The draconian reaction of federal politicians to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s very sensible announcement of a new policy on invasive medical treatment for young children is disturbing.
To recap: Smith announced last week that her government would not permit puberty blocker treatment for children 16 and under and only allow it for those 16 and 17 with parental consent.
It also bans sex change operations for those under 18.
The new policy would require parents to be informed if their child wants to use different pronouns at school and it bans trans athletes from competing in certain sports with women and girls.
These policies are similar to those being implemented across Europe and make perfect sense. How adults chose to live their lives is their business, and in that aspect, Smith had good news for the transgender community.
Trans people seeking surgeries right now in Alberta must have it done in Quebec. Smith said she hopes to attract surgeons to Alberta to perform the procedures. Oddly, there’s been zero praise for her in that respect.
Children need a loving adult on their side when they make decisions that drastically impact their health. In the vast majority of cases, that’s a parent.
Trans activists are calling for the feds to withhold health transfers under the Canada Health Act to force Smith to back off. When questioned by reporters about that possibility, Federal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault wouldn’t rule it out.
“Is this an issue with the Canada Health Act, a legal issue?” Boissonnault asked.
“We’re going to look at what Danielle Smith puts on the table. But this is not on,” he said, regarding the new policy.
It’s a ludicrous threat. Albertans already pay far more per capita into the federal coffers than other provinces through equalization and, in recent years, received nothing. By comparison, a 2020 Fraser Institute report points out that Quebec received $64.8 billion between 2014-2020.
As for social and health transfers, Alberta receives less than half as much per capita than Manitoba and Quebec.
If the federal government wants to bully Albertans with their own tax dollars and threaten the fabric of Confederation by intervening in a matter that’s a provincial responsibility and which polls show has the support of a majority of voters, they do so at their peril.
Source: Toronto Sun