Timeline of LGBT history in Canada
Encyclopedia
This is a timeline of notable events in the history of the lesbian
, gay
, bisexual and transgender
community in Canada
.
Bill C33 adds sexual orientation
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
community in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
19th century
- 1810: Alexander WoodAlexander Wood (merchant)Alexander Wood was a merchant and magistrate in Upper Canada who was the center of a sex scandal in 1810.-Early life and career:...
, a merchant and magistrate in Toronto, is embroiled in a sex scandal when he investigates a rapeRapeRape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
case by personally inspecting the penises of the suspected assailants for a scratch left by the woman who filed the rape charge.
1964
- Canada sees its first gay-positive organization, ASK, and first gay magazines: ASK Newsletter (in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
), and GayGay (magazine)Gay was Toronto's first gay magazine, published almost simultaneously with ASK Newsletter, together Canada's first gay magazines. The earliest periodical anywhere to use 'Gay' in its title...
(by Gay Publishing Company of TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
). Gay was the first periodical to use the term 'Gay' in the title and expanded quickly, including outstripping the distribution of American publications under the name Gay International. These were quickly followed by Two (by Gayboy (later Kamp) Publishing Company of Toronto).
1965
- Winter Kept Us WarmWinter Kept Us WarmWinter Kept Us Warm is a Canadian romantic drama film, released in 1965. The title comes from the fifth line of T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land....
, a gay-themed independent film by David SecterDavid SecterDavid Secter is a Canadian film director. He is best known for the 1965 film Winter Kept Us Warm, the first English Canadian film ever screened at the Cannes Film Festival...
, becomes the first English Canadian film to be given a screening at the Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
1967
- Writer Scott SymonsScott SymonsHugh Brennan Scott Symons was a Canadian writer. Born into a wealthy family, he attended a number of private schools, the University of Toronto, Cambridge University and the Sorbonne...
publishes Place d'Armes, one of the first notable gay novels in Canadian literary history.
1968
- December 21: Justice Minister Pierre TrudeauPierre TrudeauJoseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
introduces an omnibus billOmnibus billAn omnibus bill is a proposed law that covers a number of diverse or unrelated topics. Omnibus is derived from Latin and means "for everything"...
reforming the Criminal Code of CanadaCriminal Code of CanadaThe Criminal Code or Code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law"...
, which liberalizes Canadian law around social issues such as homosexualityHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and divorceDivorceDivorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
. Trudeau's characterization was, however, captured in the statement that there was "no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation."
1969
- May 14: Canada decriminalizes homosexual acts between consenting adults with the passage of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968-69.
1972
- Maclean-HunterMaclean-HunterMaclean-Hunter was a Canadian communications company, which had diversified holdings in radio, television, magazines, newspapers and cable television distribution....
's cable community channel in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
airs Coming OutComing Out (TV series)Coming Out was a Canadian television series, which aired on Maclean-Hunter's cable community channel in Toronto in 1972. It was the first Canadian television program targeted specifically to a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community audience....
, Canada's first television series about LGBT issues.
1973
- The Canadian Gay Liberation Movement ArchivesCanadian Lesbian and Gay ArchivesThe Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives is a non-profit organization in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which collects material relating to the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in Canada....
are launched.
1976
- Police crackdowns against gay bars in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's Stanley Street gay village, widely perceived as mayor Jean DrapeauJean DrapeauJean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986...
's attempts to "clean up" the city in advance of the 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, lead to riots. - October: The Lesbian Organization of TorontoLesbian Organization of TorontoThe Lesbian Organization of Toronto was a multi-faceted lesbian organization founded in 1976 and disbanded in 1980. The group was Toronto's first openly lesbian feminist group, and its members elected to open Canada's first Lesbian Centre.-History:L.O.O.T. grew out of an October 1976 meeting...
is formed.
1977
- August: TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
residents learn of the sexual assault and murder of the boy Emanuel Jaques by three men.
- October: Two gay establishments in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Mystique and Truxx, are raided. A protest organized the next day attracts 2,000 participants. By December, the province of QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
becomes the second jurisdiction in the world, behind only DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, to pass a law banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
- November: The Body Politic publishes Gerald Hannon's article "Men Loving Boys Loving Men", resulting in a five-year legal battle over whether the magazine was guilty of publishing "immoral, indecent or scurrilous material".
1978
- Buddies in Bad TimesBuddies in Bad TimesBuddies in Bad Times Theatre is a Canadian professional theatre company.Based in Toronto, Ontario and founded in 1978 by Matt Walsh, Jerry Ciccoritti, and Sky Gilbert, Buddies in Bad Times is dedicated to "the promotion of queer theatrical expression"....
, Canada's oldest surviving theatre company dedicated to LGBT theatre, is launched by Matt Walsh, Jerry CiccorittiJerry CiccorittiJerry Ciccoritti is a Canadian film, television and theatre director. His ability to work in a number of genres and for many mediums has made him one of the most successful directors in the country.- Biography :...
