The federal Department of Justice says that a year after the ban on conversion therapy came into force in Canada, it has not been informed of any criminal charges being filed for offering the service.
A year ago, the House of Commons passed the bill banning them with rare unanimity.
Conversion therapy is the practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexuality or alter their gender expression to match the sex they were assigned at birth.
Michael Kwag, director of the Community Research Center in Toronto, recalls that when the law was passed there was a lot of satisfaction, but he points out that there is still work to be done so that prosecutors and the police can act in result.
In his opinion, the LGBTQ community has had a difficult relationship with the police in the past and some people may be reluctant to come forward.
Michael Kwag and other activists hope the federal government will fund education and awareness campaigns about conversion therapy and its dangers.
Advocates say that while the ban may have a chilling effect on anyone considering offering the service, it is still accessible in Canada, including for vulnerable young people.
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