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The Alberta government’s recent initiative to establish provincewide standards for school library materials, announced on May 26, 2025, underscores the critical role of parental input in ensuring that educational resources align with community values and developmental needs. The online survey, open until June 6, 2025, seeks feedback from Albertans to create consistent guidelines for selecting age-appropriate materials, particularly addressing concerns about sexually explicit content in K-12 school libraries. Parental involvement is essential because parents, as primary caregivers, have a vested interest in their children’s moral and intellectual development. They possess unique insights into their children’s emotional and psychological readiness, which standardized systems may overlook. By involving parents, the government ensures that library materials reflect the values and expectations of the families they serve, fostering trust and transparency in the education system. As Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides emphasized, the goal is to create “guardrails” to protect students from accessing inappropriate content, such as graphic novels containing explicit depictions of sexual acts, molestation, or self-harm, which were found in some Edmonton and Calgary school libraries.
Ensuring age-appropriate materials in school libraries is paramount to safeguarding children’s well-being and supporting their developmental stages. Young students, particularly in elementary and junior high schools, are at formative stages where exposure to graphic content—such as nudity, explicit sexual acts, or themes of molestation—can be confusing or harmful. The Alberta government’s survey highlights specific concerns about four graphic novels, including Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, which contain explicit content deemed inappropriate for K-9 students. Age-appropriate materials should align with cognitive and emotional maturity, providing resources that educate without overwhelming or exposing children to mature themes prematurely. School libraries must balance fostering a love for reading with ensuring content is suitable for the intended age group, as outlined in the government’s call for developmentally appropriate resources to meet diverse student needs. This approach not only protects students but also supports teachers and librarians in curating collections that enhance learning while respecting parental expectations.
Critics often argue that restricting access to certain materials constitutes censorship or a “book ban,” potentially limiting students’ exposure to diverse perspectives, especially on topics like 2SLGBTQ+ identities. This perspective, voiced by the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and others, suggests that such standards could disproportionately target marginalized communities and stifle students’ ability to see themselves represented in literature. While diversity in literature is important, this argument overlooks the distinction between censorship and age-appropriate curation. The Alberta government explicitly states that the initiative is not about banning books but about establishing consistent standards to ensure materials are suitable for specific age groups. For instance, Nicolaides clarified that content related to 2SLGBTQ+ themes is not the target; the focus is on graphic sexual content, regardless of subject matter. A book on astrophysics with explicit imagery would face the same scrutiny, demonstrating that the policy aims to protect, not exclude. Moreover, existing school board processes, like those in Edmonton and Calgary, already include mechanisms for reviewing content, suggesting that standardized guidelines would enhance, not replace, professional judgment.
Another common counterargument is that restricting access to certain materials could hinder students’ ability to access information about sensitive topics, such as sexual abuse, which may be critical for their safety. Some, including voices on social media, argue that libraries provide a safe space for students to explore topics that parents might not address at home, citing cases where books helped children identify and report abuse. While this concern is valid, it does not negate the need for age-appropriate standards. Libraries can still provide educational resources on sensitive topics, such as body safety or abuse prevention, without including graphic depictions unsuitable for young readers. The government’s survey asks who should determine appropriateness—options include teachers, librarians, parents, or students—indicating a collaborative approach that values professional expertise alongside parental input. By setting clear standards, schools can ensure that resources on critical topics are accessible in a manner that respects developmental readiness, thus maintaining a balance between safety and education.
In conclusion, the Alberta government’s survey on school library materials reflects a commitment to balancing parental input with the need for age-appropriate resources, ensuring that school libraries remain safe and supportive environments for students. By involving parents, the government acknowledges their role in shaping educational content that aligns with community values and protects children from inappropriate material. While critics raise concerns about censorship or restricted access to vital information, these arguments fail to account for the nuanced approach of setting consistent, transparent standards rather than outright bans. The initiative, set to inform policies for the 2025-26 school year, aims to create a framework where professional judgment, parental concerns, and student needs converge. Albertans’ participation in the survey will be crucial in shaping a system that prioritizes both educational freedom and the well-being of young learners.
Edmonton’s public transit system has become a crucible of violence, and the stats don’t lie—crime is spiking at a rate that demands urgent action. In 2022, the Edmonton Police Service reported a staggering 53% increase in violent crime calls on transit compared to 2021, with incidents like assaults and robberies plaguing LRT stations and buses. That’s not just a number; it’s a reality where four percent of the city’s violent crime now happens on transit, a space meant for safe commuting. Without more security—whether that’s additional peace officers or better surveillance—this trend risks turning every ride into a roll of the dice for passengers.
