Councillor/Candidate Profile

Councillor Phil Meagher

Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) - AB
Electoral District: Ward 1

Bio

Phil Meagher
Supportable
CLC rating: supportable
Rating Comments: On January 14, 2020, Councillor Meagher courageously voted against a reckless and draconain by-law that bans all forms of counseling that radical LGBT activists disingenuously define as "conversion therapy". The ban is likely to apply to all corporations, churches and non-profit associations within the Wood Buffalo Regional Municipality (including Fort McMurray). This totalitarian ban now makes it illegal for people who experience unwanted gender identity confusion or same-sex attraction from being able to procure either clinical psychotherapy or spirtual counseling to overcome their unwanted condition or to leave the transsexual/gay lifestyle.

Although Councillor Meagher originally voted in favour of drafting a "conversion therapy ban" by-law, he rightly expressed his concerns over the final draft's vague language and definitions and the risk of its intrusion into the domestic and personal lives of citizens, and so wisely voted against its passage.

Position: Councillor
First elected (yyyy.mm.dd): 1995
Previous Occupation: Chief Deputy Superintendent of the Fort McMurray Public School District
Percentage in last election: 11.25% (2017)
Victory margin last election: 2.58% (2017)
Religion / Faith: Unknown

Contact

Phil Meagher
Parliamentary Office
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
9909 Franklin Avenue
Fort McMurray, Alberta
T9H 2K4
Tel: General municipal line: 780-743-7000; 1-800-973-9663 (toll free)
Constituency Offices
9909 Franklin Avenue
Fort McMurray, Alberta
T9H 2K4
Tel: General municipal line: 780-743-7000; 1-800-973-9663 (toll free)

Here is Phil Meagher's voting record relating to life and family issues:

Votes, Surveys and Policy Decision Vote Score
Supportable
Conversion Therapy Ban - Motion to draft a bylaw
Council vote on taking away the right of people who experience UNWANTED gender identity confusion or homosexual attraction to be able to obtain clinical therapy or pastoral counseling to help them live according to their faith or to overcome the unwanted sexual feelings.
Supported bad
Conversion Therapy Ban - 1st reading
Council vote on taking away the right of people who experience UNWANTED gender identity confusion or homosexual attraction to be able to obtain clinical therapy or pastoral counseling to help them live according to their faith or to overcome the unwanted sexual feelings.
Opposed ok
Conversion Therapy Ban - 2nd reading
Council vote on taking away the right of people who experience UNWANTED gender identity confusion or homosexual attraction to be able to obtain clinical therapy or pastoral counseling to help them live according to their faith or to overcome the unwanted sexual feelings.
Opposed ok
Conversion Therapy Ban - 3rd reading
Council vote on taking away the right of people who experience UNWANTED gender identity confusion or homosexual attraction to be able to obtain clinical therapy or pastoral counseling to help them live according to their faith or to overcome the unwanted sexual feelings.
Opposed ok

Here are quotes from Phil Meagher on various life and family issues:

Expressing his reason for wisely switching sides and ultimately opposing the draconian Conversion Therapy Ban:  “'To me, that’s taking away the freedom of a parent to choose,' said Meagher, who added he was initially supportive of the motion." [Fort McMurray Today, 'Council bans conversion therapy, bylaw passed with 8-2 vote', January 15, 2020]

Rightly noting the absence of the purported "research" used to justify the draconian Conversion Therapy Ban:  “I know that there’s certain stories, and people have theirs that are for this or against it, but when we just make a general statement that says ‘the research shows’, it sounds nice, but what research?” [MyMcMurray, 'Bylaw to ban conversion therapy passes Council', January 15, 2020]

Here are the answers for the questionnaire as provided by Phil Meagher on 2017.

Question Response
Do you acknowledge that human life begins at conception (fertilization)? survey not sent
Do you consider yourself pro-life or pro-choice? survey not sent

There are no videos available for Phil Meagher. If you have relevant video from all-candidate meetings or other functions that is not copyrighted by a third party, please send it to us.

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