The LGBT Purge is one of the longest and most harmful campaigns of discrimination conducted by the federal government against the LGBT community. Many of the injured persons have suffered in silence for many years. That silence has ended. This class action seeks justice for all who were harmed by this shameful episode in our country’s history.
SUPERBIA
Our icon features the word "Superbia”.
It is the Latin word for pride.
It symbolizes our pride in ourselves in and in our country. Superbia is also the root of the word “superb,” meaning excellent. “Superbia” also reflects the excellent service provided by LGBT employees to the people of Canada.
you're not alone
THE PLAINTIFFS
The three plaintiffs are leading this class action on behalf of people like them: employees of the Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP or Government of Canada whose careers suffered because they were members of the LGBT community.
TODD ROSS
Todd volunteered to join the CAF on December 15, 1987, at the age of 18, and served on the HMCS Saskatchewan as a Naval Combat Information Operator. His service during this short period was excellent. While serving, Todd was brought under investigation by the Special Investigation Unit (“SIU”) of the Military Police beginning in January 1989.
MARTINE ROY
Martine joined the CAF in 1981 at the age of 19 because she wanted to serve and protect her country. Martine completed basic training at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and went on to complete language and medical assistant training at Canadian Force Base (“CFB”) Borden. She was proud, committed, and, like Todd, was looking forward to a long and rewarding military career.
ALIDA SATALIC
Alida enrolled in the CAF in 1981 as a recruit at CFB Cornwallis in Deep Brook, Nova Scotia. She was transferred to CFB Borden, CFB Trenton and CFB Greenwood at various times during her employment as a postal clerk. While she was a postal clerk at CFB Trenton, Alida was repeatedly interrogated on the pretext of security screenings by the SIU. During these interrogations, Alida was asked questions about her sexual orientation and was asked whether she knew any lesbians or gay men in the military.
when did this happen?
Beginning during the Cold War, this systematic policy of identification and elimination, referred to as the “LGBT Purge”, continued even after homosexual acts were officially decriminalized in Canada on June 27, 1969. The LGBT Purge was implemented at the highest levels of the Government of Canada and was carried out with callous disregard for the dignity, privacy and humanity of its targets.
← Left: Mid 1970s Gays of Ottawa demonstration; Propos pour une liberation (homo) sexuelle (Montreal: Les Editions de L'Aurore, 1976), p. 135
who is affected?
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES & DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENCE
RCMP
FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE
we're listening
The legal team consists of lawyers from four prominent law firms across the country: two from Ontario, one from Quebec and one from Nova Scotia. Our team combined has hundreds of years of experience in litigation, specializing in class actions, constitutional and LGBT legal issues.
R. Douglas Elliott
CAMBRIDGE LLP
Audrey Boctor
IRVING MITCHELL KALICHMAN LLP
John McKiggan Q.C.
MCKIGGAN HERBERT
Kirk M. Baert
KOSKIE MINSKY LLP
