The Trudeau government is back with its plan to criminalize so-called therapies promising to cure homosexuality. This third version of the bill in two years, tabled on Monday, however, goes further and will even prohibit this “treatment” from consenting adults.
“Bill C-4 goes further [que les autres initiatives de son gouvernement]. It is now protecting all Canadians from this cruel and degrading practice, ”Minister of Justice David Lametti.
The text provides for including in the criminal code the fact of having another person undergo conversion therapy, profiting from it or promoting it. It will also be illegal to take a minor abroad to submit them to these therapies.
According to the definition adopted, interventions on the exploration of sexual or gender identity would remain permitted, as long as they do not assume that an orientation or identity is to be favored.
This is the third time that the Trudeau government has attempted to legislate against conversion therapy. Two last versions of the bill that died on the order paper were limited to criminalizing these therapies with children, or even carried out by force. Unlike the text filed on Monday, there was no question of banning them entirely for consenting adults.
“How to agree not to be yourself,” asks Dave Tremblay, president of the board of directors of the Alliance Arc-en-ciel de Québec.
His organization was consulted for the drafting of the Quebec version of the bill, which came into force in December 2020 after a unanimous vote in the National Assembly. In the province, those who perform treatment aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity face fines of $ 5,000 to $ 50,000, or up to $ 150,000 for an organization.
“We are, of course, delighted with the criminalization of conversion therapy at the federal level,” Tremblay continued. And we are happy that it can be extended compared to the first version that was adopted by the House of Commons with the elections. “
The call of the last federal election had the consequence of killing on the order paper the last bill on the issue, which nevertheless enjoyed significant political support. Introduced even before Quebec’s bill, C-6 was passed in the Commons a few days before the summer recess, only to die in the Senate.
Only 62 Conservative MPs and one ex-Conservative voted against the measure. All the Conservative members from Quebec voted for, like their leader Erin O’Toole. According to Quebec Senator Dennis Dawson, barely a few more days would have been enough to pass C-6 also in the Senate.
Many expert groups, such as the Canadian Psychological Association, oppose therapies whose goal is to “cure” homosexuality or change a person’s sexual orientation, regardless of their condition. his age.