New legislation promises to prohibit protests around schools.
Premier David Eby said Wednesday (April 10) that the legislation builds on legislation that protected health care workers from protesters against COVID-19 measures.
含羞草研究社淲e need to make sure that our schools are safe for everyone,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭here is a small minority of people that believe that school librarians and teachers are the major threats to our children,含羞草研究社� he added.
The legislation allows cabinet to establish what some call 含羞草研究社榖ubble-zones含羞草研究社� of 20 metres within schools, where individuals cannot 含羞草研究社渋ntimidate or attempt to intimidate含羞草研究社� persons or 含羞草研究社渙therwise do or say anything含羞草研究社� that could 含羞草研究社渞easonably be expected to cause concern含羞草研究社� for the 含羞草研究社減hysical or mental safety含羞草研究社� of persons. Individuals can also not physically block access from and to schools or disrupt school lessons or extracurricular activities.
Violators can be arrested.
The legislation includes limited exceptions for students and school staff and does not prohibit picketing.
Government had signalled the legislation during the Throne Speech in February. 含羞草研究社淣ew legislation will be tabled to protect schools and kids from disruptive protests,含羞草研究社� it reads.
It comes after a series of protests around schools against Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 123 programming with Eby citing close to 20 such incidents during his remarks.
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Attorney-General Niki Sharma tabled the legislation Wednesday (April 10). 含羞草研究社淭hese prohibitions are designed to protect students and staff from the negative impacts of protests that have unfortunately become an increasing problem at our K-12 schools,含羞草研究社� Sharma said.
She added that the legislation is not about restricting free speech. 含羞草研究社淓veryone has the right to peaceful protests,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淏ut just because you have the right to protests doesn含羞草研究社檛 mean you have the right to intimidate or harass.含羞草研究社�
The legislation does not automatically establish these limits, but gives cabinet the power to do so when necessary.
含羞草研究社淭he way we approached the construction of the legislation was to make sure we were nimble enough to respond含羞草研究社ut also be able to adjust over time,含羞草研究社� she said. She added that the legislation is trying to strike a balance between protecting constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech with preventing harassment.
The legislation is set to expire no later than July 1, 2026.
Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad accused the B.C. NDP of a double-standard in allowing protests critical of Israel to go forward while focusing on 含羞草研究社減arents who are concerned about their children in schools含羞草研究社� when asked about the legislation.
含羞草研究社淭here is no hate in that (questioning SOGI-123),含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭he issue is around parental rights and parents being involved with their children含羞草研究社檚 education, issues around information that含羞草研究社檚 being provided within schools, which seems to be in appropriate in my opinion.含羞草研究社�
He added that he would replace SOGI-123 with anti-bullying initiatives.