, and Sky GilbertSky GilbertSchuyler Lee Gilbert, Jr. is a Canadian writer, actor, academic and drag performer. Born in Norwich, Connecticut, he studied theatre in Toronto, Ontario at York University and the University of Toronto, before becoming co-founder and artistic director of Buddies in Bad Times, a Toronto theatre...
.
1979
- May 10: In the British Columbia provincial electionBritish Columbia general election, 1979The British Columbia general election of 1979 was the 32nd general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 3, 1979...
, Robert Douglas Cook becomes Canada's first openly gay political candidate. He garners 126 votes in West Vancouver-Howe SoundWest Vancouver-Howe SoundWest Vancouver-Howe Sound was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1966 to 1986. The riding's predecessor was North Vancouver, which first appeared on the hustings from 1903....
as a candidate of the Gay Alliance Toward EqualityGay Alliance Toward EqualityThe Gay Alliance Toward Equality, or GATE, was one of the first Canadian gay liberation groups.Formed in spring 1971 in Vancouver, British Columbia, GATE was the first Canadian gay group to explicitly discuss and plan civil rights strategies for achieving gay and lesbian equality under Canadian law...
.
1981
- February 5: Four bathhouses in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
are raided by the Toronto Police ServiceToronto Police ServiceThe Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
in Operation Soap. The event is now considered one of the crucial turning points in Canadian LGBT history, as an unprecedented community mobilization took place to protest police conduct. One of the protest marches during this mobilization is now generally recognized as the first Toronto PridePride Week (Toronto)Pride Week is a ten-day event held in Toronto, Canada, during the end of June each year. It is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in the Greater Toronto Area. It is one of the largest organized gay pride festivals in the world, featuring several stages with live performers and...
event.
- May 30: Pisces Health Spa in Edmonton, Alberta is raided by the City of Edmonton Police after a lengthly undercover investigation by the then called Morality Control Unit. Many of the 56 men police arrested eventually pleaded guilty, despite the fact that there was no evidence to suggest prostitutes were working in the spa, nor that minors were enticed to enter. Undercover police officers had acted as patrons of the Pisces Health Spa. A letter written by then Morality Control Unit Staff Sgt. J.W. Torgerson stated "For policemen...to associate with members of the 'gay' community on equal basis is worthy of note. Not only did they associate with these individuals, but also were subjected to sexual advances as well as observing personally revolting acts such as fellation and anal intercourse between males, (and)lastly, being recognized and treated as a gay person by members of the spa".
1982
- Demographic and economic changes begin to shift MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's gay villageGay Village, MontrealMontreal's Gay Village is located on Saint Catherine Street East, centred on Beaudry metro station, and on Amherst Street in the Ville-Marie borough of the city...
from rue StanleyStanley Street, MontrealStanley Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It links Doctor Penfield Avenue in the north and De la Gauchetière Street in the south...
to rue Sainte-CatherineRue Sainte-CatherineStreets named the Rue Sainte-Catherine, French for Saint Catherine Street, are found in the following cities:*Rue Sainte-Catherine *Rue Sainte-Catherine, Lyon*Rue Sainte-Catherine...
.
1983
- April 20: The Back Door Gym, one of the establishments raided in 1981, is raided again. This raid is protested on April 23. No further bathhouse raids take place in the 1980s. The warrant used in this raid was declared invalid by the courts on October 3, 1984.
1984
- March: Pink Triangle PressPink Triangle PressPink Triangle Press is a Canadian non-profit organization which specializes in LGBT media including publishing, online interactive media, and television. PTP's main asset is the LGBT magazine, Xtra! and its spinoffs Xtra! West and Capital Xtra!...
, the publisher of The Body Politic, launches the local LGBT newspaper Xtra!Xtra!Xtra! is a gay magazine, on newsprint in tabloid format, published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History and content :...
in Toronto.
1985
- June: Kenneth ZellerKenneth ZellerKenneth Zeller was a teacher and librarian in Toronto, who was employed by Williamson Road Junior Public School and Western Technical-Commercial School. He was the victim of a homophobic hate crime when he was beaten to death by five youths in Toronto's High Park...
is murdered in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's High Park, a hate crimeHate crimeIn crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
which spurs the Toronto District School BoardToronto District School BoardToronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
, Zeller's employer, to implement one of Canada's first programs to combat anti-gay discrimination and violence.
1987
- Pink Triangle Press ceases publication of The Body Politic.
- CODCOCODCOCODCO was a Canadian comedy troupe from Newfoundland, best known for a sketch comedy series which aired on CBC Television from 1987 to 1992....
, a sketch comedy series whose cast includes the openly gay Greg MaloneGreg Malone (actor)Greg Malone is a Canadian impressionist and actor.He is well known for the CODCO television series and his impersonations of Barbara Frum, Jean Chrétien, and Queen Elizabeth II....
and Tommy SextonTommy SextonThomas "Tommy" Sexton was a Canadian comedian. Born in St. John's, Newfoundland, he was the youngest member of the CODCO comedy troupe....
