Advocates plea for Ottawa to call inquiry into Alberta, Saskatchewan trans laws

OTTAWA — Advocates are in Ottawa asking the federal government to call an inquiry into provincial laws they say have escalated harassment, bullying and mental health harms for transgender people.

Laws on the books in Saskatchewan and Alberta require parental consent for students under 16 to change their names or pronouns at school.

Alberta also has a law that bans transgender athletes 12 and older from participating in amateur competitive female sports, and another that restricts gender-affirming medical care for youth.

LGBTQ+ advocates say members of Parliament need to hear from those impacted by these laws, adding that some have taken their own lives since the policies were enacted.