A bill that seeks to prohibit therapies
that attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people cleared Canada's Senate
on Tuesday.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “sexual
orientation change efforts” or “ex-gay therapy.”
According to CTV News, senators voted
unanimously in favor of the bill, which cleared the House of Commons
on Wednesday. The bill will become law once it receives royal assent.
Similar state bills in the United
States primarily protect LGBT youth. Canada's law, however, also
includes adults.
The legislation “proposes to outright
prohibit both adults and children from being subjected to harmful
conversion therapy practices, through four new Criminal Code offenses
including making it a crime punishable by up to five years in prison
to cause another person to undergo conversion therapy,” CTV News
reported.
Two similar bills over the last few
years have failed to become law.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted
his thanks.
“Our government’s legislation to
ban conversion therapy in Canada is one step closer to becoming law,”
Trudeau said. “To everyone who has made this possible, thank you.
Let’s keep building a country where everyone is free to be who they
are and love who they love.”