Thread by @ColtonWiensCTV

Regina City Council is discussing Bill C-6 this afternoon. Community Wellness Committee recommends the Mayor to write to Federal Government in support of Bill C-6, which would criminalize aspects of conversion therapy - regina.ctvnews.ca/36-delegations… #yqrcc

36 delegations are expected to present. Each will get five minutes to make their presentations. First delegate is Larry Kowalchuk. #yqrcc

Kowalchuk is referencing a gender identity case that went through courts ruling people have the right to decide their gender and not be forced to choose a certain gender. #yqrcc

Kowalchuk says the supreme court has repeatedly confirmed that freedom of religion is not absolute and in certain cases is subject to limitation. Says everyone should be able free to be themselves and love who they want #yqrcc

Kowalchuk says conversion therapy has been banned in other areas and nobody has tried to reverse those decisions. #yqrcc

Kowalchuk is a lawyer. Says he can't give a formal legal opinion, but if council follows the court decisions he has presented, he thinks that should show why the city should ban conversion therapy. #yqrcc

Kowalchuk says the intent of the Bill is to respect and promote the right of youth and all citizens to have comfort and joy in being able to live and choose how to identify themselves to themselves and the rest of the world #yqrcc

Kowalchuk says it's clear this is dealing with gender identity only. Councillor Terina Shaw asks if this would close the door to seek counselling for unacceptable sexual behaviour. Kowalchuk says no, this is not prohibiting counselling to deal with harmful sexual behaviour #yqrcc

Next delegate is Teresa Pierre, president of Parenting First Educators. Says she doesn't want council to support the bill. Says the bill would penalize parents would seek counselling for their child with gender dysphoria. #yqrcc

Pierre says if a boy expresses a desire to be a girl because he doesn't want to be mean and rough with the other boys at school, this bill would keep clinicians from helping. #yqrcc

Pierre says as kids who go through gender transformation get older they will have a more issues. Says in one case a person regretted not challenging their transformation when they were younger. #yqrcc

Councillor Landon Mohl questions whether the bill would expose parents to private conversations. Pierre says the Justice Minister has said parental conversations would not be prosecuted but doesn't trust that #yqrcc

Pierre says if a parent tries to encourage their child to seek conversion therapy, she believes that could be prosecuted. Mohl asks if there's health risks to hormone treatments. Councillor Andrew Stevens interrupts and says council isn't here to debate medical facts #yqrcc

Mohl's question is taken away. Shaw says she has a psychology and sociology background. Shaw asks how young a child can be to have the maturity to ask for a change. Masters says the delegate is not a lawyer and can't decide that. #yqrcc

Shaw asks if a child should be allowed to decide whether they need gender therapy? Pierre says this bill would force kids to only seek one therapy. Says brains aren't developed until 25, so kids shouldn't make those decisions. #yqrcc

Councillor Shanon Zachidniak says the Canadian Psychological Association has confirmed all ages are able to decide their gender. And says it supports banning conversion therapy saying it's not legitimate. Pierre says the American definition doesn't include gender dysphoria #yqrcc

Zachidniak says she wasn't asking about the United States. Marty Moore is the next delegate. He's with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. Says he's speaking against conversion therapy. Moore says he doesn't think the bill defined what conversion therapy is #yqrcc

Moore says if council endorses the bill, they would be endorsing the actual words of the bill, not peoples feelings towards the bill. Moore says it prohibits any practice trying to suppress or change a person's sexual orientation #yqrcc

Moore says bill includes very precise prohibitions to counselling practices. Says it doesn't keep people from counselling for heterosexual feelings. Moore says regardless of age anyone who knowingly promotes conversion therapy would be considered criminal under the bill #yqrcc

Stadnichuk says she's trying to establish if Moore has any bias. Says his organization has spoken against gay straight alliances in school. Master says council isn't here to debate with delegates. Councillor Lori Bresciani asks if Moore can be considered a legal expert. #yqrcc

Moore says he presents on several human rights related issues. Says the way Bill C-6 is written is too broad and doesn't just cover conversion therapy. Moore says the idea of people being prosecuted just for promoting therapy is not acceptable. #yqrcc

Moore says this Bill would also likely impact religious sermons. Says anyone that gives a sermon that promotes conversion could be prosecuted. He believes the bill would also criminalize private conversations between parents and children #yqrcc

