New Brunswick Gov. to intervene in Sask. pronoun policy case

The Government of New Brunswick plans to apply for intervenor status in the case against Saskatchewan’s pronoun policy

The case has been making its way through the courts, and this winter a judge ruled the case could go ahead, despite the provincial government invoking the notwithstanding clause in the legislation.

Alberta said it will also apply for intervenor status, it made this announcement after Saskatchewan Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre invited other provinces to join in. Government argued the use of the notwithstanding clause should be the end of the court challenge.

On Friday, the Government of New Brunswick announced its intentions in a statement, saying it believes in the principles of law.

“This is a constitutional issue about whether the notwithstanding clause is the final word when a legislature invokes it. We believe that legislative assemblies have the right to make laws that are important to the people of their province, and that they have the right to protect those laws through the use of the notwithstanding clause, if necessary,” read the statement.

Advocates have taken the province’s controversial pronoun law to court, arguing it will harm children.