In late August, the Government of Saskatchewan implemented its “Use of Preferred First Name and Pronouns by Students” Policy – requiring that teachers must first seek permission from a student’s parent for pronoun use and name changes for students younger than 16. This policy violates the rights of gender-diverse students under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and if it remains in effect it will cause devastating and irreparable harm to gender-diverse students who do not feel safe coming out at home. In response, on August 31, Bennett Jensen, Director of Legal at Egale Canada, and McCarthy Tétrault LLP as co-legal counsel for UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity commenced legal action against the Government of Saskatchewan to have the policy declared unconstitutional. If this policy remains in effect, these students will face an impossible choice: be outed to their parents or remain closeted at school. Following a case conference on September 5, Chief Justice Popsecul of the Saskatchewan Court of King's Bench ordered a hearing of the application challenging the constitutionality of the Saskatchewan Government's policy on September 19 in Regina. We look forward to keeping you updated on this case. Please join us in calling on the Government of Saskatchewan to withdraw the policy so that all students can have equal opportunities for safety and success. | 
