As a husband and father of three, I raise a voice of warning. Governments must support families and parents in their sacred stewardships to children or the disintegration of families will bring about the disintegration of society.Parents do not like schools, boards, the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) union or governments forcing themselves between their children and keeping secrets from them.Recently, the New Brunswick government changed policy to require parental consent prior to having names or pronouns of their children changed at school by teachers.Prime Minister Trudeau accused New Brunswick of acting in a hateful way. Some in the media said the same. But, it is not honest to take words out of context, to label entire groups by the actions of a few or to attack and seek to cancel those who did not bow down to a preferred narrative.Many parents are concerned about an activist ATA — and others — seeking to impose preferred ideologies on children without parental knowledge and permission. The ATA should be careful they do not act in opposition to the values of many teachers and a majority of parents.Members of the UCP are having their AGM this week, a massive, record turnout.A foundational principle of the UCP "affirm[s] the family as the building block of society and the means by which citizens pass on their values and beliefs and ensure that families are protected from intrusion by government." Most Albertans agree and so do I.While there are policies at our AGM seeking to affirm and protect the sacred relationship of parent and child, some, such as the NDP, the CBC and other woke media will seek to frame these desires in a hateful way.It is not right to seek to contend and divide. All are children of God and are of infinite worth. The sacred relationship of parent and child should be protected and affirmed. All can be valued in seeking fairness for all. I am a lawyer. Section 2 of our Charter says everyone has the “fundamental freedom” of “association.”Courts have described the freedom of association as allowing for the “achievement of individual potential through interpersonal relationships”.While no family is perfect, belonging to families is the highest, most important expression of this freedom. The family is the fundamental unit of society. Parents have sacred moral duties to their children that pre-exist government.While no parent is perfect the vast majority of parents love their children, know them best and should be trusted. Governments and school boards make gross mistakes making blanket rules based on rare exceptions, especially where it divides parents with secrets from their children.Let’s hold to the truth. We will be happier and better.Jason Stephan is the MLA for Red Deer South
