Question Period Note: LGBTQ2 National Monument

The LGBTQ2 National Monument will memorialize the historic discrimination against LGBTQ2 Canadians, including during the LGBT Purge. The approved site for this monument is located at the north-east side of the intersection of Wellington Street and Portage Bridge, in proximity to Library and Archives Canada and the Ottawa River.

• The LGBTQ2+ National Monument will memorialize the historic discrimination against LGBTQ2 Canadians, including during the period known as the LGBT Purge.
• Recently, five shortlisted design teams shared their proposed designs for the Monument and Canadians were invited to share their thoughts about the proposals. The winning design is expected to be announced in early 2022.
• Canadian Heritage works closely with the National Capital Commission and the LGBT Purge Fund to ensure the successful completion of the Monument.

• The LGBT Purge took place in Canada from the 1950s to the mid-1990s. During this time, LGBT members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the federal public service were systemically discriminated against, harassed and often fired as a matter of policy and sanctioned practice.
• Survivors launched a class action lawsuit against the Canadian government and a legal settlement was reached in 2018. The settlement identified money to compensate survivors. Funds that would have compensated LGBT Purge victims who died are being used for reconciliation and memorialization projects, including the national monument project.
• The funds for the development of this monument are managed by the LGBT Purge Fund, a not-for-profit corporation and the proponent for this monument project. The Board of Directors of the LGBT Purge Fund has allocated $8 million for the monument.
• The National Capital Commission (NCC) is responsible for Federal Land Use and Design Approvals as per the National Capital Act, design development and construction, and assumes ownership and maintenance of monuments on lands under its responsibility.
• The NCC presented site options to members of the LGTB Purge Fund in summer 2019 who in turn sought stakeholder feedback on the top three site choices. Project stakeholders include the members of the settlement agreement and the larger LGBTQ2 community. Given the diversity of the stakeholder groups, the LGBT Purge Fund is conducting its own engagement exercise on key monument considerations.
• As per the Government of Canada’s Policy on National Commemorative Monuments on Federal Lands in Canada’s Capital Region, Canadian Heritage (PCH) has the lead for the development of national monuments on federal lands in Canada’s Capital Region. In addition to responsibility for overall project management and coordination, PCH manages the design competition process and on-site interpretation.
• A Multi-Party Project Agreement between the LGBT Purge Fund, PCH and the NCC is in the process of being finalized.
• A national design competition was launched by PCH on October 16, 2020. In August 2021, the five shortlisted design teams submitted their design concepts. An online survey inviting stakeholders and the Canadian public to share thoughts on the finalists’ design concepts will be held during the fall of 2021. A winning design concept could be announced early 2022.
• The projected completion date of the monument is fall 2025. The timelines were adjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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