One of the most talked about Bills for the Provincial Government officially passed it's third and final reading today (November 15th).

Bill 24 is a bill aimed at protecting students who create and join a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). Under the legislation, all funded schools in the province must have a policy in place that allows for GSA's to be established if students request it. It also prevents schools from informing parents that their child has joined the GSA.

That portion of the legislation drew huge criticism from the United Conservative Party, whose leader Jason Kenney strongly stated that the party would oppose the Bill, claiming it violated parent's rights.

By the time the final vote took place, 42 MLAs from the NDP, Alberta Party and Liberals voted in favour of the Bill. Richard Starke, who still sits as a member of the PC Party also voted in support.

"This is about allowing those students to disclose their identity to who they want, when they want in their own time and in their own way", says Interim Leader of the Alberta Party, Greg Clark, "I think it does help vulnerable kids and I'm proud to support it."

All 23 members of the United Conservatives who were present voted against Bill 24. Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt was one of the 23 that opposed, while Rocky View MLA Leela Aheer and former Wildrose Leader Brian Jean weren't in attendance and therefore did not vote.

Although the Bill has officially passed into law, the drama doesn't look like it's going away soon. A Calgary based rights advocate group called the Justice Centre For Constitutional Freedoms is preparing to challenge the Bill.

"Bill 24 violates the constitutional freedoms that are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms," says President John Carpay, "Including the rights of religious schools to retain their religious character. That's a constitutional freedom that no government can trample on."

Carpay says that parent's rights are also being attacked, stating some examples where information was withheld from parents, to the point that students eventually considered self harm. Carpay says the Centre will officially present their case in early 2018, at which point they will disclose which parent groups and school boards are opposing the Bill.

The challenge however does not sit well with many including Clark.

"If public dollars are spent in any context to educate kids, certain standards apply. This is one of those standards. I think that in 2017, [it] frankly shouldn't be all that controversial."

Last week, the Airdrie Pride Society released a statement saying they were encouraged by the support for GSAs by the government.

However, the Society said that they were not happy with the fact that the issue was highly politicized, stating that it was more of a basic human rights issue.

Now that the Bill has been passed, all school boards will have until the end of June to adopt their policies for allowing Gay Straight Alliances.

READ MORE:

Airdrie Pride Lends Support To Bill 24.

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