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.
B次元官网网址淲e need to make sure that our schools are safe for everyone,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭here is a small minority of people that believe that school librarians and teachers are the major threats to our children,B次元官网网址� he added.
The legislation allows cabinet to establish what some call B次元官网网址榖ubble-zonesB次元官网网址� of 20 metres within schools, where individuals cannot B次元官网网址渋ntimidate or attempt to intimidateB次元官网网址� persons or B次元官网网址渙therwise do or say anythingB次元官网网址� that could B次元官网网址渞easonably be expected to cause concernB次元官网网址� for the B次元官网网址減hysical or mental safetyB次元官网网址� 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. B次元官网网址淣ew legislation will be tabled to protect schools and kids from disruptive protests,B次元官网网址� 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). B次元官网网址淭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,B次元官网网址� Sharma said.
She added that the legislation is not about restricting free speech. B次元官网网址淓veryone has the right to peaceful protests,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淏ut just because you have the right to protests doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean you have the right to intimidate or harass.B次元官网网址�
The legislation does not automatically establish these limits, but gives cabinet the power to do so when necessary.
B次元官网网址淭he way we approached the construction of the legislation was to make sure we were nimble enough to respondB次元官网网址ut also be able to adjust over time,B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址減arents who are concerned about their children in schoolsB次元官网网址� when asked about the legislation.
B次元官网网址淭here is no hate in that (questioning SOGI-123),B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he issue is around parental rights and parents being involved with their childrenB次元官网网址檚 education, issues around information thatB次元官网网址檚 being provided within schools, which seems to be in appropriate in my opinion.B次元官网网址�
He added that he would replace SOGI-123 with anti-bullying initiatives.
