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We don’t know who these people are. Even if we knew who they are, we don’t know how many of them are still alive

Elliott said one theory holds that gay people don’t like to admit they were in the military and military members don’t like to acknowledge they’re gay, something called the “double-closet phenomenon.”

In addition, the AIDS epidemic took its toll on many members of the gay community.

“Despite the government’s great efforts to create a list of every homosexual in Canada, they never succeeded,” Elliott said with a chuckle.

“So we don’t know who these people are. Even if we knew who they are, we don’t know how many of them are still alive. And among those who were affected and still alive, we don’t know if they will step forward.”

He personally knows two eligible men who have not yet signed on.

“And I think in their cases, that it’s because this is a horrible experience they had in their past. No amount of money in the world is enough to make them revisit it, they just want to forget about it.”

There will also be several reconciliation and remembrance measures, including a national monument, a Canadian Museum for Human Rights exhibition, declassification of archival records and a citation akin to a medal for affected people.

This is some small recognition of the fact that they too served and that they suffered in the service of their country

Elliott said the citation is extremely important to many of his clients, particularly former Armed Forces members.

“When they went into the military, that’s one of the things they were looking forward to, was earning a medal one day,” he said. “And then they never got a chance. So this is some small recognition of the fact that they too served and that they suffered in the service of their country.”

The Liberal government has also introduced legislation that would allow people to apply to have their criminal convictions for consensual sexual activity between same-sex partners erased from the public record.

The Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act would provide for the destruction and removal of records for the offences of gross indecency, buggery and anal intercourse.

At a Senate committee studying the bill Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale called it an “important and overdue step in the right direction.”