Another petition launches to legalize public nudity in Canada
Canadians could be one step closer to having the freedom to bare it all in public.
A new House of Commons petition is calling on Parliament to change the Criminal Code so that being naked in public is no longer considered “indecent conduct.”
The petition was initiated Nov. 2 by Scott Bleackley, a resident of Gibsons, B.C., and member of the Federation of Canadian Naturists. It was authorized by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who first took the party’s top job in 2006, led it until 2019, and returned to the position in 2022.
The petition asks Parliament to amend Section 174 of the Criminal Code to distinguish non-sexual recreational nudity from indecent behaviour, arguing that simply being without clothing should not be a criminal offence.
It also calls on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights to study the proposed changes and develop clearer guidance for police and municipal authorities.
Currently, if a person were to, say, show up to a grocery store or another public space completely naked, they could be fined up to $5,000 and serve up to two years in prison.
The petition argues that recreational nudity is a “peaceful activity” enjoyed by many Canadians of various demographics and points to research linking clothing-free recreation with improved body image, social cohesion and psychological well-being.
It even brings up neuroscience and artificial intelligence.
“Neuroscience further shows social nudity optimizes human perception, as the fusiform area processes whole human forms holistically rather than as objects,” the petition states.
“A cognitive tuning mechanism that enhances rapid pattern recognition critical for aligning human cognition with complex systems like Grassmann-manifold-structured AI, thereby positioning Canada for a profound national economic advantage.”
Who knew nudity is the key ingredient in the global AI race?
While there already are beaches across Canada that allow individuals to roam in their birthday suits — like Wreck Beach in Vancouver and Hanlan’s Point in Toronto — May’s petition is asking Parliament to expand locations to also include parks and trails.
While the idea may be appealing to some, the thought of hiking through the woods in the buff raises a few practical concerns: poison ivy, mosquitoes, and prickly bushes, for starters.
This isn’t the first time the Green Party leader has attached herself to such a skin-baring plea. In 2022, May sponsored a similar petition, as reported by CTV News, though she clarified she did not sign or support it.
So far, at the time of publication, the new petition has attracted 335 signatures. It needs 500 valid signatures before it can be certified and presented in the House of Commons.
If going au naturel in Canada’s great outdoors has always been your dream, you can add your name to the petition before it closes on March 2, 2027.