A united House of Commons passes a liberal bill banning conversion therapy

Politics Insider for December 2, 2021 – Unanimous approval in House; praise to Erin O’Toole; and a COVID waste

Surprise move: Conservative justice critic Rob Moore proposed on Wednesday that a liberal bill banning conversion therapy be unanimously adopted, which was to ban the practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation, CP reports. It was a surprise to see Conservatives suddenly supporting the bill, because socially conservative Conservative MPs had spoken out against the bill, in a milder earlier incarnation. The approval of the motion resulted in a hug and dance In the House.

Praise O’Toole: the Balloon John ibbitson write that it was a great day, and praise Erin O’Toole for handling it “wonderfully”.

I suspect MP Michelle Rempel Garner, who has fought to promote LGBTQ rights within the party for years, and MPs Eric Duncan and Melissa lantsmanThey, who are gay, must have had some interesting conversations with their colleagues. They appear to have convinced social conservatives within the caucus that they had already registered their opposition to the bill when they voted against its predecessor last spring, and that any other opposition would only pigeonhole the party as intolerant.

I see you in court: In another part of the Balloon, Robyn Urback writes, however, that the bill’s provisions prohibiting adult therapy are likely to violate the Charter.

Proponents of an outright ban will argue that it shouldn’t be legal to help people hurt themselves. But in Canada it is legal for homeopaths, for example, to prescribe nosodes, which are essentially jars of water, filled with hope and dogma, rather than vaccines for diseases like whooping cough, measles and mumps. Health Canada even approves and regulates these “treatments,” although the agency has said that none are approved as an alternative to real vaccines. And real damage is being done in these cases: Canadians are essentially being scammed into believing that certain homeopathic remedies will protect them from a variety of illnesses and, as a result, leaving them to themselves (and often their children). ) vulnerable to infection. However, the practice of offering, advertising and / or profiting from homeopathy has not been criminalized, although it could cause irreparable lifelong harm to those who voluntarily seek its services.

Test wait: Travelers arriving in Canada from outside the United States can expect to be isolated for up to three days while they await COVID-19 test results, the Globe reports. The government announced the new testing regime on Tuesday in an effort to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.

More drivers: the Balloon what’s more reports that Ontario and Alberta plan to expand eligibility for third-dose COVID-19 booster vaccines.

We can do better: At Star, Bruce Arthur write that the reinforcement change is “lightning fast” and urges the province to do more, faster.

Hopefully, the news about Omicron will be positive, but this pandemic remains a social challenge, every day, and also a personal one. A powerful public information campaign on the drivers would be welcome. A more durable infrastructure over passports, mandates and vaccine delivery may be a necessity. We can do better to protect people.

Panoramic prohibition: Teresa Tam defends Canada’s decision to ban travelers from some African countries, but many experts don’t buy it, Global News reports.

Same battle: On The Montreal Diary, Emmanuelle latraverse write that the battle against COVID is similar to the battle against climate change (translation).

In any case, the same phenomena operate: scientific consensus sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics and disinformation, not to mention the failures of an international community increasingly closed in on itself. Think anti-vaccines, those science skeptics who ruin our lives with insults and stubbornness. They are a bit like the oil lobby against the climate.

Slow track: Conservatives and the NDP will not accept fast-track legislation to extend pandemic support, insisting on a review by the House finance committee, CBC. reports.