There was wild applause and cross-party hugs in the House of Commons Wednesday evening as members of parliament unanimously adopted a motion presented by a Conservative MP to fast-track the passage of a Liberal government bill banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ Canadians.

Justice Minister David Lametti called it an important day to be who you are and love who you want to love.

“There are clearly people in the Conservative caucus who who exercised a great deal of leadership on the issue and I thank them sincerely,” Lametti went on to say, “They have done a very important thing for Canadians. This is what we can do when parliament works together. This is what we can accomplish when parliament works together.”

Conversion therapy is widely discredited as a harmful practice, aimed at trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Flanked by some of the Liberals’ openly gay ministers, an emotional Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault told reporters the practice was and is happening in dark places in our country and it has to stop.

“And we said that we wanted people to be on the right side of history on this issue. Nobody can consent to torture and so I think that message got drilled home by leaders of the Conservative party and I think it’s a great day for Canadians. It’s a great day for survivors to know that nobody else is going to go through what they went through.”

It was Conservative Justice critic Rob Moore, who presented the motion during last evening’s sitting.

The bill now goes to the Senate.