Victims of Canada’s ‘Gay Purge’ to Get Apology from Trudeau
- 7 years ago
Victims of Canada’s ‘Gay Purge’ to Get Apology from Trudeau
Mr. Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, acting first as justice minister and then prime minister, repealed laws against homosexuality in 1969, legislation he introduced by saying: "I think the view we take here is
that there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." It is not clear if next week’s apology will also come with financial compensation for surviving victims, some of whom, including Mr. Thwaites, have joined a class-action lawsuit against the government.
It kind of undermines your sense of self." Now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to formally apologize to Mr. Thwaites
and thousands of other members of the military, the public service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who faced discrimination, lost their jobs and, in some cases, were imprisoned because of their sexual orientation.
The apology, which will take place next Tuesday in the House of Commons, is another step in a review the prime minister began last year into how to acknowledge the harm bought by what is sometimes called the "gay purge." Working on the theory
that gays and lesbians were vulnerable to blackmail by the Soviet Union, a special unit of the Mounties began its efforts to remove them from the public service in the late 1950s.
Mr. Twaithes said he will be listening carefully to determine if the apology is "acceptable." He said, "It’s possible
that it might not cover a lot of bases." Mr. Trudeau has also promised to introduce legislation by the end of December that will expunge the criminal records of people who were convicted of engaging in homosexual acts.
Truro said that We were treated like something was wrong with us, but none of us did nothing wrong,
But Professor Kinsman said the police action had a profound effect at one point on
several branches of the public service, particularly Canada’s foreign ministry.
Mr. Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, acting first as justice minister and then prime minister, repealed laws against homosexuality in 1969, legislation he introduced by saying: "I think the view we take here is
that there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." It is not clear if next week’s apology will also come with financial compensation for surviving victims, some of whom, including Mr. Thwaites, have joined a class-action lawsuit against the government.
It kind of undermines your sense of self." Now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to formally apologize to Mr. Thwaites
and thousands of other members of the military, the public service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who faced discrimination, lost their jobs and, in some cases, were imprisoned because of their sexual orientation.
The apology, which will take place next Tuesday in the House of Commons, is another step in a review the prime minister began last year into how to acknowledge the harm bought by what is sometimes called the "gay purge." Working on the theory
that gays and lesbians were vulnerable to blackmail by the Soviet Union, a special unit of the Mounties began its efforts to remove them from the public service in the late 1950s.
Mr. Twaithes said he will be listening carefully to determine if the apology is "acceptable." He said, "It’s possible
that it might not cover a lot of bases." Mr. Trudeau has also promised to introduce legislation by the end of December that will expunge the criminal records of people who were convicted of engaging in homosexual acts.
Truro said that We were treated like something was wrong with us, but none of us did nothing wrong,
But Professor Kinsman said the police action had a profound effect at one point on
several branches of the public service, particularly Canada’s foreign ministry.