Most parents in Alberta assume that whatever goes in the school library has been vetted by some responsible person. It's therefore safe for children. In fact beyond safe, it is approved, officially okayed. Think again. In the opinion of many parents of children educated in the public system — and also in the opinion of tonight's guest on Hannaford, John Hilton-O'Brien — some really bad stuff is finding its way onto the library shelves. In particular, graphic novels with explicit depictions of young people engaged in sexual activity with each other, and even with adults... books with titles such as 'Gender Queer,' 'Flamer,' 'Fun Home,' or 'Blankets.' In tonight's episode of Hannaford, we look at how it gets there... who it is who wants to put it there, and how they get these books past the gatekeepers you would assume would reject anything that sexualizes children. The first and most unlikely culprit.... Heritage Canada..Hilton-O'Brien is Executive Director of Parents for Choice in Education. He says, "Federal and provincial governments have paid substantial grant monies to advocacy organizations that are seeking to normalize sexual and gender minorities… teachers’ association get into the act across Canada... here, the Alberta Teachers Association encourages teachers to form DEI committees, and those are expected to press for 'inclusive' materials, including these books."So in fact, not only are there are no gatekeepers. And it's your governments that are the problem.Hilton-O'Brien: "For example, you have a note there from Senator Kris Wells, that he wrote a book on how to build an inclusive library... Wells is a very prominent advocate for sexual and gender minorities, who former prime minister Justin Trudeau appointed last fall to represent Alberta in the Senate."The federal government's commitment to what they term 'inclusivity' is laid out here. The specific federal intentions for school — notwithstanding that education is a provincial responsibility — can be examined here. The ATA's thoughts on the matter are here..Hard to imagine, as one sees the little tackers off on the school bus. But there is a powerful coalition of forces starting with the federal government itself, that involves teachers' associations and also compliant school boards, that is not working to keep your children from exposure to sex at an inappropriate age, but rather to redefine what they think is even normal.The Government of Alberta, having sampled its elementary schools — not thoroughly investigated, merely sampled — has found dozens of books that most parents of elementary school children will not want them to see. Now, the government wants to know for sure that it has parental backing before it lowers the boom.You'd think it would be simple. It isn't. Hilton-O'Brien explains why. Review the information. Fill out the survey.Hannaford airs at 7:00 tonight.
