The House of Commons of Canada has overwhelmingly decided to prohibit so-called LGBT conversion therapy.
The proposal would make it illegal to subject a kid or anybody else to the procedure if they did not want to.
The bill was sponsored by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, but all sides of the aisle applauded its approval.
The Senate, parliament’s upper house, must now adopt the law.
Conversion therapy, which claims to change a person’s sexuality or gender identity, has received much criticism.
An previous version of the measure cleared the House in June, but it failed to reach the Senate before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called an election in September.
On the House floor on Wednesday, Liberal MPs crossed the aisle to shake hands and even hug their Conservative counterparts in an emotional moment.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole gave his caucus the opportunity to vote freely on the matter.
According to Liberal MP Seamus O’Regan, the bill’s unanimous approval surprised the opposing side.
“No one can agree to torture,” said Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault, who is also a special advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on LGBT matters.
“It’s a wonderful day for survivors to know that no one else will go through what they did.”
Several Conservative MPs voiced worry that the bill’s phrasing may criminalize private interactions between children and teachers, religious leaders, or mental health experts concerning sexuality or gender identity.
Those concerns, according to Federal Justice Minister David Lametti, are unwarranted.