Moore says the bill would ban anything that has the goal of reducing certain feelings. Says it doesn't matter if the treatment is harmful or not, the bill would cover many types of therapy. Councillor Dan LeBlanc says a lot of lawyers will be here #yqrcc

Bresciani thanks Moore for his expertise. LeBlanc says lawyers can not call them experts on something unless they are. Asks if Moore is considered an expert in constitutional law, Moore says he's not an expert. #yqrcc

Councillor Jason Mancinelli asks if a professional offering a diagnostic should be approaching it with a goal in mind? Moore says he won't comment. #yqrcc

Masters says it's taken an hour to get through three delegates. Says the city has its own lawyers. Next delegate is Kent Peterson, representing Queen City For All. Peterson says conversion therapy currently happens in Regina #yqrcc

Peterson says experts say conversion therapy doesn't work. Says council should be skeptical of anyone that calling from other provinces that don't support banning conversion therapy. Peterson says council must include local bylaw to ban conversion therapy in all its forms #yqrcc

Peterson says if the federal bill doesn't pass, putting forward a local bylaw would still ban conversion therapy in the city. Says the bylaw would give immediate justice to survivors. #yqrcc

Peterson suggest council follow Saskatoon's bylaw and adjust it to fit with Regina. Wants council to draft a bylaw to be passed by the summer. #yqrcc

Shaw says Peterson shouldn't judge the other delegates that plan to present. Peterson says all conversion therapy doesn't work and opponents of this therapy will make up stories to keep it from changing. Says some will lie about conversion therapy working just to be happy #yqrcc

Bresciani says there are LGBT2QS+ residents concerned that they wouldn't be able to seek counselling to reduce their sexual behaviour. She worries the bill is too broad and could restrict all people from seeking counselling. #yqrcc

Wilna van Beek is the next delegate. Says she is a survivor of conversion therapy. Says for decades she tried to deal with her feelings on her own, and eventually spoke to a councillor. Says the bill is too broad and will deny all people access to therapy. #yqrcc

van Beek says the bill basically bans anyone from seeking a different orientation. Says people should be able to choose for themselves if they want to seek counselling. Says a bylaw is not needed. #yqrcc

Mohl asks what van Beek would say to others who have gone through conversion therapy. van Beek says she doesn't wish it on anybody. Says even though she was harmed the bill is too broad and is banning way more than conversion therapy. #yqrcc

van Beek leads a Ministry that works with people about their sexual feelings. Says if bill passes, it would ban what she does. Mohl asks how city could write a bylaw without restricting her. van Beek says the bylaw needs to ban coercive, abusive and forceful practices. #yqrcc

Stevens asks if van Beek engages in any practice that tries to change someone's gender identity. van Beek says they never try to change anyone and instead point them in the direction of Jesus. #yqrcc

Stevens asks if they engage in any practice to pressure people not to explore certain sexual feelings? van Beek says they do not. Stevens says its not clear how she would be impacted if they don't engage in anything that could be considered conversion therapy. #yqrcc

van Beek says lawyers told her this bill would consider her work as conversion therapy. van Beek says this would restrict her praying for people that seek help. Stevens says so it's not traditional conversion therapy, but still is. van Beek says its not. #yqrcc

Jose Ruba is next to present. He is from Ottawa. Says he received counselling to reduce unwanted sexual feelings. Says the bill would restrict a counsellor from giving a name of someone who could provide sexual counselling. #yqrcc

Ruba says he's not interested in exploring his sexuality, he wants to reduce his feelings. Says this bill would keep him from seeking support. Says that's discrimination. Says council should create a bylaw that respects his feelings but bans practices that should be banned #yqrcc

Ruba says he has the right to be celibate and has the right to get counselling for that choice. Says the bill would ban him from getting that help. #yqrcc

Ruba says everyone should be free to choose to live the way they want. Says this bill makes him feel like people that think like him don't exist. #yqrcc

Bresciani says this is the struggle she has. Says the LGBT2QS+ community is split on what people want. Says some want it banned, but people like Ruba want the definition changed. #yqrcc

Zachidniak says her parents are therapists and said therapists are not able to give outcomes. So seeking therapy wouldn't fall under the bill. Zachidniak asks if Ruba sees that distinction? Ruba says he was seeking support to reduce feelings and the bill would ban that. #yqrcc

Dr. Ann E. Gillies now presenting. Says bill would ban work she does. Gives example of helping a mother in a heterosexual relationship reduce her interest in lesbian pornography. Says husband would threaten to leave her. Says her work allows the family to avoid the break #yqrcc

