#conversiontherapyban discussion at @cityofcalgary : @EWoolleyWard8 says we need Criminal Code changes, and that we are not a welcoming city yet. 1/n
Relates having heard from a member of the public whose life was destroyed through #conversiontherapy.
@Ward4Ward1 says he does support this, but we need to do it "properly" and not overreach. 3/n
@Ward4Ward1 says all people need to be represented, including pastors etc. Agrees we need a law (as opposed to a bylaw), wonders what we can be enforced. 4/n
Senior lawyer (missed her name) says that we can make bylaws for local enforcement, that #yeg has done so. We can catch church orgs within the context of "carrying on business". 4/n
@ward4ward1 asks what happens if federal law conflicts - we would revise in that instance.
Also I'm lousy at this #/n thing, please bear with me. ;)
@gccarra says we should take as broad a stance as possible. I find myself nodding. 7ish/n
@peterdemong says to advocate to the federal government as well as the provincial. 8/n
@seanchucalgary asks why a reference to "business" - the lawyer says going beyond that, the law could likely be successfully challenged. Also wants to acknowledge temples/mosques/etc as well as churches. 9/n
@seanchucalgary expressed concern, if I understand correctly, about someone not having access to counseling if it makes money - but I would like to think that counseling and conversion therapy are very different things. 9/n
@JeffDavisonYYC wonders about freedom of speech infringement vs advertising. The lawyer says that the definition will be crafted carefully, with this in mind, but that the risk is low. Lawyer advises no jurisdictions have had conflicts in this respect. 10/n
@DruhFarrell says this will be a "stake in the ground", a support for a civil rights movement. 11/n
@JyotiGondek is my new hero. Paraphrasing: "what kind of message are we sending if people are afraid to come to your office about this issue?" I wish I had her full speech. Oops. Apparently we weren't supposed to applaud. #wavesrainbowscarf 12/n
@bigredyyc was on the Human Rights Commission for 10 years. We have a "sordid history" with these issues. Brings up concern that without provincial/federal backup, this might be pushed further underground. She's not wrong! 13/n
@BigRedyyc says if you know of anyone practicing this type of thing, contact her office - because it's not likely to come up in a business context. It's already underground, and it's likely to go farther. 14/n
@JeromyYYC has experienced "praying it away" - also told his orientation would be the reason he wouldn't win as well as the reason he'd be no good at it. He's choked with emotion. I am, admittedly, surprised, and he's just gained a few respect points. 16/n
@nenshi "this is the way we can take a stand for the 1.3M people that we represent." 💕💕💕 17/n
@EWoolleyWard8 PET's "no business in the bedroom" statement referred to Everett Clippert - Calgary bus driver, last man jailed for being gay. Gives definition of conversion therapy. 700k members of communities have been subjected to this... 18/n
@EWoolleyWard8 Nothing to do with freedom of speech. Practitioners of this are playing games with people's lives. We want to give this as many teeth as possible, so that if you're practicing this, we will come at you with everything we've got. 19/n
@threadreaderapp unroll please? (I've never done this for my own tweets before 😳)
