Ward 7 Councillor Terina Shaw is issuing an apology after she faced accusations Monday of comparing homosexuality to pedophilia during a heated debate on conversion therapy.
During a special committee meeting on whether or not City Council should support federal Bill C-6 – which bans conversion therapy nationwide – Shaw asked if the bill would mean an older man who is attracted to a young boy would not receive help.
In a written statement, Shaw apologized to the LGBTQ+ community for her comments, adding conversion therapy has no place in Canadian society. She says her question came from a general lack of knowledge on the subject at hand, and it’s her responsibility to educate herself on the matter.
The meeting ended with a 4-1 decision to support the ban on conversion therapy, as well as a similar ban in Regina.