More than 20 parties have registered as interveners in a landmark case before the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) concerning the use of preferred pronouns for students in Saskatchewan schools. The case, which pits the Government of Saskatchewan against the UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, has drawn widespread attention from legal and advocacy groups across the country.
Background of the Case
The legal dispute originated in August 2023 when UR Pride challenged a provincial policy requiring parental consent for students under 16 to use a preferred name or gender identity at school. The policy was later enshrined in law as the Parents' Bill of Rights (Bill 137). The Saskatchewan government invoked the notwithstanding clause to shield the law from Charter challenges.
In August 2025, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled 4-1 that courts can still examine whether the law violates Charter rights despite the use of the notwithstanding clause. The government appealed that decision to the SCC, and UR Pride cross-appealed.
List of Interveners
As of Monday, the SCC website listed 28 interveners who have applied to present their legal arguments. These include:
- Attorney General of Canada
- Attorneys General of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Alberta
- Public Interest Litigation Institute
- Advocates' Society
- Alberta Teachers' Association
- British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
- Women's Legal Education and Action Funds Inc.
- Centre for Free Expression
- Federation of Ontario Law Associations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Canadian Civil Liberties Association
- Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, Canadian Union of Public Employees, and Canadian Teachers' Federation
- Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia
- David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights
- Clinique juridique Juritrans
- Amnesty International Canadian Section
- South Asian Bar Association
- Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association
- Canadian Medical Association
- Defence for Children International — Canada
- West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund Association
- Start Proud
- Justice for Children and Youth
- International Commission of Jurists (Canada)
Next Steps
The SCC has not yet scheduled a hearing date for the appeal. The case is expected to clarify the scope of the notwithstanding clause and its interaction with Charter rights, particularly regarding gender identity and youth.
