the last decade.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A branch of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association was formed in Fredericton in 1969 under President John Oliver, with about sixty members, and continued to operate until 1975. During its first year, it established a legal aid office and came to the defence of Tom Murphy, a writer for the student newspaper at the University of New Brunswick. Murphy had written a column on the recent barring of a professor from the university, Norman Strax, accusing the courts of perpetrating a mockery of justice and being tools of the corporate elite. The Fredericton CCLA flew in Alan Borovoy from Toronto to challenge the charge against Murphy of scandalizing the courts. Borovoy argued that the Crown must prove actual interference in the administration of justice, but he lost the case and Murphy spent ten days in jail.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1689249332I sent that lawyer a lot more than 3 emails since I served hard copy of my concerns upon him in 2004
Judge says defamation law will eventually tame internet
Blogger Charles LeBlanc ordered to pay $2,925 in court costs to Fredericton as lawsuit dismissed
Alan White · CBC News · Posted: Mar 21, 2017 3:00 PM ADT
N.B. minister makes 3 changes to LGBTQ-protection policy
Changes regarding self-identification, sports participation and gender-neutral washrooms take effect July 1
After weeks of controversy, New Brunswick's minister of education unveiled three changes to a policy protecting LGBTQ students in schools, including no longer making it mandatory for teachers and staff to respect the chosen names and pronouns of children under 16 without parental consent.
Bill Hogan said this will allow teachers to "maintain professionalism," and not have to "do something contrary to parents' wishes."
The review removes a line that says the school must get the student's consent before trying to get a parent's consent to change the child's name on school records. It now says if a child doesn't consent to involving parents, they should be referred to social workers or a mental health professional.
"We have no intention of telling parents about a child's gender identity if they don't wish us to do so. We're going to encourage them to speak with supportive professionals if they wish, and that's how we're going to proceed," Hogan said.
Policy 713 was enacted in 2020 after consultations with stakeholders and experts. Child and youth advocate Kelly Lamrock, who previously said the entire review process was broken and "incoherent," said he is reviewing the changes and won't be making a public statement Thursday.
"I will provide a Legislative Analysis to the Assembly as per normal practice on legal changes affecting children," he said on social media.
Students
from several New Brunswick, high schools, such as this one in
Quispamsis, rallied in support of Policy 713 after the review became
public knowledge. (Roger Cosman/CBC)
Hogan said this change addresses the issue of "keeping things hidden" from parents, a concern expressed by the premier after the review was announced.
Name changes on report cards a focus
Most of the changes pertain to what happens when a child requests an official name change on report cards and school systems.
The new policy has no guidelines for what happens when a child under 16 asks to go by a different name or pronoun unofficially. There is now no obligation for a teacher to use a child's chosen name in class, but no clear obligation to tell parents either.
The previous version made it clear that teachers must respect all children's chosen names and pronouns. The new version makes that obligation only relevant for students over 16.
When asked about the ambiguity this introduces, Hogan said the province won't go on a "witch hunt" and check into classrooms to see how teachers are referring to students, but this change means teachers don't have to "do something contrary to parents' wishes."
He said he understands how not using a child's chosen pronoun or name can cause "trauma," and "may not be preferred by the child," but he said there will be professionals available to "work through that while respecting parents' rights."
Gender identity reference removed
Also now gone from the policy is mention of gender identity when it comes to sports and other activities. The revision says all students will be able to participate in curricular and extracurricular activities that are safe and welcoming, removing the phrase "consistent with their gender identity."
Hogan said the organizations that govern sports and extracurricular activities already have guidelines on this and there's no reason "to get into the middle of that."
The premier had questioned whether allowing transgender girls to play on girls' sports teams would affect "fairness" for non-trans players. The New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletics Association, which represents all school sports, has previously said there have been no concerns about fairness, and it's received zero complaints about trans kids in the last decade.
Private washrooms
The third section under review affirmed students' rights to use the washroom that aligns with their gender identity, and says each school must have at least one gender-neutral washroom.
The new policy specifies that those universal washrooms be "private."
The minister also added a line that says: "Private and universal change rooms will be available in all schools."
Hogan said the results will come into effect on July 1.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PC caucus has found a consensus on Policy 713, education minister says
Bill Hogan says Tory ministers and MLAs in ‘full support’ of direction he’ll take
Bill Hogan told reporters at the legislature that his controversial review of the policy is "almost finalized" and would be released before the end of the week.
He also suggested that any changes will be less than what some people feared.
"I think, at the end of the day, it's going to be, like, 'is that all you were talking about?'"
Caucus on board, minister says
The review provoked a split within the PC cabinet and caucus of Premier Blaine Higgs, with five ministers and two MLAs publicly expressing concerns about how the review might affect LGBTQ students.
But Hogan said Wednesday the caucus is on board after a recent meeting.
"My understanding is that they're in full support of it … [of] the direction we're going to take," he said.
Asked if that meant there was a consensus among the 29 Tory members, Hogan responded, "I would say yes."
Among the provisions under review is a section that allows students under the age of 16 to adopt new names and pronouns at school without their parents being told.
It's also looking at sections that allow a student to play on sports teams and use washrooms that align with their gender identity.
At least one cabinet minister who has dissented on the review said the situation is still fluid.
"Many discussions are happening obviously all the time," said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Jeff Carr.
"None of us here, I don't think, have seen any of the changes yet. It's still a moving target. Discussions will continue."
Last month Carr said governments should be there "to strengthen policies and not take away the rights of marginalized individuals."
On Wednesday he repeated his earlier comments that "my voice inside of caucus is sometimes to my own detriment, but it's loud and proud, and I'll continue to make that argument inside that room."
Public Safety Minister Kris Austin said he was satisfied "so far" with what he's seen from Hogan and he has "full faith in the minister. I know he's worked hard on this."
Last
month, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Jeff Carr said
governments should be there 'to strengthen policies and not take away
the rights of marginalized individuals.' (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
"I mean, we'll have to continue to look at it and determine that it strikes that balance, that children are protected and that parents play a part in that as well."
Hogan said he hopes to announce the revised policy by the end of the week to "get it out of the way before the weekend arrives.
"I want New Brunswickers to understand that we respect the rights of parents and we're going to move forward and ensure that our LGBTQ+ community are protected, as they are today, and we're improving what we have," he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I told ya it was tempest in a teapot
"But Higgs will be feeling the heat," he added. "Politically, it's never good to lose or fire a cabinet minister. And he certainly doesn't want to precipitate a caucus revolt."
Former education minister Dominic Cardy, who quit last fall over proposed changes to French immersion, says there are plenty of reasons why ministers are reluctant to resign.
"You lose a very large chunk of your salary, you lose access to a government car, different benefits," he said.
"But in the end, what's the point of this job? The point of being an elected official is to serve the people of the province."
A wave of departures could either force Higgs back to the more moderate style he adopted early in his term or push him out, Cardy said."
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