Faith Communities Supporting a Ban on 2SLGBT Conversion Efforts

Office of the Mayor

& Office of the Councillors
The City of Regina
PO Box 1790
Regina, SK S4P 3C8

June 30, 2021

Mayor Masters, Regina City Councillors, and Administration,

We, the undersigned Clergy Members and Faith Leaders, in an act of solidarity with the 2S-
LGBTQIA+[1] community and as leaders within churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues, are
writing to you in full support of a city-wide ban on conversion “therapy”/efforts or practices.

Simply put, we believe that 2S-LGBTQIA+ conversion efforts or practices are a form of abuse.

We believe that any attempt to discourage, repress or even try to change a person’s sexual orientation,
gender identity, or gender expression is harmful, especially for our vulnerable 2S-LGBTQIA+
children and youth.

As people of faith, we affirm the personhood, inherent worth, and dignity of members of the 2S-
LGBTQIA+ community, especially the “Q”: those who are questioning and exploring their sexual and
gender identities. As people explore and develop who they are, they deserve our support and
encouragement, not judgement, shame, or rejection.

As we witnessed in the recent Community Wellness Committee and City Council discussions regarding
banning conversion efforts and practices, many people shared opinions based on ignorance,
homophobia, transphobia, and misinterpretations of scripture and settler entitlement. Many in the 2S-
LGBTQIA+ community felt traumatized and unsafe during these proceedings. We acknowledge the

[1] 2S-LGBTQIA+ means Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning,

Intersex, Asexual/Agender/Ally, and acts like an umbrella term for other sexual orientation and gender
identities along the queer spectrum.

c/o Eastside United Church, 3018 Doan Drive, Regina, SK S4V; russell.eastside@gmail.com
 Faith Communities Supporting a Ban on 2SLGBT Conversion Efforts

pain that was caused to conversion therapy survivors and so many members of the 2S-LGBTQIA+
community who were subjected to hearing this hateful speech. We commend the City Council for
moving forward on this especially given the abhorrent transphobic opinions and rhetoric which were
heard in some of the delegations’ presentations. We lament the pain this has caused the transgender
community and it emphasizes the importance of the decision made to present a by-law to the July 14
City Council meeting.

Religion is often used as justification for discrimination and as Faith Leaders, we are here to
unequivocally denounce the use of any faith perspective or religious power to suppress and oppress
2S-LGBTQIA+ people from living in the fullness of who they are.

We support the creation of a city by-law which unequivocally bans the practice or endorsement of
conversion efforts including individual talk therapy, behavioral or aversion therapy, group therapy
treatments, spiritual counselling, medical or drug-induced treatments which attempt to change
someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We celebrate God’s gift of diversity
which includes the spectrums of sexual orientation and gender identity.

We fully support Council’s brave and life-saving leadership in standing up to protect our local
2S-LGBTQIA+ communities from discrimination and abuse by unanimously voting to create a by-law
which would ban conversion efforts and stop this harmful practice. We recognize, however, there are
many residents within Regina, including other faith leaders who will try to amend such a by-law, by
pushing for exemptions, loopholes, or changes to the definition by stating erroneously that this by-law
somehow infringes on their religious rights or freedoms. We believe that any assertion that the by-law
created will be an attack on religious freedom to be hyperbolic and false. Religious Freedoms will
always, and rightfully, continue to be protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms where
reasonable and appropriate. We hope that this ban will be one step of many towards Regina being a
place in which 2SLGBTQIA+ folk can thrive, access appropriate and affirming health care and mental
health support, find adequate income and housing, meaningful employment and be recognized as
valuable parts of our public life, and where complicated intersecting issues of racism, ableism, and
poverty can be addressed.

c/o Eastside United Church, 3018 Doan Drive, Regina, SK S4V; russell.eastside@gmail.com
 Faith Communities Supporting a Ban on 2SLGBT Conversion Efforts

It is our fervent hope that our city be a safe and welcoming community for 2S-LGBTQIA+ folk and that
the City of Regina support the rights and freedoms of 2S-LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Sincerely,

The Reverend Russell Mitchell-Walker on Kent Stewart, Member of

behalf of Eastside United Church Wesley United Church

Pastor Stewart Miller on behalf of Gisela Stuhm, Member of

Bread of Life Lutheran Church St. James United Church

The Reverend Joy Cowan on behalf of Trina Hodgson, Member of

Heritage United Church  Sunset United Church

The Reverend Cameron Fraser, Norman Lambert, Member of

Designated Lay Minister St. James United Church
Knox-Metropolitan United Church

The Reverend Laura Sundberg,

St. James United Church

The Reverend Hazel Arbon, V.A.M., Simeon Deschepper, Youth Leader/Pastor

Eastside United Church (Retired) Progressive Evangelical

The Reverend Frank Armistead, Pastor The Reverend Bev Diduck.   

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada  The United Church Church of Canada (Retired)
(Retired)
The Reverend Sarah Dymund, Pastor,
The Reverend Jim Balfour, Minister, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
Broadway United Church and LCdr (ret’d) Royal
The Reverend Tricia Gerhard, Minister, 
Canadian Naval Reserve
Sunset United Church
The Reverend Sean Bell – Chaplain,
Luther College The Reverend Peter Gilmer-Regina Anti-Poverty
Ministry The United Church of Canada
The Reverend Mary Brubacher Minister,
The United Church of Canada (Retired) The Reverend Murray Halvorson   
New Hope Lutheran Church
Gagan Deep Singh, Member of the
Sikh Community Richard Hazel, Chair
St James United Church Council

c/o Eastside United Church, 3018 Doan Drive, Regina, SK S4V; russell.eastside@gmail.com
 Faith Communities Supporting a Ban on 2SLGBT Conversion Efforts

Amr Henni, Engineering Professor, and Former The Reverend David F. Petrie

President of Muslims for Peace and Justice. The United Church of Canada (Retired)

Pastor Amber Hoffman Pastor Darrell Reine,

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada  Westminster United Church

The Reverend Marja Hordern, The Reverend Lynn Robertson,

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada Christ Lutheran Church

The Reverend Marg Janick-Grayston The Reverend Diane Robinson,

The United Church of Canada (Retired) St. James United Church

Lara Janzen, Council Chairperson, Kenneth P. Robinson, Designated Lay Minister,

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church The United Church of Canada (Retired)

Lorna King, United Church Chaplain, South Carol Schick, Board Chair,

Saskatchewan Hospital Chaplaincy
The United Church of Canada
Pastor Dennis Lueck,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada 
Josephine Mader, Minister
St. Andrews United Church, Fort Qu Appelle
Pastor Craig Moeller,
St. Mark’s Lutheran
The Reverend Bonnie Morton, Regina Anti-
Poverty Ministry The United Church of Canada
Knox-Metropolitan United Church
The Reverend Jeff Tank,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada 
The Reverend Pamela Thomas,
The United Church Minister, Retired
Sarah Tkachuk, Chair
Eastside United Church Leadership Team
Danna Wiebe (Armstrong),
Designated Lay Minister
The United Church of Canada (Retired)

Peggy Murtha, Member of

Trinity Lutheran Church

Zarqa Nawaz, member of the

Muslim Community

Mary Beth Nicks Barbour, Designated Lay

Minister, The United Church of Canada 

Intern Pastor Diane Nokonechny,

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada 

Rabbi Jeremy Parnes

Beth Jacob Synagogue

c/o Eastside United Church, 3018 Doan Drive, Regina, SK S4V; russell.eastside@gmail.com