To the children and youth who will be affected, she said she cares about each of them and values them as much as other Albertans. However, she pointed out the changes are coming in for one purpose.

This purpose is it is important to preserve the time they have to gain a sufficient amount of knowledge, experience, and perspective to find out who they are before they make permanent, life-altering decisions about their bodies. She said this is important to understand, and anyone claiming they are designed to cause harm is mistaken.

Although people have the right to question or disagree with the policies, she said the rhetoric from adults who tell children and youth that they were designed to hurt or marginalize them “is irresponsible and harmful to the young people involved, and it is entirely false.” She added she hopes adults can debate the proposed legislation with maturity and compassion rather than question motives.

The premier went on to say licensed Alberta doctors will be prohibited from performing gender reassignment surgeries on youth under 18 years old. She said puberty blockers and hormone therapies for gender reassignment will be banned for those under 16 years old.

An exception will be granted to those who have begun treatment. For 16- and 17-year-olds wishing to proceed with puberty blockers or hormone therapies, they can do so once they have parental, psychologist, and doctor approval.

In schools, Smith said the proposed legislation will require parental notification and consent for students under 16 years old to change their names and pronouns. For 16- and 17-year-old students, she said they can do so without parental consent, but parents will have to be notified.

In the rare circumstances children could be harmed by a name or pronoun change, Alberta Education will provide a protocol to protect them during the process. She predicted parents will continue to love and care for their children regardless of the decisions they make.

In addition, the legislation will require parental notification and a parental opt-in requirement for each instance a teacher intends to talk about sexual orientation, gender identity, or human sexuality with students. The provision of resource materials or presentations to students related to these subjects in schools must be approved by Alberta Education to ensure age appropriateness and relevance.

As it pertains to women and girls in competitive sports, she said proposed legislation will be tabled to prohibit biological males from competing against them. This will apply to all competitive women’s and girls’ sports, all provincial sporting organizations, and in school and post-secondary sporting divisions.

She said the prohibition will not apply to recreational or co-ed divisions. The Alberta government will support the formation of additional recreational or co-ed leagues to allow transgender athletes to compete in their favourite sports.

Smith concluded by saying as the legislation is debated, people should “depoliticize the discussion and focus on the well-being of the children and youth most affected by these policies.” She said they need to know that all adults support them in becoming the people they want to be and will be there for them if they need to talk or require support.

“That commitment and care by all of us for these children and youth should not be questioned by either side of a political debate,” she said.

Smith said in January changing genders is a decision that should be reserved for adults.

News Update: Chris Oldcorn on Saskatchewan news

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