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Gay Pride Flag Saskatchewan Resources for Sexual Diversity
Saskatchewan Resources for Sexual Diversity

Celebrating a History of Diversity:

Lesbian and Gay Life in Saskatchewan, 1971 - 2006
A Selected Annotated Chronology

The 1990s

1995

January Regina
The Gay Community of Regina elected a new board of directors which began to re-examine the organization’s mandate. A board spokesperson said that the new mandate was to involve all groups in the city with the GCR, to enrich Regina’s cultural life, to relocate closer downtown and to provide more options besides the group’s nightclub. It was reported that there had been a serious drop in patronage at the Scarth Street club.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 2 (March 8 1995) p. 12.]
January 9 Saskatoon
GLHS instituted a toll-free line to better serve those outside the city.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 1 (January 25 1995) p. 11.]
March Saskatoon
GLHS received an operational grant of $15,000 from the Saskatchewan government, the first time that a LG organization had received provincial funding for programming within the LG community.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 2 (March 8 1995) p. 13.]
March 23 - April 1 Saskatoon
The U of S Drama Department produced Martin Sherman’s Bent. The play explores the experiences of homosexual men persecuted during the Third Reich.
[Cam Fuller, “Play looks at hidden holocaust,” SSP, (March 22 1995) p. D1.]
March 25 Saskatoon
Peter Millard was presented the first Doug Wilson Award established by GLUS to recognize important contributions to the improvement of LG life at the U of S. The Doug Wilson Award has been awarded annually up to the date of this compilation (2005) first by GLUS and after that group’s demise in 2002 by the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union. The earlier presentations featured addresses by national figures in the LG movement including Glen Murray (later mayor of Winnipeg), Janine Fuller (manager of Vancouver’s Little Sisters Bookstore) and Alberta activist Delwin Vriend.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 2 (March 8 1995) p. 2.]
April Regina
Sensible Shoes News cover Sensible Shoes News: Your Monthly Guide to Regina’s Lesbian Community was established by Madeline (later Madisun) Browne and Mitch Rank (aka Spiralstone). The publication aspired “to build a strong sense of community among Regina and district lesbians, providing information on upcoming events and a forum to explore feminist ideas.” The publication featured book and film reviews, advertisements, advice columns and opinion pieces. The newsletter was still being published in 2005.
[SSN, (April 1995)]
April 7 – 9 Saskatoon
An ad hoc group of artists entitled Positively Queer presented Virtuous Reality, a festival of video and film by “transgendered, twin-spirited, bisexual, lesbian and gay artists” at the Mendel Art Gallery. Reform MP Jim Hart attacked the Canada Council for providing funding to the event.
[“MP’s remark on funding gay festival called stupid,” SSP, (April 8 1995) p. B14.]
April 24 Saskatoon
City Council adopted a new policy on proclamations. All non-profit or charitable groups were to routinely get proclamations from the City Clerk so long as they did not promote hatred, involve illegal activity, or contain inflammatory, obscene, or libelous statements. On June 6 City Council approved a proclamation of Gay Pride Day under the new policy.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 5 (July 26 1995) p. 12. / “New policy would ok ‘gay pride’,” SSP, (April 24 1995) p. A3. / “Council approves gay pride week,” SSP, June 6 1995) p. A8.]
May
The Supreme Court ruled in the case of Jim Egan and Jack Nesbit, two BC gay men who had sought the right to claim a spousal pension under the Old Age Security Act. The Court ruled against them noting that while their treatment by the government was discriminatory it was constitutional. However all nine judges agreed for the first time that sexual orientation was a protected ground under the Charter and that protection extends to the partners of gay men and lesbians.
June 14-17 Regina
Lesbian and Gay Pride Week included film screenings at the Regina Public Library including The Sum of Us and Strawberry and Chocolate.
[SSN, (June 1995)]
June 21
The provincial general election returned the NDP with a comfortable majority. During the campaign Conservative Leader Bill Boyd said his party supported repealing antigay discrimination protections “because it’s wrong.” Some Conservative candidates used a campaign pamphlet from the Coalition in Support of the Family that accused Liberal leader Lynda Haverstock of having “extreme moral views opposing the family” and Premier Roy Romanow of being guilty of “regularly mocking traditional values and morality.” The Conservatives won five seats.
[Randy Burton, “Tory hopeful causing stir,” SSP, (June 9 1995) p. A3. / Bonny Braden, “Boyd would try to repeal gay rights protection,” SSP, (June 14 1995) p. A6.]
July Regina
MOSAIC, Regina’s annual multicultural festival, was adapted by lesbians and gays who presented their own Queer Pavilion featuring pink triangle passport stamps, and quiche and other gay food delicacies.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 5 (July 26 1995) p. 11.]
July 14 Saskatoon
City Council approved a grant of $1,000 to GLHS over the objections of Mayor Henry Dayday.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 5 (July 26 1995) p. 11. / “Dayday objects to grant to gays,” SSP, (July 5 1995) p. A6.]
July 25 Regina
City Council rejected a $10,000 grant request from Pink Triangle Community Services to establish an office and an information line on the grounds that it was “a new initiative.”
[Brian Foden, “Competition tough for civic grants,” RLP, (July 26 1995) p. A4.]
August 6-13 Saskatoon
Former Saskatoon resident David Harrison performed his one-man play FTM: A Transsexual Journey from Female to Male at the Saskatoon Fringe. Harrison, originally known as Catherine, used his own experiences in transitioning as the basis of his theatrical work.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 5 (July 26 1995) p. 27. / “Harrison’s FTM a Fringe must-see,” SSP, (August 8 1995) p. B1.]
September Regina
The Regina Catholic School Board banned posters for AIDS Regina’s AIDS Walk. A school board consultant said the posters contained nothing objectionable but that there was a fundamental difference in philosophy between AIDS Regina and the Catholic school system.
[Kevin O’Connor, “Board sticks to AIDS decision,” RLP, (September 23 1995) p. A3.]
October Saskatoon
The Saskatoon Foundation awarded GLHS $3,400 to hire staff for recreational programming.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 7 (October 25 1995) p. 13.]
October 28 Saskatoon
At the fall Convocation of the U of S Neil Richards was presented the first President’s Service Award for exceptional contributions by non-academic staff. Richards was cited for his contributions to AIDS awareness and to LG visibility and activism.
[Perceptions, v. 13 no. 7 (October 25 1995) p. 10.]
November 24 – 26 Regina
Reel Womyn’s Movie Madness Weekend presented a three day lesbian themed film program at 2266 Smith Street.
[SSN, (November 1995)]
December Regina
SSN announced the first Regina meeting for a lesbian moms and kids group.
[SSN, (December 1995)]
December Regina
SSN published an ad for Berkana Books, a women’s bookstore located in the YWCA basement.
[SSN, (December 1995)]

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