, debuts on CBC TelevisionCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
. Along with the later The Kids in the HallThe Kids in the HallThe Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
, the show plays a prominent role in the representation of LGBT characters and issues on Canadian television; in addition to the gay characters "Jerome and Duncan", Sexton and Malone were especially renowned for dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
-based impersonations of celebrity women such as Queen ElizabethElizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, Barbara FrumBarbara FrumBarbara Frum, OC was a Canadian radio and television journalist, acclaimed for her interviews for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.-Personal life:...
, Barbara WaltersBarbara WaltersBarbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
, Tammy Faye Bakker and Margaret ThatcherMargaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
.
1988
- February 29: Svend RobinsonSvend RobinsonSvend Robinson is a former Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004, representing the suburban Vancouver-area constituency of Burnaby for the New Democratic Party...
becomes Canada's first elected Member of Parliament to come outComing outComing out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as gay.
- The Kids in the HallThe Kids in the HallThe Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States...
, a sketch comedy series whose cast includes the openly gay Scott ThompsonScott ThompsonScott Thompson is a Canadian television actor and comedian, best known for his time as a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall.-Personal life:...
, debuts on CBC TelevisionCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
. Sketches such as Thompson's character Buddy ColeBuddy Cole (fiction)Charles Budderick Cole, popularly known as Buddy Cole, is a fictional character created and portrayed by actor-comedian Scott Thompson. He is an effeminate, gay socialite, made famous on The Kids in the Hall, a popular Canadian sketch comedy series and troupe of the same name.- Personality :Buddy...
and the ensemble sketch "The Steps" were among the most visible representations of gay culture on Canadian television during the show's run.
1990
- July: MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's Sex Garage after-hours party was raided, politicizing an entire generation of queer activists - August 4 - August 11: VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
hosts the 1990 Gay Games. - Chris LeaChris LeaChris Lea is a designer, politician and political activist in Canada. He was the leader of the Green Party of Canada from 1990 to 1996. He is, to date, the party's longest-serving leader. Lea is notable for being the first openly gay political party leader in Canadian history.Lea lives in Toronto...
wins the leadership of the Green Party of CanadaGreen Party of CanadaThe Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
, becoming the first openly gay leader of a political party in Canada.
1993
- Pink Triangle Press launches Capital Xtra!Capital Xtra!Xtra Ottawa is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community newspaper published in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was launched in 1993. Unlike its biweekly sister publications Xtra in Toronto and Xtra Vancouver in Vancouver, Xtra Ottawa, which started as a monthly, is now published 17 times a...
in OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and Xtra! WestXtra! WestXtra Vancouver is a gay biweekly newspaper, on newsprint in tabloid format, published by Pink Triangle Press in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is a sister publication to Xtra and Xtra Ottawa....
in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
- July 12: Unknown persons toss three Molotov cocktails at the front door of the St. Marc Spa in Toronto. Bomb threats are also called in against Woody's, Bar 501 and the offices of Xtra!Xtra!Xtra! is a gay magazine, on newsprint in tabloid format, published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History and content :...
the following night.
1994
- June 9: Bill 167, the Bob RaeBob RaeRobert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
government's proposed legislation extending spousal benefits to same-sex couplesSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, is defeated 68-59 in the Legislative Assembly of OntarioLegislative Assembly of OntarioThe Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
.
1995
- unknown date: The Nu West Steam Bath in New WestminsterNew Westminster, British ColumbiaNew Westminster is an historically important city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and is a member municipality of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. It was founded as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia ....
, British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
is raided by its new landlords, who enter the premises and cause damage with the express intention of evicting the facility from their property.
1996
- The Toronto District School BoardToronto District School BoardToronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
launches the Triangle ProgramTriangle ProgramThe Triangle Program is an alternative education program in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, designed for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students who are at risk of dropping out or committing suicide because of homophobic and transphobic harassment in regular schools...
, Canada's first alternative high school program for at-risk LGBT youth.
Bill C33 adds sexual orientation
1998
- October 28: Glen Murray is elected mayor of WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, becoming Canada's and North America's first openly gay mayor of a major city.
1999
- June 3: George SmithermanGeorge SmithermanGeorge Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...
is elected in the Ontario provincial electionOntario general election, 1999An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, becoming Ontario's first openly gay MPP.
2000
- Tim StevensonTim StevensonTim Stevenson is a Canadian politician and United Church clergyman. He is currently an elected member of the Vancouver City Council as a member of Vision Vancouver. He is one of two openly gay city councilors in Vancouver, along with Ellen Woodsworth.-Background:He received a B.A...
is appointed to the Legislative Council of British ColumbiaLegislative Council of British ColumbiaThe Legislative Council of British Columbia was an advisory body created in 1867 to the Governor of the "new" Colony of British Columbia, which had been created from the merger of the old Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia...
, becoming Canada's first openly gay cabinet minister.
