Provincial government establishes Conversion Therapy Working Group to ensure ‘hurtful practice’ banned for good
By Gillian Slade on February 9, 2019.
Medicine Hat News A Conversion Therapy Working Group has been established to make recommendations to the minister of health on how to “most effectively ban this dangerous and hurtful practice in Alberta,” the Ministry of Health announced Friday. The group, co-chaired by MLA Nicole Goehring and advocate Glynnis Lieb, will include academics, representatives from health, legal professions, community advocates, faith leaders, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, subject matter experts and those with lived experience of conversion therapy. A press release defines conversion therapy “as any treatment, counselling or behaviour modification that aims to change or modify someone’s sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.” “Conversion therapy is a damaging, hateful practice that has no place in our province,” Minister of Health Sarah Hoffman stated in the release. “Albertans deserve to trust that any measures to end this practice are as strong as possible, will withstand legal challenges and have the support of those who need them most. “I thank the members of the group for fighting for vulnerable Albertans, and look forward to receiving their recommendations and taking action to ban conversion therapy in Alberta.” The group members will be supported by an Alberta Health staff secretariat as they prepare their final written report. 8-7