The human cost behind these numbers is what’s truly alarming. In early 2023 alone, Edmonton saw 35 violent occurrences on transit property, including nine weapon-related incidents, reflecting a broader national crisis but hitting hard locally. These aren’t just stats on a page—they’re stabbings, threats, and beatings that leave people scared to take the bus or LRT. Riders aren’t imagining this; their fear is backed by a 12% higher crime severity index in transit areas compared to the city average in 2022. More security isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity to protect vulnerable folks who rely on public transit daily, especially when 70% of these attacks are random, striking without warning.
Throwing our hands up and saying “it’s a social problem” doesn’t cut it—action does. Sure, the city added 22 more transit peace officers in 2023, but when calls for service are still climbing (up 12% in 2024 despite a slight dip in crime severity), it’s clear that’s not enough. Stations like Eaux Claires saw a 133% spike in dispatched calls in 2022, showing hot spots are still burning unchecked. More boots on the ground, better real-time monitoring, and tougher enforcement aren’t luxuries—they’re the bare minimum to stop this freefall and give Edmontonians a transit system that doesn’t feel like a battlefield. Anything less is just ignoring the obvious.
Males should not be in female changing rooms because these spaces are designed to provide women and girls with privacy, safety, and comfort—needs rooted in biological and social realities. Allowing males, regardless of identity, undermines this by introducing potential risks, from voyeurism to assault, as evidenced by cases like the 2021 Wi Spa incident in Los Angeles, where a registered sex offender exploited lax policies. Women’s boundaries deserve respect, not erosion under the guise of inclusivity, especially when separate facilities can accommodate everyone without compromising female security. Data backs this up: a 2018 UK study found 90% of sexual offenses in changing rooms occurred in mixed-sex spaces. Single-sex areas aren’t about exclusion—they’re about protection.
From Reduxx.info :
“A Canadian mother has come forward to reveal that she was chastised by staff at her local recreation center after reporting that a balding man wearing “fetish gear” was in the women’s changing room. Despite feeling so frightened that she called the police, the mother was told that the man had a right to self-identify into whatever changing room he felt like.
The incident occurred on February 18, when Keri* and her 14-year-old daughter visited the Bonnie Doon Leisure Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. Their plans to have a fun-filled afternoon at the local pool quickly took a turn for the worse after the two entered the changing area to see an adult man “naked except for fetish gear” standing in the center of the room.
Keri tells Reduxx that the man, who appeared to be in his mid-forties, was wearing a “black penis sling” and an exposed rubber breast form. So shocked by the sight, Keri immediately began to usher her daughter out of the changing area.
“My daughter was behind me… I backed up quickly so she would not keep walking forward and yelled ‘help, there is a man in the change room.’” Keri says she went back to the front desk, where she had just paid for the admission to the pool. After explaining what she had seen in the women’s changing area, a male staff member dismissed her concerns.
“He said something like: ‘yes, this is an inclusive facility, what are you afraid will happen?’ and so I told him I was calling the police. He asked me why I felt the need to call the police, but did not try to stop me.”
While waiting for an officer from Edmonton Police Service to arrive, a female staff member approached Keri to ask her about the situation. Keri recorded the conversation with the staff member, and provided the audio to Reduxx for review.
In the recording, Keri is heard giving a statement to the staff member and explaining precisely what she had experienced.
“I am telling you right now – he is a balding man, in his forties, wearing a penis sling and rubber breasts around his neck… fetish rubber breasts slung around his neck,” Keri is heard telling the staff member. “He is in the women’s washroom. I walked in with my 14-year-old daughter… I am 54, I should not have to put up with it. But she should definitely not be exposed to a man enjoying his fetish in the women’s washroom.”
In response, the staff member explains that “it is the city of Edmonton’s policy that you can use whatever changing room you are most comfortable using.” She goes on to defend the man’s attire, saying “they can wear whatever they are comfortable wearing.”
Let’s not forget the CBC and it’s startling(?) lack of coverage of this.
Bless the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation—our noble guardians of progressive virtue—turning a blind eye to fetish-driven males sashaying into female changing rooms with all the grace of a tax-funded diversity seminar. Why bother reporting on something as trivial as women’s safety when you can churn out another glowing piece on inclusivity, eh? It’s not like the CBC would dare risk its pristine reputation as Canada’s woke megaphone by admitting that some dudes in fishnets might not belong where girls are undressing—nah, that’d clash with the narrative. Besides, who needs pesky facts or viewer trust when you’ve got government cheques and a mandate to keep the maple syrup flowing smoothly over any hint of controversy?
Craven behaviour has been allowed to fester in our institutions for way too long. This individual is *responsible* for the fairness and safety of soccer in Alberta. Guess what chucklefuck? Stating the truth and protecting the girls in your leagues won’t be all sugar and spice given the current activist narrative bullshit climate. Find a backbone already and start fighting for reality and women’s rights
This is such a good turn. Dissent against gender ideology is breaking into the mainstream. Reprinting here to boost awareness.
