OTTAWA -- The mayor of Ottawa wants the federal government to reintroduce a bill criminalizing so-called "conversion therapy" as soon as Parliament resumes.
Jim Watson will give notice of a motion at Ottawa City Council on Wednesday—the middle of Pride Week in Ottawa—calling on councillors to denounce the practice and urge the federal government to reinstate Bill C-8.
Bill C-8, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Conversion Therapy) was introduced in the House of Commons in March; however, the Liberal government limited Parliamentary activity amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the bill died when Parliament was prorogued on Aug. 18.
The bill would have made it illegal to subject a minor to conversion therapy, take children out of the country to get conversion therapy elsewhere, subject anyone to conversion therapy against their will, advertise conversion therapy services, or be paid for providing conversion therapy. It would not have criminalized a consenting adult seeking or receiving such services if no money or other material benefit was exchanged.
Conversion therapy is the practice of attempting to "convert" a gay, lesbian or bisexual individual to heterosexuality or a transgender individual to cisgender.
Ontario banned conversion therapy for minors in 2015.
Watson's motion, seconded by Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney, notes that several groups such as the Canadian Psychological Association, the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Paediatric Society have denounced conversion therapy as harmful.
"BE IT RESOLVED that City Council formally denounce the practice of conversion therapy as harmful for individuals, and to society by promoting myths and stereotypes about sexual orientation and gender identity," the motion reads, in part. "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor be directed to send a letter to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General, and the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, to express support for the reintroduction of Bill C-8 […] as soon as possible in the upcoming session of Parliament, and to encourage the Government of Canada to pass and implement this legislation in an expeditious manner."
City staff said that there may be legal impediments to enacting a city by-law banning the practice.
"[W]hile municipalities in other provinces have taken steps to prohibit or restrict conversion therapy businesses under their own enabling legislation, a preliminary review indicates that there may exist legislative and jurisdictional impediments to doing so and that that there is no clear authority for Council to prohibit a business outright in Ontario," said Anthony Di Monte, General Manager of Emergency and Protective Services in a memo to city council on Tuesday.
"As an alternative to proceeding with municipal regulation as this time, Council may wish to consider conveying its support to the Government of Canada for the timely reintroduction of the Bill C-8 once Parliament resumes following prorogation," Di Monte said.
Watson came out as gay in 2019, becoming Ottawa's first openly gay mayor. Coun. McKenney identifies as trans non-binary.
