Draft of Alberta Bill of Rights cements parental rights as "God-given"

By lauraharris // 2024-09-11

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The United Conservative Party (UCP), the ruling party of the Canadian province of Alberta, is set to introduce a new provincial Bill of Rights that includes a provision cementing parental rights as "God-given." The draft bill was reportedly crafted in secret by a small group of UCP members of the provincial Legislative Assembly who were consulting with lawyers. The Bill of Rights contains a section titled "Freedom of parents to make informed decisions concerning the health, education, welfare and upbringing of their children." This section outlines that the "Government of Alberta, on behalf of its citizens," must recognize that the "freedom of parents to raise their children is sui generis – independent from legislation, not flowing from it – it precedes government." (Related: Maine’s pro-LGBT Democratic governor signs law allowing 16-year-olds to receive cross-sex hormones without parental consent.) The proposed legislation highlights the duty of the government to respect familial boundaries until children reach the age of majority. It further states that the government should not infringe upon parental rights based on religious or social standing or fiscal status, provided that parents are meeting the basic needs of their children. "No officer or agency of the government, including any subdivisions, shall infringe on a parent’s freedoms except as demonstrably necessary on a case-by-case basis as provided by law, such steps to be narrowly tailored to meet a compelling government interest by the least restrictive means," the draft stated. "Remedial provisions shall be provided for the intentional interference of parental freedoms by governments, organizations or individuals." Furthermore, the bill is expected to contain various other pro-freedom proposals, including enshrining the "right to life" from conception and guaranteeing citizens the right to medical informed consent and the right to refuse vaccinations.

Draft of Alberta Bill of Rights still subject to change

UCP leader and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has yet to clarify her position on the parental rights policies of the bill. In 2023, Smith promised to enhance the provincial Bill of Rights to enshrine protections for Albertans who choose not to be vaccinated, strengthen gun owners' rights and safeguard free speech. This pledge was part of a broader commitment to defend individual freedoms in Alberta. Smith has also supported pro-family policies earlier this year to protect children from "life-altering" surgeries, including gender-affirming procedures and restrict exposure to transgender ideology in schools and other public institutions. "When it comes to the balancing of the parental rights with kids growing into adulthood, I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with parents wanting to protect their child’s innocence as long as possible on issues of sexuality. I think that that’s a good instinct," Smith said in January. However, her stance on the traditional nuclear family has revealed a divide within conservative circles. In fact, in a recent interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson, Smith called for conservatives to "modernize" their view of the nuclear family to include non-traditional structures, such as same-sex couples seeking to raise children. In other words, the new "Bill of Rights" draft version remains subject to change. Watch the video below about new studies highlighting the potential serious permanent harms from using puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for people suffering from gender dysphoria. This video is from the The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com.

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Draft of Alberta Bill of Rights still subject to change

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