- Little Sister's Book and Art EmporiumLittle Sister's Book and Art EmporiumLittle Sister's Book and Art Emporium, also known as Little Sister's Bookstore, but usually called "Little Sister's," is an independent bookstore in the Davie Village / West End of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a predominantly gay community...
v. Canada obscenity case begins
- September 14: Five police officers raid Pussy Palace, a women's bathhouse event in Toronto. No charges were laid against customers, although police recorded the names of ten women, and two organizers, Rachael Aitcheson and J.P. Hornick, were charged under the bawdyhouse law. Subsequent protest action characterizes the event as essentially little more than a panty raidPanty raidA panty raid is a prank in which male students steal the panties of female students by intruding into their living quarters. The term dates to February 1949...
— a march on the offices of the Toronto Police Services' 52 Division on October 28 features protestors waving underwear in the air.
2001
- September 7: PrideVisionOUTtvOUTtv is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that airs entertainment and lifestyle programming for LGBT audiences.OUTtv's licensee is OUTtv Network Inc. which is 55.9% owned by Shavick Entertainment, 24.94% owned by Pink Triangle Press, 15% owned by Peace Point Entertainment...
, the world's first LGBT-specific television channel, is launched by Headline Media GroupScore MediaScore Media Inc. is a Canadian media company. Its main asset is The Score; a national specialty television service providing sports, news, information, highlights and live event programming...
.
- November 17: In one of Canada's most notorious anti-gay hate crimeHate crimeIn crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
s, VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
resident Aaron WebsterAaron WebsterAaron Webster was a gay man living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, who was beaten by a group of men close to a gay cruising area in a woody part of Stanley Park near Second Beach on November 17, 2001. According to reports, the youths came across a nearly-naked Webster and chased him to a...
is assaulted and killed in Stanley ParkStanley ParkStanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
by four young offenders. A march and vigil commemorating Webster and protesting anti-gay violence is held the following day.
2002
- May 10: In Marc Hall v. Durham Catholic School Board, a judge orders the Durham Catholic District School BoardDurham Catholic District School BoardThe Durham Catholic District School Board is a publicly-funded Catholic school board located in Durham Region, east of Toronto, Ontario. There are 44 elementary schools, and 7 secondary schools. Also within the Board are one Adult Education Centre in Ajax, and one Continuing Education Centre in...
to allow Marc Hall, an openly gay student, to bring a same-sex date to the high school promPromIn the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
.
- December 12: Goliath's, a bathhouse in CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, AlbertaAlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, is raided by Calgary Police. Charges move very slowly through the courts; the Crown ultimately drops all charges against customers of the bathhouse in December 2004, but proceeds with charges against the bathhouse owners.
2003
- June 12: The Court of Appeal for Ontario rules, in Halpern v. CanadaHalpern v. Canada (Attorney General)Halpern v. Canada, [2003] O.J. No. 2268 is a notable June 10, 2003 decision of the Court of Appeal for Ontario where the Court found that the common law definition of marriage, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman, violated section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and...
, that the common lawCommon lawCommon law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
definition of marriageMarriageMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
as being between one man and one woman violates section 15Section Fifteen of the Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsSection Fifteen of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms contains guaranteed equality rights. As part of the Constitution, the section prohibits certain forms of discrimination perpetrated by the governments of Canada with the exception of ameliorative programs and rights or privileges...
of the Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsCanadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsThe Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada. It forms the first part of the Constitution Act, 1982...
. The decision immediately legalizes same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and sets a legal precedent — over the next two years, similar court decisions legalize same-sex marriage in seven provinces and one territory before the federal Civil Marriage ActCivil Marriage ActThe Civil Marriage Act was legislation legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada...
is passed in 2005.
- November 15: With same-sex marriage recognized by the courts, British Columbia cabinet minister Ted NebbelingTed NebbelingTed Nebbeling was a British Columbia Legislative Assembly Member and Minister of State for the 2010 Winter Olympics.-Marriage:...
becomes Canada's first serving cabinet minister to legally marry his same-sex partner.
2004
- March 24: Gay Ontario MPP Dominic AgostinoDominic AgostinoDominic Agostino was a Canadian politician who represented the riding of Hamilton East for the Liberal Party in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 until his death in 2004.-Biography:...
dies of cancer. Controversy results when initial media reports of his death state that he was married to a woman.
- August 13: Police raid the Warehouse baths in HamiltonHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
2005
- May 17: Gay MLA Lorne MayencourtLorne MayencourtLorne Mayencourt is a Canadian politician, who formerly represented the electoral district of Vancouver-Burrard in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a member of the BC Liberal party....
is reelected in Vancouver-BurrardVancouver-BurrardVancouver-Burrard was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the 1933 general election....
in the British Columbia provincial electionBritish Columbia general election, 2005The 38th British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia , Canada. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
, and gay candidate Nicholas SimonsNicholas SimonsNicholas Simons is a Canadian politician. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and member of the New Democratic Party. He represents the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast.-Politics:...
is elected to his first term in Powell River-Sunshine CoastPowell River-Sunshine CoastPowell River-Sunshine Coast is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Demographics :- Member of Legislative Assembly :...
. Mayencourt's victory is not finalized until early June, however, due to a recount battle with gay challenger Tim StevensonTim StevensonTim Stevenson is a Canadian politician and United Church clergyman. He is currently an elected member of the Vancouver City Council as a member of Vision Vancouver. He is one of two openly gay city councilors in Vancouver, along with Ellen Woodsworth.-Background:He received a B.A...