Shaw asks if people should be forced to get counselling to change their orientation. Gillies says no one should be forced to do counselling, but feels helping someone repress their interest in homosexual pornography would be against the law under the bill #yqrcc

Gillies says she retired her practice a couple years ago, so she is no longer registered with any associations. She is based in Ontario. Stadnichuk asks why she cares what about Regina? Gillies says she's concerned for people who would seek counselling like she used to do #yqrcc

Gillies says a member of her family identified as LGBT2QS+ and went for counselling. Says he was successful in reducing his level of promiscuity and eventually left the LGBT2QS+ community. #yqrcc

Gillies says just because homosexuality isn't a mental disorder, it doesn't mean people should be denied seeking counselling for it. Gillies says that counselling helps people avoid suicidal thoughts, but the research she presents often gets neglected #yqrcc

Taking a recess. Back in 15 #yqrcc

Back. Since the meeting is expected to be lengthy, council will take a 30 min break at 6 p.m. for dinner. Emmanuel Sanchez next to present. Sanchez is a former Regina resident. #yqrcc

Sanchez says he was attracted to boys and bullied through school. At 16 he came out as gay. Says a pastor helped him discuss the difficulties he experienced as a child. Sanchez stopped engaging in same-sex relationships and feels new bill would keep him from seeking it. #yqrcc

Sanchez says marriage is meant for heterosexual couples, and believes people should be able to seek counselling to support that belief. Says he lives in Calgary now and the bylaw there restricts him from seeking help. #yqrcc

Mohl says Calgary's bylaw mirrors Bill C-6. Sanchez says the bylaw restricts him from seeking help to reduce his same sex desires. Says the bill isn't worded correctly. #yqrcc

Sanchez says counselling services in Calgary have told him they have been discouraged from helping him reduce his same sex desires. Says the bill would impact residents in Regina in the same way. #yqrcc

Bresciani asks why Sanchez is attending a Regina meeting? Sanchez says he grew up in Regina and it is still important to him. Says there are a lot of connections in Regina that struggle with the same feelings as him. #yqrcc

Zachidniak says her parents have offered to help Sanchez find therapy and will try to connect him with someone who can help. Wayne Bernakevitch now speaking to council. Bernakevitch is representing a group of business people and counsellors in Regina #yqrcc

Bernakevitch says this should be left up to the Federal Government. Bernakevitch says his clients want to make sure the city doesn't keep parents from being involved with seeking conversion therapy for their children. #yqrcc

Bernakevitch says a youth can not decide whether they want to seek conversion therapy. Says children can't determine what is best for them. Bernakevitch says bill would restrict parents from seeking proper advice and kids are too immature to make up their minds. #yqrcc

Masters says the ban on conversion therapy would be for all ages, and children would be at the top of the list to be protected. Bernakevitch says he represents certain counsellors in Regina, but not all. #yqrcc

Bernakevitch says legislation doesn't protect children. He says the best way to protect children is to allow parents to seek what help they decide is best for their kid. Mohl asks a counselling question. Bernakevitch says I'm not a counsellor, I'm a lawyer. #yqrcc

*he is not a counsellor, he is a lawyer. Bernakevitch says the idea of conversion therapy is very complex and rushing into a bylaw will do more harm than good. #yqrcc

Bernakevitch suggests council press "pause" on the discussion and "see the long term consequences." Says he won't share which counsellors he is representing in the city. Says they will come under attack if he shares that. #yqrcc

Next delegate is Jenn Smith, a transgender activist. Smith presents to groups about the impact of gender transitioning. LeBlanc says this discussion is about conversion therapy not gender transitioning. Bresciani says it's embarrassing council won't listen to Smith. #yqrcc

Masters warns Smith to try to keep the discussion about conversion therapy. Smith says the topic does relate. Continues talking about the experiences of going through transitioning. Masters says bring it back to conversion therapy. Smith says it all relates. #yqrcc

Stadnichuk worries LGBT2QS+ people listening to Smith will be very hurt by what is being said. Masters warns Smith to keep it about conversion therapy. Shaw says her heart hurts for Smith being interrupted during the presentation. #yqrcc

Masters states LGBT2QS+ people are not broken, disordered or damaged. Reverend Joy Cowan with Heritage United Church now presenting. Says she identifies as a member of the LGBT2QS+ community. Says conversion therapy is not an act of love. #yqrcc

