Skip to main content
       Search       
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

1997

January Saskatoon
The U of S Department of Educational Foundations offered a fourth year class titled Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education. Seventeen students registered for the course allaying the fears of instructor Don Cochrane that the course title might deter students.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 1 (January 29 1997) p. 10.]
February 8 Saskatoon
The Bridge City Chorus hosted Regina’s Prairie Pride Chorus and Calgary’s Rocky Mountain Singers at a concert and dance at the Ukrainian Hall. This was the first concert length performance by the Prairie Pride Chorus.
[SSN, (February 1997)]
February 23 Regina
Queer Café, a showcase of the talents of Regina’s LGB communities, benefited Pink Triangle Community Services. Performers included Jean Hillabold, Rae St. Claire and Jeff Staflund.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 1 (January 29 1997) p. 4.]
February 26 Regina
PC MLA Ben Heppner protested the availability through both AIDS Regina and AIDS Saskatoon of safer sex pamphlets that used ‘explicit language.’ He demanded that the government screen materials used by the two groups. AIDS Saskatoon executive director Jeff Dodds defended the publications noting that they were not paid for with government funds and that they were written in the street language used by their target audiences.
[Bonny Braden, “Taxpayers money not used for explicit AIDS pamphlets,” SSP, (February 27 1997) p. A3.]
March Regina
Evelyn Rogers published Reflections on the Good Old Days, a reminiscence of Regina’s first gay club on Smith Street. “It was our club and we loved the place…We were a family. Men and women working harmoniously together for a common cause.”
[SSN, (March and June 1997)]
March 1 Saskatoon
Janine Fuller, manager of Vancouver’s Little Sisters Bookstore and anti-censorship activist, was the guest speaker at the 1997 Doug Wilson Award ceremony. On March 2 she read from her book Restricted Entry: Censorship on Trial at Café Browse.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 1 (January 29 1997) p. 14. / “Censorship puzzles bookstore manager,” SSP, (March 3 1997) p. A3.]
April Prince Albert
Trustee Rob Ardell asked the Prince Albert School Board to amend its AIDS education package to include what he called “the true statistics on homosexuality.” After presentations in opposition to Ardell’s position by AIDS Saskatoon and GLHS the school board requested its administration to prepare a package with statistics on all the risk factors associated with AIDS.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 3 (April 23 1997) p. 10. / Raquel Exner, “Trustee defined as ‘homophobic’,” Prince Albert Daily Herald, (April 8 1997) p. 1.]
May 16 – 19 Regina
The Zephyrs Sports Club celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Golden Crown Volleyball Tournament with competing teams from Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary and Winnipeg.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 2 (March 12 1997) p. 11.]
June Saskatoon
The SHRC issued an opinion that the Saskatchewan government had discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation when it denied spousal benefits to Kerry Armbruster-Barrett. Armbruster-Barrett worked for the Saskatchewan Securities Commission and had married a male partner in a United Church ceremony in October 1996. He had sought payment for his partner’s dental care under the terms of his employee benefit plan.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 4 (June 4 1997) p. 10.]
June 6 – July 1 Saskatoon
AKA Gallery presented Drag City, a multi-media exhibition curated by Robert Sauvey which explored the cultural significance of drag. The show included several works by local artists.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 2 (March 12 1997) p. 20.]
June 14 Regina
The Prairie Pride Chorus presented Hand in Hand, its first full-length concert and dance at The Other Side.
[SSN, (June 1997)]
July 3 Saskatoon
One hundred demonstrators rallied at the StarPhoenix building to protest an advertisement printed in the June 30 issue. The ad featured four Biblical verses, an equal sign and two stick figures holding hands with the universal symbol for ‘no’ superimposed. The ad was placed by Hugh Owens as a response to Saskatoon’s Pride Week. The StarPhoenix declared they had accepted the ad because “the laws protecting people from discrimination has to be viewed against the backdrop of the freedom of speech.” Nonetheless in light of “feedback from the community” it said it would not print similar ads in the future. Several individuals filed human rights complaints against Owens and the paper.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 5 (July 30 1997) p. 9-10. / “Protestors decry paper for running antigay ad,” SSP, (July 4 1997) p. A3.]
September Regina
Sask Tel announced that it would ensure all forms of family benefits would include same-sex couples.
[SSN, (September 1997)]
September Saskatoon
The SHRC launched an investigation into complaints against Hugh Owens and the StarPhoenix after all parties rejected the commission’s early resolution process. Fourteen of the original seventeen complainants agreed to have their complaints carried forward by Jeff Dodds, Gens Hellquist and Jason Roy.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 6 (September 10 1997) p. 9. / “Commission to examine complaints against SP,” SSP, (August 22 1997) p. A3.]
October 19 Saskatoon
St. Thomas-Wesley United Church celebrated its declaration as an affirming United Church congregation with a service and potluck supper. The decision to become the first Saskatoon congregation to welcome and affirm lesbians and gays was made after two years of study and discussion.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 7 (October 22 1997) p. 11.]
November 6 Saskatoon
The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union officially opened a LGB Centre on campus. The Centre was the brainchild of Alona Leverick and Scott Blythe who saw it as a centre for education, support and advocacy. Blythe was appointed the first coordinator. It continues to operate at the date of this compilation as the USSU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Centre.
[Perceptions, v. 15 no. 6 (September 10 1997) p. 11. / “U of S opens first lesbian gay bisexual centre,” SSP, (November 5 1997) p. A3.]

Site Copyright © 2004-2006 University of Saskatchewan Library, Special Collections