EDMONTON — 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.

The government's memo says it plans is to bring the notwithstanding clause proposal to cabinet Oct. 21.

"I'm prepared to go to court and battle it out. I think we need to. But if it turns out that the court process may take years and years

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