“As a kid, I was your classic tomboy. I wore short hair, boys’ clothes, and spent most of my time running around outside with my mostly male friends. But it went deeper than that. I fantasized about being the prince and not the princess in Disney stories, and as my body started developing, it didn’t match my expectations.
I would have easily fit the diagnostic criteria for childhood gender dysphoria — back when there actually were diagnostic criteria and before today’s “affirming” approach that does away with any veneer of caution.
Article contentWhen I hit puberty, I started to develop feelings for girls, reinforcing the sense that I was different. By that point, Canada had become a much more accepting place, and I am grateful for that. I just wanted to be left alone to figure things out for myself.
And I did figure things out. At 16, I met my girlfriend and we’ve been together ever since. I am 34 now, and we recently got married and am expecting a child. It has been something of a fairy tale, and we both got to be the princess.
At the same time, there was also an ideology growing around me that could have radically altered my course in life. The idea that some people are “born into the wrong body” was going mainstream. I initially bought into this idea. It was positioned as a natural extension of gay rights. How? I didn’t really know, but it seems like the good, progressive thing to believe.
I wondered into my late 20s whether transition was something I should have done and if I would one day wake up miserable because I was supposed to be a man. After all, so many of the women who were transitioning seemed to be so much like me.
But then I started to hear about “trans kids.” I instinctively knew that it was wrong for youth under 18. It is wrong to medicalize them, and it is wrong to confuse them about their sex at a vulnerable age.
That was more than five years ago, and I’ve been an advocate for preserving young people’s bodies and fertility ever since. For a long time, it didn’t feel like this topic would ever get the attention it deserved. Slowly but surely, the conversation started to reach a wider audience.
Last year, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe both introduced policies on name and pronoun changes in schools. While these “social transition” steps seem harmless, they are psychological interventions that can encourage a child to lock in their identity and proceed to more permanent changes.
Early this year, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced the most comprehensive set of policies in Canada focusing on the areas of schools, medicine and sports. Recently, she announced that legislation will be tabled this fall
I am grateful to Smith and I applaud her courage in the face of attacks. The premier is constantly accused of hatred and bigotry for seeking to preserve the bodily integrity of youth under 18 and their ability to make fully informed decisions when they reach adulthood.
Article contentSmith has helped move the needle. In a political climate that can get vitriolic, it was far from a safe bet to introduce these policies.
It’s time for the other perspective to be offered. I am a married lesbian and I support Smith. I am grateful for her willingness to take on this issue.
I got lucky. I was able to grow up without the influence of activists making me believe that I should change my body because of my gender nonconformity. My baby and my ability to carry her are the biggest blessings of my life.
For so many young girls, this opportunity has been taken from them. Smith’s proposed legislation will help prevent this from happening to others, and we all owe her a great debt for that.
-Eva Kurilova is a freelance writer who has been engaged with the province’s gender policies.”
Proud to be an Albertan today!
The contempt our Federal Canadian Government has for our province seems to know no bounds. We are the only province in a Canada that has a democratic mechanism to elect senators. There are currently three elected senators in waiting that were patently ignored, and instead to represent Alberta a radical gender activist Kristopher Wells and a lawyer that has donated at least 30,000 dollars to the federal Liberal Party.
Here is the list of Senators the citizens of Alberta have democratically nominated for the Senate:
So we have a partisan appointment:
“Fridhandler is a corporate lawyer, arbitrator, mediator, and businessman with over 40 years of legal experience.
[…]
Fridhandler has been an active supporter of the federal Liberal Party during his career, serving as the party’s election co-chair in Alberta between 2004 and 2009, according to his biography page on the website of Calgary law firm Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, where he has been a partner since 1990.”
And then we have the wacko rainbow gender activist:
“Kristopher Wells’s biography describes him as “an educator and a champion for the 2SLGBTQ+ community who has used research and advocacy to help advance diversity, equity, and human rights in Alberta and across the country.”
He is the editor-in-chief of Journal of LGBT Youth, which is the “world’s leading research publication on 2SLGBTQ+ youth,” according to his biography on the website for MacEwan University in Edmonton, where Wells is an associate professor.
Wells has also helped with the creation of the Pride Tape initiative, which several National Hockey League players have adopted in recent years.”
I’m not sure Trudeau could have picked people LESS representative of the people of Alberta. Let’s take a peek at the calibre of Well’s interaction with the public.
JFC. This is the fringe of the fringe. What a completely inappropriate and disappointing decision made by the Liberal Party of Canada.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
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