Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led the Canadian government on October 1 has revived a proposal to restrict gay "conversion therapy'", a practice widely regarded as a human rights violation.
Earlier in March, Canada had introduced a similar bill, however, without the support of most lawmakers, it failed to pass in parliament. Later, the parliament was suspended for a summer break due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Conversion therapy is a cruel practice that can lead to life-long trauma, particularly for young people," Justice Minister David Lametti said.
"Our government remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the dignity and equality rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit Canadians, by criminalizing a practice that discriminates against and harms them."
Notably, the new bill still needs to be voted on. If passed it would prohibit subjecting a minor to the practice, either in Canada or abroad.
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Not only this, but an adult would also not be able to undergo conversion therapy against his or her will, and no one would be allowed to profit from or advertise it.
Nonetheless, going by the report of an independent expert to the UN, these so-called conversions have been attempted through beatings, rape, electrocution, forced medication, confinement, forced nudity, verbal humiliation, and other acts of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse across the world.
According to a recent official survey, 47,000 Canadian men who identify as part of a minority sexuality group had been subjected to conversion therapy.