The first look at a bylaw banning businesses from providing conversion therapy in Saskatoon will occur at Monday meeting of the Governance and Priorities Committee.

Conversion therapy, a discredited practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation using psychological, physical, or spiritual interventions,is in the process of being criminalized . Amendments have not yet been passed to change the Criminal Code of Canada Despite this, Saskatoon’s bylaw draft comes complete with penalties should it be voted in, during a future city council meeting. This includes a $10,000 fine for individuals who continue to provide conversion therapy, or $25,000 for corporations that do the same.

The bylaw prohibiting conversion therapy as a business, was requested at a city council meeting last April.  At that time city council also motioned to declare Saskatoon’s support for the Federally table Bill C-8 which aims to amend the Criminal Code regarding conversion therapy.

Opposition from councillors regarding creating a bylaw, so far, has mostly been due to the concern it should be regulated federally and not municipally.  However, the committee will also review one letter from Saskatoon resident Edwin G. Ralph who claims the bylaw “minimizes the rights of individuals who may personally choose to seek such assistance.”

The Governance and Priorities Committee meeting begins Monday at 9:30 a.m.