.
- June 26: On the 25th anniversary of Toronto's Pride WeekPride Week (Toronto)Pride Week is a ten-day event held in Toronto, Canada, during the end of June each year. It is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in the Greater Toronto Area. It is one of the largest organized gay pride festivals in the world, featuring several stages with live performers and...
, Bill BlairBill Blair (police chief)William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
becomes the first chief of policeChief of policeA Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
in the city's history to participate in the parade.
- July 19: The federal Civil Marriage ActCivil Marriage ActThe Civil Marriage Act was legislation legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada...
, legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada, is given royal assent.
- September 25: Allison BrewerAllison BrewerAllison Brewer is a Canadian social activist and politician, and the former leader of the New Brunswick New Democratic Party. She has been particularly active in areas of lesbian and gay rights and access to abortion.-Biography:...
wins the leadership of the New Brunswick New Democratic PartyNew Brunswick New Democratic PartyThe New Brunswick New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial political party in New Brunswick, Canada linked with the federal New Democratic Party .-Origins and early history:...
, becoming the first openly lesbian leader of a political party, and the first openly gay leader of a provincial political party, in Canada.
- November 15: The openly gay André BoisclairAndré BoisclairAndré Boisclair is a politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the leader of the Parti Québécois, a social democratic and separatist party in Quebec....
wins the leadership of the Parti QuébécoisParti QuébécoisThe Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
in Quebec.
2006
- July 26 - August 5: MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
hosts the 2006 World Outgames2006 World OutgamesThe 1st World Outgames took place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 26, 2006 to August 5, 2006. The international conference was held from July 26 to the 29. The sporting events were held from July 29 to August 5.-History:...
. On July 29, the Declaration of MontrealDeclaration of MontrealThe Declaration of Montreal on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Human Rights is a document adopted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on July 29, 2006, by the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights which formed part of the first World Outgames. The Declaration outlines a number of rights...
, an international statement of principle pertaining to the human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
of LGBT people around the world, is adopted at a conference held as part of the festivities.
2007
- April 16: 103.9 Proud FM, Canada's first LGBT radio station and the first in the world operated by a commercial broadcaster rather than a community non-profit group, is launched in Toronto.
- October 10: The Ontario provincial electionOntario general election, 2007The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
is held. In addition to gay MPPs George SmithermanGeorge SmithermanGeorge Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...
, Paul FerreiraPaul FerreiraPaul Ferreira is a Canadian social democratic politician and one of the first openly gay politicians elected to provincial office in Canada. He also has the distinction of being the very first Azorean-Canadian MPP...
and Kathleen WynneKathleen WynneKathleen O. Wynne is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Don Valley West for the Liberal Party.-Background:...
, gay candidates include Andrea Németh, a former editor with fabFab (magazine)fab is a Canadian magazine which targets the gay community. The magazine publishes biweekly issues in Toronto, Ontario. It publishes alternate weeks to the city's other biweekly gay publication, Xtra!...
, in Etobicoke—LakeshoreEtobicoke—LakeshoreEtobicoke—Lakeshore is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
and Paul Pighin, the first openly HIV-positive person to run as a major party candidate for provincial office in Ontario, in London WestLondon WestLondon West is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. Its population in 2006 was 118,335.-Geography:The district includes the northwest part of the City of London....
.
2008
- September 29: At an all-candidates debate staged for a high school student audience in SudburySudbury (electoral district)Sudbury is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1949.Its population in 2001 was 89,443. The district is one of two serving the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario....
during the 2008 federal electionCanadian federal election, 2008The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
, independent candidate David Popescu responds to a question about same-sex marriage by stating that "homosexuals should be executed". His remarks are widely criticized across Canada, and the Greater Sudbury Police ServiceGreater Sudbury Police ServiceThe Greater Sudbury Police Service is the police force for Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The service is currently made up of 255 uniformed staff and 102 civilians. Two K-9 officers are included in the uniform staff....
investigates whether the comments constitute a crime under Canadian hate speechHate speechHate speech is, outside the law, any communication that disparages a person or a group on the basis of some characteristic such as race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or other characteristic....
legislation. On October 2, he also calls for the execution of Egale CanadaEgale CanadaEgale Canada is an advocacy organization founded in 1986 to advance equality for Canadian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families, across Canada....
executive director Helen KennedyHelen KennedyHelen Kennedy is a Canadian politician and social activist. She is the executive director of Egale Canada.-Background:Born in Ireland, she came to Canada in 1979 at age 21....
in an interview on CFRB, leading to a second hate crimes investigation by the Toronto Police.
- October 29: Two provincial by-elections are held in British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to fill vacancies in the provincial Legislative AssemblyLegislative Assembly of British ColumbiaThe Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
. Both are won by openly gay candidates — Spencer Herbert is elected in Vancouver-BurrardVancouver-BurrardVancouver-Burrard was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the 1933 general election....