Cowan says conversion therapy needs to be banned in Regina. Says the Bill doesn't cover all forms of conversion therapy, but the city could pass a bylaw to ban all forms within Regina. Says banning conversion therapy is a form of suicide prevention. #yqrcc

Stadnichuk asks if Cowan is confident she could offer counselling if Bill C-6 was passed? Cowan says anyone wanting to seek counselling would be allowed to because she would be affirming their sexual identity, and not trying to change it. #yqrcc

Kevin Philip with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina now presenting. Philip worries the bill defines conversion therapy too broadly and doesn't make provisions for teaching or public presentation. Worries it will also impact private family conversations #yqrcc

Philip says the bill is too far reaching and it's too premature for council to make a decision. Says council should be focussing on roads. #yqrcc

Zachidniak says the first bylaw related to conversion therapy in Canada was passed in 2018. Philip says what he meant by premature is the bill is too broad with its wording for council to make a decision around it. #yqrcc

Reverend Laura Sundberg with St James United Church now presenting. I missed a couple presentations to do TV. Sundberg says the Church wants council to support the Bill and pass a bylaw prohibiting conversion therapy. #yqrcc

Sundberg says parents rights are not all encompassing Says they have the right to raise the child, but not to abuse the child with conversion therapy. Sundberg also argues the bill will not prohibit spiritual counselling as long as it's not judgemental. #yqrcc

Sundberg says a city bylaw would deliver clear guidelines about what is not an acceptable practice. #yqrcc

Next is Minister Cameron Fraser with Knox-Metropolitan United Church. Fraser also speaking in favour of banning conversion therapy. Says conversion efforts are deeply harmful. #yqrcc

Mohl says God is Love, adding the United Church definition of conversion therapy differs from the bill. Fraser says there is a frequently asked questions section online that explains their definitions are working definitions to help the congregation understand. #yqrcc

Minister Russell Mitchell-Walker with Eastside United Church is next to speak. Mitchell-Walker also supports creating a bylaw to ban conversion therapy. Says conversion therapy is based on the idea that not being heterosexual is a disorder. "It is not." #yqrcc

"We would not suggest a black person could change their skin colour," Mitchell-Walker says God loves everyone and trying to change someones sexual orientation is not acceptable. #yqrcc

Bresciani says an earlier delegate spoke about wanting to reduce non-heterosexual behaviour. Asks how that would be done? Mitchell-Walker says he would work with the person to talk about what is at the root for their desire to change. #yqrcc

Mitchell-Walker says he'd ask the delegate what root reason is for non-heterosexual feelings to not be ok. Bresciani says it's the delegates right to seek counselling, but the bill would block that. Mitchell-Walker says the delegate is a gay man who chooses to be celibate #yqrcc

Mitchell-Walker says bottom line is saying homosexuality is wrong and is a bases to change is why conversion therapy should not be allowed. Says it's difficult to listen to some of the delegates. Says their underlying message is that people are flawed, "and that hurts" #yqrcc

Next delegate is lawyer Barton Soroka. Says he's not being paid to be here. Soroka says a lot of catastrophic ideas have been shared in relation to the bill. Basically saying some of the delegates have misinterpreted the bill. #yqrcc

Soroka says the bill allows for individuals who consent to conversion therapy to seek and receive conversion therapy. #yqrcc

Soroka says the concept has not been rushed, has been around for a while. Says council is aiming to put a report together about a bylaw for Q1 of 2022. Says its hard to argue that is rushed. No questions for him. Masters says he has the "mic drop of the evening so far." #yqrcc

Barbara Wrishko next to present. Wrishko has a background supporting people with mental health challenges. Says the wording in the bill is troublesome. #yqrcc

Maritza Cummings now presenting to council. Cummings says the hands of parents and counsellors will be tied if the bill passes. Says this bill will eliminate freedom of speech. #yqrcc

Stadnichuk asks if Cummings realizes council supporting the bill would not cause the bill to pass federally? Cummings: yes, but this seems like start of one side silencing another. Stadnichuk asks if Cummings supports conversion therapy. Cummings says she supports therapy #yqrcc

Julie Holstein now presenting. Holstein says the bill is poorly written. Says as a grandmother she's concerned about the increased number of girls wanting to transition to boys. Zachidniak asks Holstein to keep the discussion to conversion therapy. #yqrcc

Holstein continues to talk about transitioning. Stevens calls a point of order, says this is not about the process of gender dysphoria. Asks Holstein to speak about conversion therapy. Holstein says young girls need counselling before they can seek transitioning. #yqrcc

