Excerpt from The Citizen Borden Newspaper, April 24, 2023.
By: Emily Nakeff, Editor
Beginning in the 1950s, LGBT members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the federal public service were targeted for systematic removal from these organizations. Using stalking, spying, harassment, and harsh interrogation tactics, an estimated 9,000 lives were negatively impacted by this practice—one that would continue for over forty years. Today, it is known as the LGBT Purge.
CFB Borden recently recognized this dark spot in history. On 7 March, in conjunction with the Borden Pride Network, Defence Team members were invited to a screening of TVO documentary The Fruit Machine at the Terra Theatre, following a recorded opening message from Minister of National Defence, The Honourable Minister Anita Anand, as well as remarks from Commander of CFB Borden and Military Personnel Generation Training Group (MPGTG), Colonel (Col) Jonathan Michaud.
The documentary covers the history of the LGBT Purge with intimate and eye-opening interviews from survivors about their traumatic experiences, some of whom were among a group of advocates who attended the screening. Following the documentary, they shared more about their experience during and since the LGBT Purge, and what it meant for those returning to CFB Borden for the first time since their forced removal from service.
To read the full article use the link below: