[Local politics] RMWB conversion therapy ban

[yuuago]

Alberta's previous provincial government, under the NDP, established a group to work on the most effective way to ban conversion therapy in the province*. But when we had our provincial election this year, the result was a Conservative government, and shortly after that the ban project was scrapped*.

This August, during the local Pride Week, it was announced that Pride YMM would work with the municipal government to have conversion therapy banned at the municipal level.

Tonight the local council were discussing/debating that. Result was posted on the municipal twitter:

Council passes the below motion regarding prohibiting conversion therapy within the region. #rmwb #ymm

THAT Administration prepare a bylaw to prohibit the licensing, practice and promotion of conversion therapy in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, looking at all mechanisms for enforcement, including a $10,000 fine, and return to Council before the end of the year.

SO. Yay! I mean, obviously nothing is set in stone here just yet. But it makes me really happy to have an update on the situation, from an official (ish) source, and have an idea of what exactly is going to be done about it. It's a lot more solid than the "I'm going to bring up the issue to the Council, and we'll debate it, maybe" that the mayor mentioned in August.

As far as I know, Fort Mac is not a conversion therapy hotbed. (It's a pretty damn homophobic place, but maybe not to that extent?) But I still think that it's really important to have this on the books, especially after the provincial government's decision.