This year marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of bill C – 150 of which Trudeau so famously said: “there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
Initially introduced by then Justice Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau bill C – 150 called for among other things the decriminalizing same sex relations between two consenting adults. That original bill was derailed by an election but on May 14, 1969 a new bill was passed by then Prime Minister Trudeau.
This bill had far reaching affects across the country.
Kootenay Pride Coordinator Michael Wicks remarked “It was then that we realized that we could meet and plan the next steps to liberation. Everything we have accomplished came from the fact, that we could not be put in jail for being who we are.”
This year is the 50th anniversary of this momentous occasion and Kootenay Pride plans on joining the celebrations with hopes of raising the Pride and Trans flags in front of city hall.
Vancouver Pride Society is the lead organization in BC for this project that is looking to raise 50 rainbow or trans flags in municipalities across Canada between May 14-17 to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of decriminalization.