In committee (Senate), as of June 28, 2021 (This bill did not become law.)
Summary
This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.
This enactment amends the Criminal Code to, among other things, create the following offences: (a) causing a person to undergo conversion therapy without the person’s consent; (b) causing a child to undergo conversion therapy; (c) doing anything for the purpose of removing a child from Canada with the intention that the child undergo conversion therapy outside Canada; (d) promoting or advertising an offer to provide conversion therapy; and (e) receiving a financial or other material benefit from the provision of conversion therapy. It also amends the Criminal Code to authorize courts to order that advertisements for conversion therapy be disposed of or deleted.
This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below.
Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Bill C-6 amends the Criminal Code to criminalize certain activities related to conversion therapy, including providing it to minors and advertising the service.
Liberal
Supports bill C-6: The Liberal party strongly supports Bill C-6, which amends the Criminal Code to ban conversion therapy, a practice deemed harmful and discriminatory to LGBTQ2S+ communities.
Practice based on false premise: Conversion therapy is based on the false and harmful premise that LGBTQ2S+ identities are wrong and can or must be changed, causing significant psychological and physical damage.
Criminalizes specific acts, not conversations: The bill criminalizes specific acts like performing conversion therapy on minors or unwilling adults, profiting, and advertising, but explicitly does not criminalize private conversations or beliefs.
Essential step for equality: Liberals view the bill as a critical human rights issue and an essential step towards protecting vulnerable LGBTQ2S+ Canadians and achieving equality and acceptance for all.
Conservative
Support ban on harmful practices: Conservatives unequivocally support banning conversion therapy, calling it absurd, wrong, and harmful, and believe perpetrators should be held accountable under the law.
Definition is vague and overbroad: The bill's definition of conversion therapy is criticized as vague and overly broad, potentially capturing good-faith conversations and voluntary counselling, not just coercive practices.
Risk of criminalizing conversations: Concerns are raised that the bill's overbroad definition could criminalize important support services and good-faith conversations between individuals, families, and professionals regarding sexuality and gender identity.
Amendments to clarify definition rejected: Conservatives proposed amendments, including using language from the Department of Justice website, to clarify the definition and prevent criminalizing conversations, but these were rejected by the government.
NDP
Supports conversion therapy ban: The NDP supports the bill to ban conversion therapy, which they describe as fraudulent, harmful, and not sanctioned by any professional organization.
Bill strengthened at committee: The bill was strengthened at the justice committee, notably by changing "against a person's will" to "without consent" and expanding the definition to include gender identity and expression.
Does not ban conversations: The bill includes a clause clarifying that it does not ban good faith counselling or the exploration of identity, addressing concerns about conversations between parents, children, or pastors.
Protects SOGIE community: Members emphasize the need for the bill to protect the SOGIE community, especially trans and gender-diverse individuals, from harmful practices and societal discrimination.
Bloc
Bloc supports bill C-6: The Bloc Québécois is strongly in favour of Bill C-6, which amends the Criminal Code to create offences related to conversion therapy, calling it essential.
Conversion therapy is harmful: Members state that conversion therapy is pseudoscience, dangerous, degrading, and ineffective, posing a serious threat to the health and well-being of affected people.
Quebec leads on human rights: The Bloc highlights Quebec's history as a leader in human rights protection and its recent unanimous adoption of Bill 70 banning conversion therapy.
Pass bill urgently: The party urges Parliament to pass Bill C-6 before the end of the session, stressing the urgency to protect LGBTQ2S+ individuals and stop postponing the issue.
Independent
Definition too broad: The bill's definition of conversion therapy is overly broad, potentially outlawing validated forms of talk therapy for Canadians dealing with issues related to sexual attraction and gender identity.
Affirmation-only model: The bill promotes an affirmation-only model for gender identity, contrasting with international trends towards a "sober second look" particularly for children, which the bill may criminalize.
Impact on youth: Concerns that the bill could push vulnerable youth towards medical transition, potentially preventing those who would naturally desist or identify as gay/lesbian from exploring other options.
Creates chilling effect: The criminalization aspect creates a "witch hunt" environment that could chill necessary conversations and prevent parents from seeking appropriate counselling for their children.
