Bill C-404

National Conversion Therapy Awareness Day Act

An Act to establish National Conversion Therapy Awareness Day

This enactment establishes the 7th of January in each year as “National Conversion Therapy Awareness Day”.

Conversion Therapy

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my private member's bill, Bill C-404, an act to establish a national conversion therapy awareness day, would establish a national day of awareness for conversion therapy on January 7 of each year, which is the date the law banning this harmful practice came into force in Canada in 2022.

Two people inspired the creation of this bill: Ben Rodgers, who is from the Kingston area, and Veronica Merryfield from Cape Breton—Canso.

Ben is the founder of the group C.T. Survivors Connect, a first-of-its-kind support group for conversion therapy survivors. Survivors come together to support one another and to access and share support resources.

I thank Ben and Veronica for their work and inspiration.

I hope all parliamentarians will support Bill C-404, which is intended to assist the incredible work to support those affected by this horrific practice of conversion therapy and to bring awareness to the legacy effects that still exist.

National Conversion Therapy Awareness Day Act

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-404, An Act to establish National Conversion Therapy Awareness Day.

Mr. Speaker, on January 7, 2022, the law banning conversion therapy officially came into force in Canada. Unfortunately, the reality is that a legacy still exists with the effects that were felt by so many people throughout our country who were subjected to conversion therapy.

During the deliberations in the House of Commons, and in committee specifically, two people contributed immensely to the amending of the bill and the final result of it. They were Ben Rodgers, who is from the Kingston area, and Veronica Merryfield from Cape Breton—Canso, the riding of the seconder to this bill. This bill seeks to continue their work. They came together and developed a network to support individuals throughout our country who have been affected by conversion therapy.

This bill would attempt to establish a national day of awareness for conversion therapy on January 7 of each year, which is the date the law came into force in Canada in 2022.

I recognize I do not have precedence, and I do not have an opportunity to necessarily bring this forward for debate. However, I sincerely hope that, in the interests of all Canadians, in the same manner we were able to unanimously adopt a ban on conversion therapy, perhaps, through consultation with other parties, we will be able to do something similar with this bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)