All schools must allow 'gay-straight alliances' under new anti-bullying bill

All schools -- including those in the Catholic system -- won't be able to stop students from calling anti-homophobia clubs "gay-straight alliances" if dramatic changes to a proposed anti-bullying law are passed.

The change of heart on the minority Liberal government's Accepting Schools Act, which gave schools a veto on names for any student club, was announced Friday by Education Minister Laurel Broten at a student conference.

"Let's remember these are student clubs and student voices matter in the naming of a student club," Broten told reporters.

The move, which has the support of the NDP, comes as an amendment to the government’s anti-bullying bill -- which she hopes to pass before the legislature is slated to rise for its summer break June 7.