Canada’s federal government has introduced new legislation to criminalize LGBTQ+ “conversion therapy”, as Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government moves to fulfill one of its 2019 election promises.
The proposed amendments to Canada’s Criminal Code include offenses such as causing a person to undergo “conversion therapy”, advertising and profiting from conversion therapy and removing a minor from Canada.
The bill also amends the Criminal Code to authorize courts to order disposing of or deleting advertisements for conversion therapy.
“Conversion therapy has been discredited and denounced by professionals and health associations in Canada, the United States and around the world.
It has no basis on science or facts,” said David Lametti, minister of justice and attorney general of Canada.
Conversion therapy often uses talk therapy techniques, but some counselors have used extreme “aversion treatments” such as electric shock treatment and medication.
Several US states, including California, Colorado, New York and Washington, have banned conversion therapy. »