A change is coming to summary offence forms, such as traffic tickets in Saskatchewan..Individuals can pick the gender-neutral gender “X” which expands the gender identity options from the traditional male and female..According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice, the updated ticket forms are expected to start in the fall of 2022..Since 2019, Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) allowed individuals to choose the gender-neutral “X” on their driver’s licenses and SGI-issued identification cards. .Earlier in 2022, SGI let individuals leave the gender field blank if they felt that male, female, or “X” did not express their gender identity..So far, 342 individuals have declared their gender as “X” and 24 left the field blank, according to SGI..Tyler McMurchy, an SGI spokesperson, expects the ticket forms with the gender “X” will lead to a more consistent approach across the government..“Obviously, I think SGI would prefer that nobody ever got a traffic ticket, that nobody ever sped or drove distracted, but tickets do happen, so it makes sense to have that alignment,” said McMurchy..The Saskatchewan RCMP said it is “pleased to provide the people we serve with the opportunity to self-identify,” and that the new gender “X” “will not change the work of front-line RCMP officers, as obtaining this information was already part of our processes.” .The Prince Albert Police Service said it welcomes “changes to practices and procedures that will lead to more positive engagement and interaction within our community,” and the Regina police called it “a positive development.”.The Regina and Saskatoon police already have on their ticket forms an additional information section regarding what personal pronouns people want to use, and their ticketing software allows the gender field to be left blank..Police services across Saskatchewan already have mandatory diversity training programs for their personnel..The Regina police have training on using respectful terminology when interacting with individuals who identify as “non-binary, transgender, gender fluid or genderqueer.”.“Our policies also reflect this change, with provisions to ensure people in our custody are treated with respect,” said Elizabeth Popowich, a Regina Police Service spokesperson..Staff Sargent Patrick Barbar said he “expects the update will create more much-needed dialogue within police services as well.”.“Officers have regular lives outside of policing, so they may not be exposed to people in two-spirit or LGBTQ+ communities, so I think what this does is it provides an opportunity for greater understanding and greater learning,” said Barbar. .“The more people are able to understand each other and communicate, the better the relationships become.”
