Two groups have started petitions in support of Premier Blaine Higgs over the province’s pronoun policy— and they’ve garnered so much support that the Conservative Premier looks poised to survive a potential leadership review vote.
Premier Higgs recently introduced a policy that requires teachers to have parental consent if they are to use alternative pronouns or names for students under the age of 16. Thus, if a child is taking on a transgender or non-binary identity at school, their parents will be made aware.
Higgs has not backed down on the issue, despite some of his Progressive Conservative party members submitting a letter meant to trigger a leadership review vote.
But two grassroots organizations have stepped up to support Higgs.
One of the groups is called 4 My Canada, which is based in Quispamsis, just outside Saint John. The Christian group is led by Faytene Grasseschi, and has gathered over 10,000 signatures on a “Don’t delete parents” petition, over 2000 of which come from New Brunswick.
“If it goes to a leadership review, I think it’s buying that membership and making your voice heard,” said Grasseschi.
“This is just basic democracy, right?”
Enough votes to make a difference
In the province’s 2016 leadership vote that Higgs won, just 2,732 PC members voted.
Grassechi has said that non-religious and even Muslims have signed her organization’s petition.
“It doesn’t take a sharp pencil to understand that this is precedent setting,” Grassechi told True North.
She added, “If Premier Blaine Higgs is politically assassinated so to speak over this particular issue, that will send a signal to elected officials nationwide … that when you stand with parents, be prepared that you can lose your job and you’re probably going to pay a price with your career.”
On the other hand, she said if Blaine wins, it will be a message to all other Premiers “that when you stand with parents, it’s a good move.”
Another group supporting Higgs is called Right Now, a non-religious, pro-life Canadian organization. The org’s petition called “Keep Blaine Higgs!” has amassed over 1,300 signatures.
Alissa Golob, the group’s co-founder, said she thinks over 90% of the signers live in New Brunswick.
“We’ll be ready if it does come to a leadership review or if it comes down to an election,” Golob said.