Holstein says parents should have freedom to take a child to counselling to make sure it's what the child wants. Zachidniak asks if Holstein's aware proposed legislation does not prevent someone from seeking counselling. Holstein says she heard someone say it. #yqrcc

Jeremy Williamson now presenting. Williamson says he is speaking on behalf of intersex people like himself. Says parents had to seek professional opinions on what sex Williamson is. Says if the bill was in place his parents would have been put in prison. #yqrcc

Williamson says treatments are based on the sex he's determined to be. He could die if he receives treatment for a female with intersex conditions. Williamson believes bill would not allow doctors to determine a sex and would have forced him to not receive help as a youth #yqrcc

Zachidniak asks if Williamson is aware the bill is speaking about therapy, not medical practitioners. She feels Williamson would still be able to receive medical help. #yqrcc

Stevens asks if Williamson thinks the bylaw would restrict medical practitioners from doing their jobs? Williamson thinks the bill would prohibit doctors from putting out pamphlets explaining what intersex conditions are. #yqrcc

Aspen Huggins, vice-chair of the UR Pride Centre now presenting. Huggins is now laying out the actual bill. Says it's obvious that the bill only impacts situations where adults are forced to participate. Says it won't criminalize people seeking conversion therapy. #yqrcc

Huggins says nothing in the bill will impact her ability to discuss sexuality with her kids. She says conversion therapy is harmful and continues to happen in Regina. #yqrcc

Huggins says conversion therapy is often hidden in other practices and asks council to provide funding to support people who went through conversion therapy. Shaw asks for her credentials. Huggins says she is representing the UR Pride Centre. #yqrcc

Bresciani asks where someone could get counselling if the bill is passed? Huggins says people will be able to continue advertising counselling services, but can't offer to provide conversion therapy to "cure someone of their homosexuality." #yqrcc

Bresciani asks if someone could still seek counselling to reduce their non-heterosexual behaviour? Huggins says there is nothing in the bill that restricts adults from seeking the therapy they want. Bresciani says there are different opinions, but she's not a lawyer. #yqrcc

Stadnichuk asks what the difficulties are for a survivor of conversion therapy to present to council? Huggins says for some its something they did a lot of work to get over and don't want to bring up their traumatic experiences in a public forum. #yqrcc

Clinical Social Worker/Therapist Celeste Seiferling is the next delegate. Seiferling says therapists help someone with their gender identity, but do not decide what gender someone is. #yqrcc

Seiferling says if the bill passes someone can still come to her for therapy and receive support. She says she can still validate their experience and support them. #yqrcc

Dr. Kristopher Wells is next delegate. He's the Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth. Says conversion therapy is akin to torture. Says LGBT2QS+ people deserve protection from people who would seek to change them. #yqrcc

Wells says the Canadian Psychological Association opposes any therapy with the goal of repairing, changing, suppressing, or converting an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, regardless of age #yqrcc

Wells says research shows 1 of 3 survivors of conversion therapy will try to commit suicide at some point. Encourages council to research how many of the delegates are well known for speaking against homosexuality. #yqrcc

Wells says there is overwhelming support to ban conversion therapy all over the world. Bresciani says there are a lot of petitions to not ban it. Wells says theres lots of petitions that exist that don't have support from professional industries. #yqrcc

Bresciani says council has heard from experts today that kids are too young to decide their gender. Wells says there were no experts that spoke like that today. Bresciani says by experts she means "people that came today" because they have lived through conversion therapy. #yqrcc

Wells says there will always be people that dispute medical professional findings. Adds the delegates that presented are well known for trying to speak against banning conversion therapy. #yqrcc

Lorna Pederson is next. Says she represents South Asian Christian Fellowship Group. Pederson says conversion therapy should never be forced on someone, but believes the bill will prevent anyone from seeking conversion therapy (this has been raised and answered a lot) #yqrcc

Pederson says Bill C-6 is perhaps the most dangerous bill in Canadian history. Says council shouldn't criminalize parents their right to discuss their beliefs about sexuality with their children. #yqrcc

Trina Hodgson, registered social worker and member of Sunset United Church, presenting. Says Sunset supports the bill and banning conversion therapy. "We need to love our neighbours unconditionally." Says society would do better if we didn't judge people on who they love #yqrcc

Hodgson says clients lead the discussion and goal setting. Social workers are just there to provide support and a compassionate listening ear. Says her sons have outside influences already and its important to listen to kids and not judge what they say #yqrcc

