NDP leadership candidate Sarah Hoffman says an NDP government under her leadership would be an ally of transgender children. (Ross Lavigne/CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

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‘We shouldn’t need polling to tell us right from wrong’: Alberta NDP leadership hopeful blasts Danielle Smith’s gender policies

Feb 13, 2024 | 1:36 PM

NDP leadership candidate Sarah Hoffman says an Alberta government under her leadership would be an ally to transgender children and criticized Premier Danielle Smith’s proposed gender policies.

“I stand with them,” she said Tuesday in Medicine Hat, the morning after an event raising awareness for her leadership bid.

“We shouldn’t need polling to tell us right from wrong,” Hoffman added.

She wants to make sure that “trans people can show up to school and feel safe; can go their workplace and feel safe; can go to the doctor and have an honest conversation about their health needs, and know that their doctor is going to give them their best medical advice based on science and evidence.”

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Smith revealed plans to establish new rules for the LGBTQ+ community she said will protect youth from making serious decisions they could regret later in life.

The premier wants to require parental notification and consent if a student under 15 wants to change their name or personal pronouns. Students aged 16 and 17 would not need permission under her proposed rules, but their parents must still be notified by the school.

READ MORE: Smith says new transgender youth policy arriving this fall

The policies would also prohibit hormone treatment, puberty blockers and gender affirming surgery for children under 16 and anyone aged 16 and 17 would require approval from parents, a physician and psychologist to start hormone therapy.

Gender-affirming surgery would be banned for minors if the legislation, expected in 2024, is passed in the Alberta legislature.

“The premier doesn’t belong in those spaces, she should absolutely respect the professionalism of these folks working with vulnerable populations,” Hoffman said.

To get the NDP back in power, Hoffman said she is working hard to recover from what she considers a close loss in the last election.

“I want to work with people right across the province, including in Medicine Hat, to make sure that we build a party, that we win the extra 1,500 votes that we needed in the last election to form government,” she said.

“For me, front and centre of that is health, climate and housing. And I think a lot of folks who are interested in getting involved in our party or who are already party members agree and want to work on those three priorities.”

Anyone interested in voting in the New Democrat leadership race will need to become members by April 22 to be eligible for the June 22 vote.