Change room policy, endorsements overshadow debate as Sask. campaign heads into final week

Saskatchewan's election campaign took a hard turn this week, with Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe promising to implement a change room policy in schools as Carla Beck was getting endorsements from two of Moe's former caucus colleagues.

The announcements happened simultaneously. Moe was holding an availability at the campaign office of Regina Wascana Plains candidate Christine Tell and Beck was standing on the steps of the Legislature.

Less than 24 hours after they shared the same debate stage, the two leaders were offering different messages in a likely attempt to grab headlines and votes post-debate.

The 2024 election is the first time voters can cast their ballot for six days before the final voting date, Oct. 28. On Tuesday, voters can head to the polls. This is changing how the parties are rolling out their messaging.

This election's "October surprise" from the Saskatchewan Party was the change room promise. It had not been in the party's platform, or mentioned by Moe on debate night or in the extensive scrum he held with reporters Wednesday evening.

But on Thursday morning, Moe said that if elected, his "first order of business" would be to enact a policy restricting students' use of change rooms in schools to their sex assigned at birth.

Moe said some school divisions already have such a policy, but it would become a directive from the Ministry of Education.

On Wednesday, news outlet the Western Standard published a story featuring a parent saying their daughter had been uncomfortable in a changing room with two other students, who identified as female but were assigned male at birth, at a south Saskatchewan school.

The Saskatchewan Party said Thursday it, "received calls and correspondence with concerns regarding the complaint."

In a statement Friday, the party said it heard concerns on Thursday from parents at a previously scheduled town hall in Balgonie with the party's local candidate. The same statement said, "the identity of individual minors should never be part of any political debate."

NDP Leader Carla Beck was asked about Moe's policy promise at a news conference Thursday morning and said it would be harmful to vulnerable kids.

"This is the most ugly kind of politics. People in this province are consistently worried about health care. They're worried about being able to pay their bills. They're worried about education," Beck said.

The issue of government policy in schools was front of mind at Beck's announcement, as two former Saskatchewan Party members pointed to Bill 137 and the use of the notwithstanding clause by Moe's government last fall as they endorsed Beck.

Mark Docherty, former Speaker and Sask. Party member for Regina Coronation Park, said he disagreed with his former party's position.