{"id":48972,"date":"2023-06-21T15:09:05","date_gmt":"2023-06-21T19:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehub.ca\/?p=48972"},"modified":"2023-06-21T16:06:42","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T20:06:42","slug":"besieged-on-all-sides-over-lgbtq-policy-new-brunswick-premier-blaine-higgs-puts-his-faith-in-public-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehub.ca\/2023-06-21\/besieged-on-all-sides-over-lgbtq-policy-new-brunswick-premier-blaine-higgs-puts-his-faith-in-public-opinion\/","title":{"rendered":"Besieged on all sides over LGBTQ policy, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs puts his faith in public opinion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs seems to be besieged from all sides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a recent change to LGBTQ policy in schools, Higgs took an onslaught of criticism from opposition parties and the national media and even sparked a slow-burning rebellion in his own party’s ranks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lone bright spot for the premier is that recent polling has shown that a majority of Canadians side with him on the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Proponents of the policy change, which mandated that parents must be informed if their children opt to change their pronouns or name while at school, say Higgs is making a common sense appeal to parents who want to be informed about their kids. Critics argue the premier could be endangering those children by requiring parental notification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The federal Conservatives are watching for lessons on how the issue might play nationally, while the federal Liberals have already bitterly criticized Higgs. The media has covered it all breathlessly, seeing a new front open up in the culture war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if Higgs can get through the internal battle to oust him, some strategists think it could be a winning issue in a general election. For now, with a majority of his own riding associations now organizing against him, Higgs is simply fighting for survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chad Bowie, a consultant and federal Conservative, says there could be long-term benefits for Higgs and his party because parental rights are a reliable way to bring people out to vote and can broaden the policy scope of conservative politicians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cElections are emotional, and the emotional bond between a kid and parent or a grandparent is immeasurable,\u201d says Bowie. \u201cWhen the voters\u2019 choice boils down to whether a parent or the state is best positioned to care, nurture, and support the growth and development of a child, it isn’t hard to imagine parents flocking to the polls to defend their rights.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trouble for Higgs began earlier this month with a caucus rebellion over changes to a policy designed to protect LGBTQ students, but which critics say leaves parents in the dark about their own kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On June 8, the Higgs government revised Policy 713, which was introduced by his government in 2020 and was originally intended to provide safe spaces for LGBTQ students at schools. The recent revisions mandated that parents must be informed if their children opt to change their pronouns or name while at school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Critics of the revision have labelled it as influenced by transphobia<\/a> and argue that it will be harmful to trans and non-binary students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgs is now facing a caucus rebellion over the revision, with one MLA resigning from his cabinet. Additionally, six PC MLAs voted with the opposition Liberals on June 15 in the legislature, demanding a review of the revisions by New Brunswick’s child and youth advocate. CBC reported on Wednesday that the presidents of 26 of the 49 PC riding associations in New Brunswick have signed a letter<\/a> calling for a leadership review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n