, and Jenn McGinnJenn McGinnJenn McGinn is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the electoral district of Vancouver-Fairview, in a by-election on October 29, 2008. She is the first openly lesbian MLA to serve in the British Columbian Legislature...
is elected in Vancouver-FairviewVancouver-FairviewVancouver-Fairview is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Demographics :-MLAs:#Gary Farrell-Collins, Liberal #Gregor Robertson, NDP #Jenn McGinn, NDP...
.
- November 3: A lesbian couple, Jane Currie and Anji Dimitriou, are physically assaulted while waiting to pick up their son at Gordon B. Attersley Public School in OshawaOshawaOshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
by Mark Scott, the parent of another child at the school. Over 300 people gather outside Oshawa City Hall on November 14 to protest the incident. Durham Regional Police later announce that the incident will not be prosecuted as a hate crimeHate crimeIn crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
, as Scott neither advocated genocideGenocideGenocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
nor incited anyone else to join in the attack.
2009
- February 5: Ryan Cran, one of the killers in the Aaron WebsterAaron WebsterAaron Webster was a gay man living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, who was beaten by a group of men close to a gay cruising area in a woody part of Stanley Park near Second Beach on November 17, 2001. According to reports, the youths came across a nearly-naked Webster and chased him to a...
incident of 2001, is released on paroleParoleParole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
after serving four years of a six-year sentence.
- March 5: Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General announces that they have concluded their hate crimes investigation in the David Popescu incident of 2008, and officially charge Popescu with two counts of willful promotion of hatred, under Section 319(2) of the Criminal Code of CanadaCriminal Code of CanadaThe Criminal Code or Code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law"...
. His court appearance is scheduled for April 15.
- March 13: Shawn Woodward is charged with aggravated assault after physically attacking 62-year-old Ritchie Dowrey in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
's Fountainhead Pub, allegedly because "He’s a faggot. He deserved it." Although Dowrey survived the assault, he suffered brain damage serious enough that he will likely remain in intensive care for the rest of his life.
- April 24: In the British Columbia provincial electionBritish Columbia general election, 2009The 39th British Columbia general election was held on May 12, 2009 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
campaign, LiberalBritish Columbia Liberal PartyThe British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
candidate Marc DaltonMarc DaltonMarc Dalton is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of Maple Ridge-Mission. He formerly worked as a long-time teacher in the Maple Ridge School District at both the...
faces controversy when an e-mail he sent to a colleague in 1996 is released to the media, in which he stated that
- May 12: On election night in British Columbia, out gay MLA Spencer Herbert is re-elected in Vancouver-West EndVancouver-West EndVancouver-West End is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008. It was contested for the first time in the 2009 election.Prior to 2009, the riding was part of Vancouver-Burrard....
and out gay MLA Nicholas SimonsNicholas SimonsNicholas Simons is a Canadian politician. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and member of the New Democratic Party. He represents the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast.-Politics:...
is re-elected in Powell River-Sunshine CoastPowell River-Sunshine CoastPowell River-Sunshine Coast is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Demographics :- Member of Legislative Assembly :...
. Out lesbian MLA Jenn McGinnJenn McGinnJenn McGinn is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the electoral district of Vancouver-Fairview, in a by-election on October 29, 2008. She is the first openly lesbian MLA to serve in the British Columbian Legislature...
is defeated in Vancouver-FairviewVancouver-FairviewVancouver-Fairview is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Demographics :-MLAs:#Gary Farrell-Collins, Liberal #Gregor Robertson, NDP #Jenn McGinn, NDP...
, but another out lesbian, Mable ElmoreMable ElmoreMable Elmore is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election. A member of the BC New Democratic Party, she was elected to represent the riding of Vancouver-Kensington...
, is elected in Vancouver-Kensington.
2010
- February 2: In an interview with Andy BarrieAndy BarrieAndy Barrie is a Toronto-based radio personality, most known for his work at CFRB and later on CBC Radio as host of Metro Morning. Retired from the work of hosting a radio program, he remains active with the CBC.-Early life:...
on CBC Radio OneCBC Radio OneCBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
, Pamela Taylor, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party candidate in the Toronto CentreToronto Centre (provincial electoral district)Toronto Centre is a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It elects one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.It was created in 1999 as Toronto Centre—Rosedale from most of St. George—St. David and parts of St. Andrew—St...
by-election on February 4, outsOutingOuting is the act of disclosing a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person's true sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. Outing gives rise to issues of privacy, choice, hypocrisy, and harm in addition to sparking debate on what constitutes common good in efforts...
federal cabinet minister John BairdJohn Baird (Canadian politician)John Russell Baird, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper....
when Barrie asks her if she can name an openly gay member of her party.
- February 4: Glen Murray, the openly gay former mayor of Winnipeg, is elected to the Legislative Assembly of OntarioLegislative Assembly of OntarioThe Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
in the Toronto Centre by-electionBy-electionA by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, succeeding the openly gay George SmithermanGeorge SmithermanGeorge Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...
after the latter resigns to run for Mayor of Toronto.
