Change room policy, endorsements overshadow debate as Sask. campaign heads into final week

Saskatchewan's election campaign took a hard turn this week, with Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe promising to implement a change room policy in schools as Carla Beck was getting endorsements from two of Moe's former caucus colleagues.

The announcements happened simultaneously. Moe was holding an availability at the campaign office of Regina Wascana Plains candidate Christine Tell and Beck was standing on the steps of the Legislature.

Less than 24 hours after they shared the same debate stage, the two leaders were offering different messages in a likely attempt to grab headlines and votes post-debate.

The 2024 election is the first time voters can cast their ballot for six days before the final voting date, Oct. 28. On Tuesday, voters can head to the polls. This is changing how the parties are rolling out their messaging.

This election's "October surprise" from the Saskatchewan Party was the change room promise. It had not been in the party'splatform, or mentioned by Moe on debate night or in the extensive scrum he held with reporters Wednesday evening.

But on Thursday morning, Moe said that if elected, his "first order of business" would be to enact a policy restricting students' use of change rooms in schools to their sex assigned at birth.

Moe said some school divisions already have such a policy, but it would become a directive from the Ministry of Education.

• Read full coverage of the 2024 Sask. provincial election.
• Watch more election coverage, including full news conferences, on CBC Sask.'s YouTube page.

On Wednesday, news outlet the Western Standard published a story featuring a parent saying their daughter had been uncomfortable in a changing room with two other students, who identified as female but were assigned male at birth, at a south Saskatchewan school.

The Saskatchewan Party said Thursday it, "received calls and correspondence with concerns regarding the complaint."

In a statement Friday, the party said it heard concerns on Thursday from parents at a previously scheduled town hall in Balgonie with the party's local candidate. The same statement said, "the identity of individual minors should never be part of any political debate."

WATCH |Moe announces plan for new gendered change room policy in schools if re-elected:

Moe announes plan for new gendered change room policy in schools if re-elected

4 days ago

Duration 2:00

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe said Thursday that his "first order of business" if re-elected this month would be to establish a policy restricting students' use of change rooms in the province's schools to their sex assigned at birth.

Beck gets endorsements from 3 former Sask.Party members

NDP Leader Carla Beck was asked about Moe's policy promise at a news conference Thursday morning and said it would be harmful to vulnerable kids.

"This is the most ugly kind of politics. People in this province are consistently worried about health care. They're worried about being able to pay their bills. They're worried about education," Beck said.

The issue of government policy in schools was front of mind at Beck's announcement, as two former Saskatchewan Party members pointed to Bill 137 and the use of the notwithstanding clause by Moe's government last fall as theyendorsedBeck.

Mark Docherty, former Speaker and Sask. Party member for Regina Coronation Park, said he disagreed with his former party's position.

"It was the utilization of the notwithstanding clause to further subjugate young people that need our assistance, that need our help."

Dochertystood outside the legislature in front of Beck wearing an orange NDP button. Dochertytalked about how he and Beck worked together previously as social workers in a group home that helped youth.

"This young person identifies as a girl, and we're going to take her because nobody else will, and we're going to do our best. By God, we did our best," Docherty said.

WATCH |Former Sask. Party MLA backs NDP, says Beck more collaborative than Moe:

Former Sask. Party MLA backs NDP, says Beck more collaborative than Moe

4 days ago

Duration 2:34

Mark Docherty, a former longtime Sask. Party MLA and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, spoke in support of Carla Beck and the Sask. NDP at a news conference in Regina Wednesday.

Ian Hanna, a former speechwriter and adviser to former premier Brad Wall, echoed Docherty's sentiments on Bill 137.

"After a string of poor byelection performances, Scott Moe chose to sacrifice the safety of a small but extremely vulnerable group of students for his own short-term political advantage."

Hanna, who recently worked for the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation,said he can no longer support his former party.

"I didn't leave the Saskatchewan Party, the Saskatchewan Party left me."

Glen Hart, MLA for Last Mountain-Touchwood for 21 years, repeated Hanna's line and said he too would endorse Beck.

"It's not the party I was elected to,and they have changed dramatically, and moved to the right, and I just can't be there. So I see Carla and her team as the logical choice to govern this province."

Hart said he felt like Moe didn't handle the pandemic properly. He also said the decision not to remit the carbon tax on home heating to the federal government went too far.

"You can debate the carbon tax policy all you want. That's all fair game, but when you start breaking the rule of law, you're [setting] a poor example."

Hart also disagreed with the government's decision to change security at the legislature through BIll 70.

"That's a small crack in our democratic system when the executive branch tries to control the legislative branch."

LISTEN | CBC's political panel discusses this biggest campaign storylines over the past week:

Moe has made gender identity an election issue. The Morning Edition political panel breaks it down

2 days ago

Duration 10:29

The politics of gender identity in schools did not come up at the provincial debate on Wednesday. Then one day later, Scott Moe put them front and centre. The Morning Edition's political panel looked at this and other highlights from the week on the campaign trail. Adam Hunter covers provincial politics for CBC Saskatchewan. Murray Mandryk writes a political column in the Regina Leader-Post. They joined host Stefanie Langenegger.