NDP statement on conversion therapy legislation

The NDP Critic and Deputy Critic for 2SLGBTQI+ Rights, Randall Garrison and Blake Desjarlais, made the following joint statement:

“Today the Liberal government introduced its third bill promising to ban conversion therapy in Canada. This time around New Democrats and all members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community hope to see the Liberals finally get the job done.

When this dangerous practice of conversion ‘therapy’ is finally banned in Canada it will be because brave survivors came forward to tell their stories and because those survivors, community members and allies, have worked tirelessly for years to push the government to act.

Since 2015, we have been pushing the Liberal government for a federal ban on conversion ‘therapy’. The Liberal’s decisions to prorogue Parliament and call an unnecessary election has killed two bills that could have put a ban in place and ensured more Canadians weren’t subjected to this terrible practice. Failing to get this legislation passed now will leave the most vulnerable among us at risk, especially 2SLGBTQI+ youth. It is beyond time that this extremely harmful practice is finally banned.

Today, New Democrats stand ready to help make sure this bill proceeds through the House as quickly as possible. We hope to get this bill to the Senate before Christmas so we can avoid a repeat of the Liberal’s failure to get this done.

New Democrats remain determined not to let that happen.“