The LGBT Purge Fund is thrilled to announce that “Thunderhead” has been selected as the winning proposal for the LGBTQ2+ National Monument. The design was conceived by the Winnipeg-based team led by Liz Wreford, Peter Sampson and Taylor LaRocque of Public City, with artists Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, and Albert McLeod, Indigenous and Two-Spirited People subject-matter expert and advisor.

The design draws on the symbolism of a thunderhead cloud, which embodies the strength, activism and hope of LGBTQ2+ communities. It will be a lasting testimony to the courage and humanity of those who were harmed by the LGBT Purge, homophobic and transphobic [...]

The official announcement of the winning team for the LGBTQ2+ National Monument will take place online on March 24 at 10:00 a.m. EST.

Register to join us.

This special event will include presentations by members of the winning design team, LGBT Purge Fund and representatives of the Government of Canada.

The invitation is open to all and we particularly encourage attendance from the community who has contributed to the creation of the LGBTQ2+ National Monument — a diverse group that includes: survivors; rights holders; Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ First Nations, Inuit and Métis people; activists; historians; design professionals; legal experts; allies; and so many more.

The [...]

On November 23, 2021, lawyers representing the LGBT Purge class members appeared in the Federal Court of Canada to obtain an order to wind up the class action. That order was granted on January 7, 2021 by Justice St-Louis.

Justice St. Louis ordered that the administration of the individual compensation claims process was terminated and that the Claims Administrator, Deloitte LLP, and the Claims Assessors, the Honourable Justice Marie Deschamps and Dr. Brunet, were discharged from their duties. In addition, the duties of Cambridge LLP, Koskie Minsky, McKiggan Hebert and IMK Advocates and the Representative Plaintiffs, Martine Roy, Todd Ross and Alida Satalic, [...]

The LGBT Purge Fund continues to seek access to the full historical record of the LGBT Purge. We need these documents to tell the history of the LGBT Purge.

Many of the documents received so far have been eye-opening and startling. Here is one excerpt of a letter from the Minister of National Defence, Marcel Masse, to Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, outlining the government’s calculated approach to Michelle Douglas’ historic lawsuit against the Canadian military, which challenged discriminatory policies against LGBT service members. In summer 1992, Masse wrote:

If we proceed to try the Douglas case, there will be [...]

We are delighted to share the five finalist designs for the LGBTQ2+ National Monument. You’re invited to view these evocative concepts and provide your feedback, now until Nov 28th!

The LGBTQ2+ National Monument will tell the story of generations of all LGBTQ2+ people in Canada who have been persecuted, abused, dismissed and marginalized because of who they desire and how they identify. It will acknowledge discrimination experienced by LGBTQ2+ communities and the abuse perpetrated by the Canadian state, including during the LGBT Purge. While recognizing enduring injury and injustice, the LGBTQ2+ National Monument will educate, memorialize, celebrate and inspire. It will be guided [...]