Saskatoon city council passes anti-conversion therapy bylaw

Saskatoon has become one of a handful of cities in Canada — joining Vancouver, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Calgary — to pass an anti-conversion therapy bylaw.

Conversion therapy in Saskatoon’s new Prohibited Business Bylaw 2021 is defined as counselling, behaviour modification techniques, treatments, services or practices aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation or repressing or reducing non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour.

The bylaw carries with it a $10,000 fine for individuals caught performing those services, or up to $25,000 for a corporation doing so. A business licence suspension of up to three months can go along with that.

Churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious institutions may also be subject to the bylaw, according to city administration, covering both for-profit and non-profit businesses.

At Tuesday’s public hearing, councillors voted 9-1 in favour of it, with Coun. Randy Donauer voting against. Donauer has been consistent in his voting during the entire process, indicating he does not have an issue with the actual bylaw but he did not agree with the definition of conversion therapy as outlined.

“I support a ban on abusive, coercive and non-consensual manipulative conversion therapy. That’s not what I’m debating here today. My concern is simply with our definition. I think our definition goes beyond conversion therapy and talks about somebody’s ability to obtain counselling in a manner directed that they would like,” he said.

An amendment to the definition proposed by Donauer was defeated.

City solicitor Cindy Yelland told him that anyone regardless of age would be able to obtain counselling services, from a non- judgmental source, that didn’t promote a pre-determined outcome.

Council also heard several presentations including one from Ben Rodgers, who went though conversion therapy in his late teens in Ontario.

“I had to go through what I would call an exorcism of sorts. I was made to fast for three days with no food and no water before having to go through a service after which I was prayed over where they were screaming and yelling, laying their hands on my head and my shoulders … screaming in these tongues — these languages … I was 19 years old,” he described.

Saskatoon Pride spokesperson Natasha King listened to the presentation as well and thanked council for passing the bylaw.

“It was a really big, important, impactful (decision). It’s a symbolic step and it shows Saskatoon is inclusive and a supportive city. And it’s starting to be a place where everyone can live their true identity free of judgment and hate,” King said.

Coun. Hilary Gough echoed those sentiments at the meeting.

“Everyone is welcome in our community. Your identity is yours and no identities are bad,” Gough said. “There should be no work in our community that seeks to change the identity of people who are gender and sexually diverse.”

Saskatoon may not be the only city in the province with rules in place against businesses practising conversion therapy. The City of Regina may also be considering a conversion therapy bylaw in the coming months.