In terms of LGTBQ advocated, they don’t come much greater and funnier than Rick Mercer, so I was thrilled when I tuned into this week’s Rick Mercer report and see that his famous rant this week was about Bill 24 and Jason Kenney year-long effort to force schools to identify which kids are enrolled in a GSA.
GSA’s are gay straight alliances and while every school in Alberta is required to have one, a new law this week would make it so schools wouldn’t have to notify parents if their kids were enrolled in one. Longtime homophobe Jason Kenney, leader of the UCP clearly wouldn’t let it stand and instructed his UCP MLAs to vote against the bill.
GSAs save lives. It’s as simple as that. They are a safe space for the most vulnerable kids in schools. Luckily the bill passed with flying colours, despite the UCP voting against it.
So you’ll understand why I jumped for joy when Rick Mercer’s rant, not only called out Jason Kenney’s homophobia, but also told him to pick on someone his own size!
Check out the rant yourself. Thank you, Rick!
70% of Albertans agree with Rick and think the kids’ privacy should be respected. Most Albertans are pretty progressive bunch and we’ve moved on from the apish behaviours of our former Premiers. The UCP is the worst thing to ever happen to Alberta. They’re going to drag us back to the King Ralph days kicking and screaming.
https://twitter.com/ABDanielleSmith/status/928670167751581696
How on earth to you suggest that opposition to Bill 24 is equivalent to a year long effort to force schools to identify which kids are enrolled in a GSA? UCP has been clear that they believe parents should be notified only in special circumstances where kids are at risk.
Your blog and Twitter feed remind me of what I’m seeing from the Trump govt – a lot of conjecture, fake news and very little substance.
How are gay kids feeling right now with you and the govt insisting that a huge proportion of Albertans are hateful homophobes who are looking to out them? You are using gay kids as pawns in your war against the UCP and it isn’t right. I hope that you will think about how your characterization of so many accepting and supportive Albertans is dead wrong.