'Not representative of evidence': Edmontonians protest 3 new bills while premier sees success at leadership review

An effigy of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith can be seen at a rally for trans rights in Edmonton on Nov. 2, 2024. (Galen McDougall/CTV News Edmonton)

Hundreds of Albertans gathered outside the legislature on Saturday to protest three new bills aimed at transgender and non-binary Albertans, including teachers, nurses, health-care professionals, politicians and community advocates. 

If passed, the legislation will restrict gender-affirming treatments for youth, require parental consent for pronoun or name changes in schools, and limit participation in competitive female sporting divisions to athletes registered as female at birth.

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"It is really important to tell our stories, to show up and protest, to deny the bills that target our existence, that target our access to health care," said Adebayo Chris Katiiti, founder of human rights organization Raricanow.

"The bills being tabled in this fall session do not meet the needs of the average Albertan," said Rowan Morris of Trans Rights YEG. "They are not representative of evidence or the needs Albertans currently have."

With 2021 census data showing that less than 0.4 per cent of Albertans identify as transgender or non-binary, Premier Danielle Smith has faced questions over the need for such legislation at this time. 

"We've been hearing from folks for the last nine months that this is not what they want, they want things to address the (homelessness) crisis, they want things to address the fact that they can't keep food on their tables or their lights on," Morris said.

"Bills that address 0.37 per cent of Albertans … are not meeting the needs."

Demonstrators can be seen outside the Alberta legislature at a rally for trans rights in Edmonton on Nov. 2, 2024. (Galen McDougall/CTV News Edmonton)

The policies were first announced early this year, sparking pushback from advocates, organizations, medical professionals, educators and legal experts.

Smith has maintained that legislation aims to protect youth, and on Thursday she compared gender-affirming care that impacts fertility to co-erced sterilization.

"When governments in the past made the decision to sterilize individuals determined to be mentally feeble, that ultimately resulted in a massive lawsuit and compensation," she said.

"We have to be able to protect the right of kids to be able to make those choices when they're adults."

The premier has also faced criticism for including a ban on gender reassignment surgery for minors, as it's already illegal in Canada to perform bottom surgery on a minor, and experts say top surgeries are only done under 18 in very rare cases.

When asked about how many Alberta youth have undergone hormone therapy, top surgery, or how many transgender athletes were competing in female sporting divisions, Smith has been unable to answer.

She said the province is basing the policies on data from other countries like the U.K, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

Chris Gallaway, of Friends of Medicare, believes the legislation sets a dangerous precedent.

"We have a premier that's willing to step between patients and their doctor and tell them what care they can and cannot access," he said. "It's something we don't want to see in health care."

The current legislation targets a very small group, but Gallaway said it has much bigger implications.

"The resolutions being debated at their convention go much further, so all Albertans should be concerned," he added.

The bills were tabled on Oct. 31, the day before the United Conservative Party's general meeting and leadership review, where Smith received 91 per cent support.

At the meeting, the UCP voted overwhelmingly in support of a motion to ban transgender women from using women’s washrooms, change rooms and shelters. The party also voted in support of limiting gender markers on government documents to only male or female.

Those policies are non-binding, so Smith's UCP government won't be required to act on a successful motion.

Smith's transgender policies have been condemned by Amnesty International Canada. 

Egale Canada and Skipping Stone Foundation said they will be taking legal action against the Alberta government over the bills. Smith said she believes the policies are reasonable and will hold up in court. 

Calgarians also rallied against the legislation on Saturday.