Details
- Full Title
- An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy)
- First Reading
- October 1, 2020, Parliament 43, Session 2
- Type
- House Government Bill
- Full Content
- https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/43-2/c-6
Summary
Bill C-6 amends the Criminal Code to create new offenses related to conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is defined as practices, treatments, or services designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual, change a person’s gender identity or gender expression to cisgender, or repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behavior or non-cisgender gender expression. The bill does not include practices related to the exploration and development of an integrated personal identity without favoring any particular sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
The bill introduces several offenses. It is now illegal to cause a person to undergo conversion therapy without their consent. It is also illegal to cause a child (under 18) to undergo conversion therapy. A person cannot remove a child from Canada with the intention of having them undergo conversion therapy outside of Canada. It is illegal to promote or advertise conversion therapy, or to receive any financial or material benefit from providing conversion therapy.
The bill also allows courts to order the disposal or deletion of advertisements for conversion therapy.
These amendments aim to discourage and denounce conversion therapy, protecting the human dignity and equality of all Canadians. The Act will come into force 30 days after it receives royal assent.
Issues
Social Justice
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Gender and Sexuality
This bill creates new offenses related to conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is defined as practices, treatments, or services designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual, change a person’s gender identity or gender expression to cisgender, or repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behavior or non-cisgender gender expression. The bill makes it illegal to cause a person to undergo conversion therapy without consent, to cause a child to undergo conversion therapy, to remove a child from Canada to undergo conversion therapy, to promote or advertise conversion therapy, or to receive a financial or material benefit from providing conversion therapy.
Security and Defense
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Crime
Bill C-6 amends the Criminal Code by adding new offenses related to conversion therapy. These include causing someone to undergo conversion therapy without their consent, causing a child to undergo conversion therapy, removing a child from Canada for conversion therapy, advertising conversion therapy, and receiving financial benefits from providing conversion therapy. The bill specifies the penalties for these offenses, including imprisonment. It also allows courts to order the disposal or deletion of advertisements for conversion therapy.