Elliot Lake, Ont. lawyer joins delegation of 2SLGBTQI+ veterans to commemorate WWI in Europe

The Government of Canada is leading a delegation of veterans to Europe this weekend, to commemorate battles of the First World War. 

The delegation will be the first of its kind, because the veterans represented are part of the 2SLGBTQI+ community, from Rainbow Veterans of Canada and the LGBT Purge Fund.

The LGBT Purge refers to period of time between the 1950's and mid-1990's, where Canadian federal employees, including the military and RCMP, were routinely persecuted for their sexuality and often dismissed from service.

The delegation will pay tribute to 2SLGBTQI+ soliders who served in World War 1.

For Douglas Elliott, a lawyer from Elliott Lake, Ont., and a member of the board of directors for the LGBT Purge Fund, this trip holds immense significance. 

There's efforts underway right now to change that culture, but it's like turning around a battleship. It's a very slow, difficult process.- Douglas Elliott, a member of the board of directors for the LGBT Purge Fund

He describes it as "an incredibly important moment of reconciliation" and anticipates it to be a "unique, groundbreaking, and deeply moving experience."

Elliott is well known for his work on cases concerning 2SLGBTQI+ rights and was lead counsel in the LGBT Purge class action, which resulted in a landmark settlement.

Elliott will be part of the delegation embarking on the journey, which starts on Saturday, April 6 in Belgium. 

They will retrace the steps of Frederick Hardy, a soldier persecuted for his sexuality during World War I. 

The journey will then proceed to France to pay respects at the Hill 70 Memorial, where Hardy perished, and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial. 

Tuesday, April 9, the delegation will be at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Givenchy-en-Gohelle, France, where Hardy's name is now inscribed.

They will engage in various activities at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, including guided tours and sharing stories of 2SLGBTQI+ soldiers who served during the First World War.

"It's tremendously important that these particular veterans be singled out and honoured for their service to our country, and recognized for who they are and that there was nothing wrong with their sexual orientation," Elliott said.  

Elliott said he will have the honour of laying a wreath at the Hill 70 War Monument, which holds personal significance as his grandfather fought in that battle.

Reflecting on the past years of service, Elliot recalls the homophobic and misogynistic culture that persisted in the military. 

"They thought that we were unfit for service and we were a threat to national security, and that was just a lie. It was not true." 

Elliott says the military has improved, but more work is still needed so all Canadians can serve equally, regardless of their gender or their sexual orientation.

"There's efforts underway right now to change that culture, but it's like turning around a battleship. It's a very slow, difficult process." 

Lynne Gouliquer, a professor at Laurentian University, agrees. 

"I'm hoping that people will take away that there is acknowledgement these soldiers, these veterans were mistreated at that time," she said. 

Gouliquer, who is also a LGBT Purge survivor, said the military and government have come a long way, and this step is moving forward in the right direction.

"We've now changed and now we're coming to recognize those people that actually were serving their country."

When the LGBT Purge class action lawsuit was settled in 2018, members involved received a citation pin. 

Gouliqer expressed that these members should receive a medal of service instead of just a pin. 

"If the Canadian government, Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada is serious, they would now offer a medal to these veterans for their service, all 2SLGBTQI+ that served their country and suffered for their country in all kinds of missions, present and past the ones."

She noted that this recommendation was proposed in 2009 but has yet to be implemented.  

"Queers served their nation, so they deserve a medal."

Both Gouliqer and Elliott said there is still more work needed to protect members currently serving, to ensure that all Canadians can serve equally regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

"It's very costly on our soldiers to serve their country. It's really a hard, particularly hard profession and job to do, but to have this internal discrimination going on. It adds to that job for them."