(Ottawa) The federal government is set to introduce tougher new legislation on Monday as part of its latest effort to ban conversion therapy in Canada.
The legislation, if passed, would make it illegal to practice modifying a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
The bill is expected to largely fill in some of the loopholes in the latest piece of legislation to address the issue. The latest bill was not passed by the Senate until the September federal election and died on the order paper when Parliament was dissolved before the vote.
It banned conversion therapy for children and adults who did not consent to it, but the new version of the bill should outright ban the practice.
Justice Minister David Lametti and Gender Equality Minister Marci Ien are expected to explain their intention to change the law on Monday alongside survivors of conversion therapy.
The bill should win the support of the NDP, the Bloc Québécois, the Green Party and many Conservative members, including Leader Erin O’Toole. More than half of the Conservative caucus opposed the government’s previous attempt to crack down on the practice.