I'm writing in response to the letter by Ron Voss in the Nov. 29 edition of the Cochrane Eagle. I’ve met with people from all walks of life, and listened to their concerns about the core services we all rely on and that our NDP government is fighting so hard to protect. In particular, I’ve heard a great deal about how important our education system is for families in Banff, Cochrane, and everywhere in between. Every student deserves a welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe place to learn. This is why I was proud to support Bill 24, which strengthened Alberta’s Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA), and to stand up for students who are working to build safe and inclusive environments. It’s important that students in publicly-funded schools all across this province know they’ll be protected if they want to form or join a GSA. All publicly-funded school authorities, including private and charter schools, are expected to comply with the law by establishing and posting a GSA policy that meets the legislated requirements in the School Act. The requirements are fairly straightforward. All students, regardless of which school they go to, have the right to form a GSA, and it is illegal for the school to identify any student who joins a GSA without their consent. In plain language, this is about making sure LGBTQ+ kids and their allies aren’t outed before they’re ready. We know Alberta parents love and support their children, and they play a key role in their education. But we also know some students feel safer and more comfortable talking about these issues with their peers or teachers. The vast majority of schools, representing 98 per cent of students in the province, have compliant laws. Unfortunately, 28 accredited funded private school authorities have not yet met these requirements. As such, I fully respect and support Education Minister David Eggen’s decision to withdraw the generous taxpayer subsidy from non-compliant authorities as of the end of this school year. Astoundingly, some have used this legislation to draw comparisons to the most brutal, murderous regimes in modern history, as if enshrining protections for LGBTQ+ students in legislation is the moral equivalent of mass murder and genocide. Such comparisons would be laughable if they weren’t so frightening in what they tell us about the people who make them. This includes people like UCP member John Carpay, referenced by the letter writer in the Nov. 29 edition of the Cochrane Eagle. Carpay is actively working against the goal of creating safe and caring school environments for all students with the encouragement of UCP Leader Jason Kenney who compared Carpay to civil rights activist Rosa Parks. Jason Kenney’s refusal to remove Carpay from the party and denounce his views only helps to foster and legitimize this extremist uprising Mr. Kenney has attracted. He should follow through on his pledge to reject these extreme views and kick Carpay out of the UCP. Meanwhile, I will remain focused on standing up for the students – all the students – I represent in Banff-Cochrane. Cam Westhead, MLA for Banff-Cochrane
