Open letter to Kenny Chiu, MP for Steveston-Richmond East,
As a Richmond-Steveston resident, I’m writing to express my concern regarding your recent vote on Bill C-6.
I want to preface by saying that I support your fundamental right to take whatever position you, in your heart, feel compelled to take, no matter what I may think of it.
One can reasonably conclude from your vote that you support either: (1) conversion therapy itself, (2) a parent’s or guardian’s right/responsibility to require their child to undergo conversion therapy, or (c) both.
As a father of five, a former pastor, bible college administrator and teacher (I understand you served on Columbia Bible College’s board), I can appreciate that you are probably trying to reconcile your faith, your constituency and your political responsibility to the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Having said that, as a deep student of both the Bible and science, I would urge you to strongly reconsider your position with regard to Bill C-6.
Forcing conversion in the name of a particular religious viewpoint is ethically and pedagogically the same as “civilizing” Indigenous children and indoctrinating them to become “more Canadian” (i.e. more Christian and Eurocentric).
The bill isn’t even categorically criminalizing conversion therapy; people may still voluntarily participate in it. Rather, it is criminalizing the forcing, pressuring or requiring of this therapy because, as the overwhelming scientific evidence indicates, it does magnitudes greater harm than whatever good is seen to come of it.
As a parent and former pastor who believes ardently in our democracy, rights and religious liberty, I believe that an individual’s right to be who and what they are, enshrined in our Constitution, transcends any perceived right a parent has to convert them to a particular religious viewpoint.
I am morally compelled to support Bill C-6’s focus on legally protecting a child’s most basic human rights to be themselves when their own parents will not. Sad, but necessary.
I am fundamentally disappointed that you chose to put your own personal religious convictions above your constitutional and legal responsibilities. As a private citizen, I support your right to believe whatever you want. As a public servant, I believe your vote raises fundamental questions about your qualification to protect and defend the laws and constitution of this country.
I appeal to you to reconsider your position, considering its impact on the human beings you represent. It’s a fundamental discordance with both the teachings of Jesus and any rational and compassionate approach to a civil and democratic society.
Paul Donnett
RICHMOND
Editor’s note: In a reply to this letter writer, MP Kenny Chiu says he is against conversion therapy, but voted against Bill C-6 for other reasons.