- February 8: The 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter OlympicsThe 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
begin in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and WhistlerWhistler, British ColumbiaWhistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
, British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The facilities in Whistler include the event's first-ever Pride House for LGBT athletes.
- February 17: During Olympic coverage on the French-language sports network RDSRéseau des sportsRéseau des sports , is a Canadian French language Category C specialty channel showing sports and sport-related shows. It is available in 2.5 million homes, and is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc....
, commentators Claude Mailhot and Alain Goldberg suggest that figure skater Johnny WeirJohnny WeirJohn Garvin "Johnny" Weir is an American figure skater. He is a three-time U.S. National Champion , the 2008 Worlds bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and the 2001 World Junior Champion....
should undergo a genderGenderGender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
test to see if he should be competing as a womanWomanA woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
. The Quebec Council of Gays and Lesbians subsequently files a complaint with the Canadian Broadcast Standards CouncilCanadian Broadcast Standards CouncilThe Canadian Broadcast Standards Council is an independent, non-governmental organization created by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters to administer standards established by its members, Canada's private broadcasters....
.
- March 2: LiberalLiberal Party of CanadaThe Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and New Democratic PartyNew Democratic PartyThe New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
MPs criticize Jason KenneyJason KenneyJason T. Kenney, PC, MP is Canada's current Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. He has represented the riding of Calgary Southeast in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....
, the federal Minister of Citizenship and ImmigrationMinister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government department responsible for immigration, refugee and citizenship issues, Citizenship and Immigration Canada...
, after it is revealed that he personally ordered the removal of references to Canada's tolerance and acceptance of LGBT people from the newest version of the ministry's study guide for prospective new citizens.
- May 21: Following controversy over the inclusion of the activist group Queers Against Israeli ApartheidQueers Against Israeli ApartheidQueers Against Israeli Apartheid is a Toronto-based grassroots LGBT group involved in the movement against what the organization see as Israeli apartheid and is a member of the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid. The group has been involved in Israeli Apartheid Week as well as Pride Week...
in the 2009 Toronto Pride ParadePride Week (Toronto)Pride Week is a ten-day event held in Toronto, Canada, during the end of June each year. It is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in the Greater Toronto Area. It is one of the largest organized gay pride festivals in the world, featuring several stages with live performers and...
, the event's organizers vote to ban the use of the phrase "Israeli apartheid" from the 2010 parade, after councillor Giorgio MammolitiGiorgio MammolitiGiorgio Mammoliti is a city councillor in Toronto, Canada for Ward 7 York West, representing one of the two York West wards. He is Chair of the Affordable Housing Committee and a member of the mayor's executive committee. Previously, he served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...
brings a motion before Toronto City CouncilToronto City CouncilThe Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
to have the city withdraw its funding from the event if the group is not banned.
- October 2: Concurrently with a controversial spate of gay teen suicideSuicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
s in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, two lesbian teenagers are found dead in a forest near OrangevilleOrangeville, OntarioOrangeville is a town in south-central Ontario, Canada, and the seat of Dufferin County.-History:Before European settlers, Orangeville was thought to be a native hunting ground...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
- October 18: The home of a gay couple in Little PondLittle Pond, Prince Edward IslandLittle Pond is a community in Prince Edward Island, located in Lot 56 of Kings County.The community attracted media attention in 2010 when the home of a gay couple living in the community was firebombed. Both men escaped the fire unharmed, but their home was destroyed...
, Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
is firebombedFirebombingFirebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs....
. Both men escaped the fire unharmed, but their home was destroyed. In late October and November, a series of rallies and fundraising concerts is held in both Little Pond and CharlottetownCharlottetownCharlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
to support the couple and to oppose homophobic violence.
- November 8: Shawn Woodward, who physically assaulted Ritchie Dowrey in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
's Fountainhead Pub (see March 13, 2009), is sentenced to six years in jail.
2011
- January 10: In a ruling by the Canadian Broadcast Standards CouncilCanadian Broadcast Standards CouncilThe Canadian Broadcast Standards Council is an independent, non-governmental organization created by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters to administer standards established by its members, Canada's private broadcasters....
, the Dire StraitsDire StraitsDire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
song "Money for NothingMoney for Nothing (song)"Money for Nothing" is a single by British rock band Dire Straits, taken from their 1985 album Brothers in Arms. It was one of Dire Straits' most successful singles, peaking at number one for three weeks in the United States, and it also reached number one for three weeks on the U.S. Mainstream...
" is effectively banned from Canadian radio airplay after a gay resident of St. John'sSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
files a complaint because the lyrics contain the derogatory slur "faggot". The ruling is later rescinded on August 31, with the council leaving it to individual radio stations' discretion whether or not to play the song.
- January 13: British Columbia MLA Mike FarnworthMike FarnworthMike Farnworth is a New Democratic Party politician from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. He is the current MLA for the riding of Port Coquitlam....
comes out, becoming the fourth openly gay member of the provincial legislature. Alongside caucus colleague Nicholas SimonsNicholas SimonsNicholas Simons is a Canadian politician. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and member of the New Democratic Party. He represents the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast.-Politics:...
