VICTORIA — A proposed law is going before the British Columbia legislature to ban the controversial practice of attempting to change a person's sexual orientation.
Green Leader Andrew Weaver says his party's legislation would stop the use of so-called conversion therapy in the province for those under 19 years old.
B.C. Green Leader Andrew Weaver, flanked by his two caucus members Adam Olsen and Sonia Furstenau, and members of LGBTQ community, attend a news conference at the legislature in Victoria, Monday, May 27, 2019. BC’s Greens are introducing legislation to ban conversion therapy, which tries to convert homosexuals to heterosexuals. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dirk Meissner
Weaver says the therapy is abusive and damages people's health, and the Sexual Orientation and Gender Protection Act aims to ensure the health and safety of the province's LGBTQ-plus community.
The Green leader was joined in the announcement by members of the LGBTQ-plus community, including Vancouver's Peter Gajdics, who says he underwent six years of counselling and medical treatments to cure his homosexuality.
Gajdics says the treatments did not work and he later wrote a book about his experiences.
Vancouver council passed a bylaw last year banning techniques that attempt to persuade people to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Ontario and Nova Scotia passed laws in 2015 banning conversion therapy while Manitoba told its health authorities and medical colleges not to support the practice.
