Conversion therapy working group won't receive funding from UCP

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Diego Romero Digital Producer | CTV News Edmonton

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A working group created by the previous Alberta government to study a potential ban on conversion therapy will not be supported by the new UCP government.

The group, led by NDP MLA Nicole Goehring, was informed of the decision Friday afternoon.

“The working group was an informal body named by the former NDP Minister to meet over a period of five months and then provide advice,” the Health Minister said to Goehring in an email. “While the group’s informal nature and lack of official status means that whatever mandate it had effectively lapsed with the change of government, I have nevertheless invited you to submit your advice to me, including recommendations or other input that you want to bring forward at the end of the five-month period.”

Goehring said the UCP’s intentions are clear. “It’s not supporting it,” the NDP MLA said after she received the letter. “It did not lapse over the period of the election. The wording in the working group mandate is that it would pause and then reconvene after the election.”

Goehring added the group, which met twice prior to the election, would continue its work and make recommendations to Health Minister Tyler Shandro.

On Thursday, around 200 people gathered at the Alberta Legislature to call on the provincial government to let the group continue its work.

Manitoba and Ontario have already banned conversion therapy, and an Edmonton councillor brought forward a motion to study the possible ban.

RELATED IMAGES NDP MLA Nicole Goehring tells CTV News Edmonton the UCP will not fund the working group started by Sarah Hoffman in February.