, he is the second openly gay candidate in the party's 2011 leadership raceBritish Columbia New Democratic Party leadership election, 2011The British Columbia New Democratic Party leadership convention of 2011 was prompted by Carole James's announcement on December 6, 2010 that she would be resigning as leader of the party...
.
- April: The controversial activist group Queers Against Israeli ApartheidQueers Against Israeli ApartheidQueers Against Israeli Apartheid is a Toronto-based grassroots LGBT group involved in the movement against what the organization see as Israeli apartheid and is a member of the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid. The group has been involved in Israeli Apartheid Week as well as Pride Week...
announces its withdrawal from the 2011 Toronto Pride ParadePride Week (Toronto)Pride Week is a ten-day event held in Toronto, Canada, during the end of June each year. It is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in the Greater Toronto Area. It is one of the largest organized gay pride festivals in the world, featuring several stages with live performers and...
, after Toronto City CouncilToronto City CouncilThe Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
reasserts its intention to withdraw funding support from the parade if the group participates.
- May 2: In the 2011 election, gay Members of Parliament Rob OliphantRob OliphantRobert "Rob" Oliphant is a Canadian politician and a United Church minister. He served in the House of Commons as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of Don Valley West from 2008 to 2011.- Personal life :...
and Mario SilvaMario SilvaMario Silva, is a Canadian politician and a former Canadian Member of Parliament. Silva is a former a Toronto City Councillor and acting mayor."Acting Mayor" is a non-elected position. For example, the sets out the duties and powers of their Acting Mayor. Other cities will no doubt have somewhat...
are defeated, and Bill SiksayBill SiksayWilliam Livingstone Siksay, former MP is a Canadian politician, and was the Member of Parliament who represented the British Columbia riding of Burnaby—Douglas for the New Democratic Party from 2004 to 2011.Receiving his high school diploma from McLaughlin Collegiate and Vocational Institute in...
retires from politics; however, three new gay candidates, Randall GarrisonRandall GarrisonRandall C. Garrison is a Canadian politician and Member of Parliament in the 41st Parliament. He was elected to the House of Commons in the 2011 federal election. He represents the electoral district of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca and is a member of the New Democratic Party...
, Dany MorinDany MorinDany Morin is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord as a member of the New Democratic Party....
and Philip ToonePhilip ToonePhilip Toone is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election-Early life:Philip Toone was born in Ottawa in 1965, He currently resides in Maria, Quebec, with his partner of 13 years...
, win seats in Parliament. Along with returning incumbents Libby DaviesLibby DaviesLibby Davies is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party , representing the riding of Vancouver East in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2007, she was named Deputy Leader of the federal NDP, jointly with Thomas Mulcair.-Background:Davies was born in Aldershot, England and...
and Scott BrisonScott BrisonScott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...
, the number of openly gay Members of Parliament remains at five.
- October 11: In the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial electionNewfoundland and Labrador general election, 2011The 48th Newfoundland and Labrador general election occurred on October 11, 2011, to elect members of the 47th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 19th election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
, Gerry RogersGerry RogersGerry Rogers is a Canadian documentary filmmaker and politician. She began her career with the National Film Board, and left in 1992 to form her own production company, Augusta Productions...
becomes the first openly gay politician ever elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of AssemblyNewfoundland and Labrador House of AssemblyThe Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...
. In the Yukon general election, Stephen Dunbar-Edge, previously best known for his involvement in the case that legalized same-sex marriage in YukonSame-sex marriage in YukonSame-sex marriage in Yukon began on July 14, 2004, when Yukon Territory became the fourth jurisdiction in Canada to legalize same-sex marriage, after the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec....
, comes within 104 votes of becoming the first openly gay politician ever elected to the Yukon Legislative AssemblyYukon Legislative Assembly-History:From 1900 to 1978, the elected legislative body in the Yukon was the Yukon Territorial Council, a ten-member body which did not act as the primary government, but was a non-partisan advisory body to the Commissioner of the Yukon...
; in fact, he holds a lead over premier Darrell PasloskiDarrell PasloskiDarrell Thomas Pasloski is a territorial politician from the Yukon, Canada, currently serving as leader of the Yukon Party and as Premier of Yukon.-Court case:...
in Mountainview for much of the night, and falls to second place only in the riding's last polling station to report.
- October 14: Jamie Hubley, the son of OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
city councillor Allan HubleyAllan HubleyAllan Hubley is a municipal politician in Ottawa, Ontario, currently an Ottawa City Councillor for Kanata South Ward. He first ran in the Ottawa municipal election, 2006, finishing second with 5,700 votes in Kanata South against Peggy Feltmate, and was elected in 2010 election following Feltmate's...
, commits suicide after having blogBlogA blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ged for a month about the anti-gay bullying he was facing at school. The bullying had begun as early as Grade 7, with students on Jamie's bus attempting to stuff batteriesBattery (electricity)An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
in his mouth because he preferred figure skatingFigure skatingFigure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
over hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
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