A controversial petition related to conversion therapy put forth by Sarnia-Lambton's MP is drawing criticism from area religious leaders.
Dunlop United Church Minister Adam Kilner said as many as 24 religious leaders and nine churches had signed a letter to Marilyn Gladu challenging her position on Bill C-6.
"We've been working with and talking with religious and lay leaders in our community who are deeply concerned about the petition that was presented in the House of Commons," said Kilner. "We believe it reflects poorly on Sarnia-Lambton and implies that our region is filled with ignorance and hatred."
The petition calls on the Government of Canada to provide a narrower definition of what the Liberals view as "conversion therapy," so it doesn't exclude voluntary sought counselling, pastoral care or prayer. The petition also asks the government to amend or withdraw the legislation.
Gladu said Bill C-6 prevents a person who, of their own free will, wants counselling or advice or prayer regarding their sexual confusion.
In an interview with Blackburn News, Gladu said the petition was put forward by a number of people in the faith community who want the freedom to be able to express their freedom of religion, personally and in the public square.
"C-6 is the bill that is trying to make it a criminal offence to force somebody to have conversion therapy, and I think all Canadians would agree that nobody should be forced. However, in the bill, what it does is it also criminalizes personal conversations from people that have a different view."
Gladu said while the petition has received a great deal of positive feedback from the faith community, not everyone supports it.
"There has been criticism from the LBGTQ community, who I don't think really got the accurate message of what we're trying to do here. We're definitely saying nobody should be forced to have conversion therapy against their will, everyone agrees on that point, but I think we need to stand up for the rights and freedoms of everybody, and in this case, protect the Charter freedoms of religion and freedom of speech."
Kilner, who ran for the NDP in Sarnia-Lambton in the last federal election, disagrees with Gladu's assessment of the bill, saying he doesn't believe it limits the rights of religions, religious leaders or practitioners of religion.
"Like I really feel strongly that the MP needs to read and re-read the bill itself. I believe the bill itself recognizes the Charter rights of Canadians and has understood in the bill itself, at least as far as I've read, that this is definitely something people could view in a certain sense, that it does infringe or possibly infringe on peoples' religious freedoms," said Kilner. "At the same time, as I said, the bill itself recognizes the Charter rights of Canadians, and numerous churches in Sarnia-Lambton feel no threat to their religious freedom in regards to Bill C-6."
Kilner also discussed the harm conversion therapy can cause to an individual, especially to a young person.
"I remember reading from a group of, I think Evangelical churches, they said 'the best interest of the child must prevail over adult exercise of their liberty,'" said Kilner. "And I found that to be fascinating because as we engage in a discourse about Bill C-6, some of the research we're highlighting is how conversion therapy undermines the mental health and wellbeing of youth at the expense of adults wanting to exercise their liberty."
Dunlop United Church Minister Adam Kilner and Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu during a local federal election debate. September 24, 2019. Photo by Melanie Irwin.
Gladu feels a statement posted on the Liberals webpage clarifying that it's not the intent of the government to criminalize certain things, needs to be included in the bill.
"These new offenses would not criminalize private conversations in which personal views on sexual orientation, sexual feelings or gender identity are expressed, such as where teachers, school councillors, pastoral councillors, faith leaders, doctors, mental health professionals, friends or family members provide affirming support to persons struggling with their sexual orientations, sexual feelings or gender identity."
"But because they wouldn't put [the statement] in the bill, then their overly broad definition of conversion therapy actually does criminalize private and public conversations," said Gladu.
She said because the Liberals refused to put the clarification into the bill, multiple lawyers have told her it will receive a Charter challenge because it violates the religious rights of millions of Canadians.
Kilner was asked by Blackburn News if he would have any issues including the statement in the bill.
"My deepest concern in this conversation is that when we start identifying this list of different professionals, especially with regard to children, we start putting children into dynamics that they might not want to be in and that they cannot consent to being a part of," he said. "The truth for me is that people under the age of 18, especially under the age of 18 but even young adults, they would struggle being put in a situation where there's a power dynamic that especially has the possibility to really, kind of make them feel like they don't really have a choice in there."
