OTTAWA — A federal LGBTQ conversion therapy ban could be on the horizon.
Banning conversion therapy was prioritized in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Dec. 13 mandate letter to Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti, where Trudeau directed the ministry "to amend the Criminal Code to ban the practice of conversion therapy and take other steps required with the provinces and territories to end conversion therapy in Canada."
The move marks the first concrete steps towards the fulfillment of the Liberal election promise to ban the harmful practice of attempting to forcibly change people's gender or sexuality.
MacEwan University professor and longtime anti-conversion therapy advocate Kristopher Wells said he was "very pleased" to see banning conversion therapy prioritized by Trudeau's minority government so quickly following the election.
"This is a real opportunity for Canada to show leadership on the world stage when it comes to passing the strongest legislation in the world," he said. "To clearly demonstrate that conversion therapy has no place in our society or civilization."
Several municipalities and provinces across Canada have already banned the practice. Ontario, Manitoba and Nova Scotia have all imposed bans, while cities including Vancouver and Sherwood Park, Alta. have introduced local bans.
This week, Edmonton city council unanimously voted to ban conversion therapy, with what Wells calls the "best, most comprehensive" policy on the issue in Canada.
The Liberals, NDP and Green Party all included references to a federal conversion therapy ban in their 2019 platforms.
During the new bill's second reading in the senate Thursday, Joyal took credit for a federal conversion therapy ban making its way into the Liberal Party's 2019 election platform.
"When we start a debate — we introduce a private member's bill and we debate it — it has an impact on the government of the day, whatever the government," he said.
OH SHIT, THIS IS HUGE.
