Socially conservative groups advocating for "parents' rights," which have become influential political forces in the U.S., are making significant inroads in Canada, according to researchers and free expression advocates. This follows claims from two such groups that they successfully pressured Alberta to implement a broad ban on certain books in public schools.
Alberta recently instructed schools to remove library books containing what it defines as "explicit sexual content" by 1 October. If enforced strictly, the policy could lead to the removal of numerous titles, including George Orwell’s *1984*, due to sections depicting sexual acts.
Experts studying censorship argue the policy disproportionately targets books that support LGBTQ+ identities—an objective they say aligns with the agenda of conservative parent organizations.
“They’ve been pressuring the government for months to make this move,” said James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University. Turk and his colleagues are monitoring over 25 similar groups across Canada.
He cited the New Brunswick-based Miramichi Freedom Warriors and Manitoba’s Concerned Citizens Canada, both of which have pushed for the removal of books with positive portrayals of queer communities from schools and libraries.
Many of these organizations began as anti-vaccine movements during the pandemic before expanding their focus to issues like parental control over education.
“This is driven by an outdated belief that children are the property of their parents,” Turk said. “It reflects a regressive view of how young people learn.”
Pressure from parent-led organizations also led Alberta to replace its opt-out system for sex education with an opt-in policy starting in fall 2024. Parents must now actively enroll their children in such classes.
In June, following advocacy from the Alberta Parents’ Union, the province introduced new regulations requiring any presentations on gender identity or sexuality to undergo government review.
Action4Canada and Parents for Choice in Education (PCE), two Alberta-based groups, claim responsibility for the book ban. The provincial government confirmed meeting with PCE to hear their concerns, as reported by the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF), a Canadian nonprofit.
Alberta’s policy defines “explicit sexual content” as “material containing a detailed and clear depiction of a sexual act.” Students from kindergarten through 12th grade will be restricted from accessing such material in school libraries.
Following the ban, PCE reportedly emailed supporters, thanking them for reaching out to officials about "graphic" books, per the IJF.
Alberta has not released a specific list of banned books, instead instructing schools to assess materials independently.
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