Smith defends Alberta’s possible use of notwithstanding clause on transgender issues

Alberta’s premier says her government might invoke the notwithstanding clause to defend laws affecting transgender people because courts may take “years and years and years” to resolve the issue, and she wants to “protect kids.”

Smith, who made the comments Saturday on her provincewide radio call-in program, was responding to news that an internal memo from her government, obtained by The Canadian Press, says it plans to apply the clause this fall to its three laws that police school pronouns, female sports and gender-affirming health care.