"This ban does not prevent families from having conversations," Hodgson says people need to take more time to listen to each other. #yqrcc

Next delegate is Pastor Robert Reimer with Living Springs Church. Reimer says he teaches people to love, honour and respect everyone. Worries the bill in its current form will divide the community. #yqrcc

Joy-Lyn Reimer, Roberts daughter, now presenting. Says ethical conversion therapy is essential for someone with gender dysphoria. #yqrcc

Charlie Cavanaugh with the Marian Centre says passing this bill would send a message of intimidation to people of faith. Cavanaugh says the centre does not attempt to change someones sexual orientation, but worries about what they can say if someone asks questions #yqrcc

All the delegates are now done. Council taking a five minute recess. #yqrcc

Back now. Stevens proposes an amendment to have administration return to council no later than July 2021 with a bylaw banning conversion therapy that mirrors Saskatoon's bylaw. Stevens says dozens of Canadian communities have already started this. #yqrcc

If approved, the bylaw would be modelled around Saskatoon's bylaw. Hawkins says he supports the amendment. Says the Saskatoon bylaw is crystal clear. #yqrcc

Shaw questions why not form a Regina bylaw for Regina? Stevens says conversion therapy is the same no matter where it is followed. Says that would end up taking more time to get back to the same answer. #yqrcc

Stevens says this bylaw and the bill would close a loophole to the issue. Says licensed practitioners are not going to be a part of conversion therapy, because they would probably lose their licence. Says conversations about sexuality can still happen. #yqrcc

LeBlanc says Dr. Wells endorsing the Saskatoon model is good for him and supports the view. Adds council can vote in favour of wanting to see a bylaw presented in July, and can still determine what businesses it impacts at a later time. #yqrcc

Councillor John Findura says he will not support the amendment. Says he is more in favour of bringing a bylaw forward next year, to allow for more consultation. #yqrcc

Stadnichuk says the majority of people she has spoken to are in favour of banning conversion therapy. Says most of the delegates that spoke against were from other provinces. Says there is a coordinated effort to keep cities from banning the practice. #yqrcc

Bresciani says she sat in the transgender meetings and heard more needs to be done. But she's absolutely disappointed with how fast this bylaw has come forward. Thinks more community engagement is needed. Says she has concerns with making a copy of Saskatoon #yqrcc

Bresciani says accommodations need to be made to hear from the people hurt by conversion therapy. Asks what passing this bylaw will mean to faith communities? Administration says the bill clearly states people can still seek help from a teacher or religious leader #yqrcc

Administration says the intent of the bylaw is not to deter people from having conversations with people about their sexual identity. Bresciani asks what public engagement could happen? Administration says if it brings a bylaw for July, it will not do more consultation #yqrcc

Administration says the timeline of July is doable. Bresciani says she won't support pushing a bylaw through in July. Would rather take the time and bring it forward in 2022. Mancinelli asks which option is less costly? Administration says July is obviously less straining #yqrcc

Mancinelli says the amount of lobbying from delegates outside of Regina's borders is concerning. Says he's concentrating on the comments from Regina based people. Says it's his duty to support local beliefs. #yqrcc

Zachidniak supports the amendment. Says council listened to over 30 delegates today and has received numerous emails. Adds the community wellness committee also heard from over 20 delegates. Says council has heard the feedback it needs and doesn't need more consultation. #yqrcc

If the amendment is approved, the bylaw would be presented on July 14. City Clerk says it's possible it would be debated and voted on at that time. Masters says she was naive about the level of conversion therapy going on. #yqrcc

Masters says she was encouraged to have members of the faith community reach out about being a part of forming a bylaw. Stevens the first discussion about this started in February. Adds councillors have months to do their own engagement between now and July. #yqrcc

Stevens says there will necessarily be a balance of rights of what faith communities can still do. #yqrcc

Council votes:
Stevens - y
Stadnichuk - y
Hawkins - y
Bresciani - y
Findura - y
LeBlanc - y
Shaw - y
Zachidniak - y
Mancinelli - y
Mohl - y
Masters - y

Amendment passes unanimously. Administration will form a draft bylaw and will present it on July 14. Now discussing whether to write a letter in support of Bill C-6 #yqrcc

Masters asks if council can instead write to the Federal Government support banning conversion therapy, instead of Bill C-6. Hawkins makes the amendment. Council votes in favour. Masters will write a letter to government supporting a conversion therapy ban. #yqrcc