‘This is all about outing young people, and it is serious,’ said the TV personality, who came out in 2003

It’s been a hot topic in Alberta for years, but comedian Rick Mercer brought the ongoing debate about gay-straight alliances in schools to a national audience this week in his latest rant.

He said the United Conservative Party’s opposition to Bill 24 — legislation that would make it illegal for publicly-funded schools to inform parents if their children join gay-straight alliances — could be dangerous for teens unsure of their sexuality.

The bill passed third and final reading in the Alberta Legislature on Wednesday.

“This is all about outing young people, and it is serious,” said Mercer, who has ranted in the past about a lack of support for gay teens facing bullying in schools countrywide.

In this week’s rant for the Mercer Report, he looked back at his childhood.”When I was a teenager, I didn’t know a single gay dude,” he said. “As far as I was concerned, I was the only gay dude in 100 miles in every direction.”

Mercer said that’s a “very difficult” situation for a young person, and there was no option to join a GSA club.

“Thank God we had the drama club, which basically was the same thing,” he joked.

UCP Leader Jason Kenney said his MLAs would oppose Bill 24. He said he wants to keep the status quo that gives teachers and principals some latitude to talk to parents if necessary.

“Teachers, not politicians, should decide when it makes sense to engage parents,” he said last week. “The unique circumstances of each child should be the key factor, not the blunt instrument of law.”

full story at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/rick-mercer-rant-jason-kenney-gsa-1.4403377