Senate passes legislation banning conversion therapy in Canada
Posted December 7, 2021 5:05 pm.
Last Updated December 8, 2021 3:26 pm.
The Senate has passed legislation to ban conversion therapy in Canada.
After minimal debate, senators have agreed to fast-track Bill C-4 through all stages of the legislative process and deem it passed.
The move was proposed by the interim leader of the Conservative Senate caucus, Sen. Leo Housakos.
It follows a similar move by Conservatives in the House of Commons last week to speed the bill through that chamber without lengthy debate, committee study or votes.
The bill makes it a criminal offence to force a person to undergo the traumatizing practice of “conversion therapy” aimed at altering their sexual orientation or gender identity.
More than half of the 119 Conservative MPs voted against a similar bill last June, which gave Liberals ammunition to accuse the party of being anti-LGBTQ during the fall election campaign.
