OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has formally apologized for the “tragic act of discrimination” that saw hundreds of civil servants the target of a decades-long “witch hunt” because of their sexual orientation.

Speaking in a hushed House of Commons Tuesday, Trudeau related the disturbing legacy of systemic discrimination and delivered a long-awaited and detailed apology to those who suffered at the hands of a “prejudiced” system.

“It is our collective shame that you were so mistreated,” the prime minister said. “We were wrong. We apologize,” Trudeau said, triggering a sustained round of applause.

Listening, with many weeping, in the gallery were former LGBTQ employees including Michelle Douglas who fought her dismissal from the Canadian Armed Forces 25 years ago, and Douglas Elliott, the lead lawyer in a class-action lawsuit that fought for Tuesday’s apology and an unprecedented $145 million settlement – the largest of its kind anywhere in the world.

“I was truly overwhelmed,” said Elliott, who sat in the gallery alongside his husband and partner of 41 years. “I cried several times. We were both crying. I never thought I’d live long enough to hear this.”

Trudeau uttered the words that the people who lost their jobs, and in some cases their loved ones, needed to hear, Elliott said, that “They were good people. And that the government was wrong. That’s what they needed to hear, and also that we’re never going to let this happen again.”

Between the 1950s and 1990s, the federal government acted in a “cruel and unjust manner” to probe the private lives of military personnel, foreign service workers and others in the public service, with an eye to root out all those who weren’t heterosexual, said the prime minister.

The thinking of the day, Trudeau said, was that non-heterosexual federal employees were at increased risk of blackmail.

“This thinking was prejudiced and flawed. And, sadly, what resulted was nothing short of a witch-hunt,” he said.

The “purge” saw employees in the public service, the military and RCMP spied on, interrogated, subject to lie-detector tests and an “absurd” contraption called the “fruit machine.”

“Those who admitted they were gay were fired, discharged, or intimidated into resignation. They lost dignity, lost careers, and had their dreams, and indeed, their lives, shattered,” Trudeau said. Others were forced to betray colleagues.

Rigid social attitudes were enshrined in laws such as those centred on gross indecency, buggery and the keeping of a bawdy house. People charged under such laws were “purposefully and vindictively” shamed,” said Trudeau.

“Our laws bolstered and emboldened those who wanted to attack non-conforming sexual desires,” he said.

Trudeau brought his two eldest children, Xavier and Ella-Grace, to the Commons where they squirmed in the gallery as he read the apology. Trudeau said he wanted them there “to teach them about taking responsibility and also building a better world for the future is what this afternoon’s all about.”

When he sat down, the prime minister wiped away tears from his eyes before getting a big hug and kiss from advisor Randy Boissonault — Liberal MP for Edmonton Centre — and one of his openly gay ministers Seamus O’Regan.

His jaw clenched and trembling, O’Regan spoke passionately about how important the apology is to young gay people, saying it is “about more than prejudice and discrimination; this is about shame, being made to feel shame for being different…governments who tell you who you can and cannot love.”

“But we are not second-class citizens,” he declared. “From this apology comes strength to the young people who will never know the shame of a country who says you’re improper.”

All parties backed the apology with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer saying his party supports the equal dignity of all Canadians.

He deplored the policies of past governments saying they became “judge and jury” of lesbians and gays who only sought for serve their country.

Scheer urged the government to continue to speak up against regimes that repress the rights of LGBTQ people, naming Iran and Russia.

The NDP's parliamentary leader Guy Caron said much more work needs to be done to end discrimination in laws and policies including ending limits on gay blood donors.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Douglas Elliott said the $145 million settlement includes a fund of $110 million for individual compensation that will also cover legal fees. Each member of the class action will receive $5,000, and may apply for more compensation up to a maximum of $150,000 depending on the injuries suffered.

Individuals may also seek an apology and a notation on their government personnel file that says they were “good people who were sanctioned unjustly by a wrongful policy.”

Another $15 million will be set aside for historical “reconciliation and memorialisation” of the measures taken to ensure Canadians know what happened and “so this can never happen again,” said Elliott.

As well, legislation was introduced to clear criminal records of those who were prosecuted for consensual sexual activities between same-sex partners.

Tabled by Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale Tuesday morning, the bill sets out a process whereby anyone who was convicted for homosexual activity with a consenting same-sex partner aged 16 or older can apply to the Parole Board of Canada to wipe that conviction off their record. This includes family members of the deceased.

Former NDP MP Svend Robinson said the apology was “incredibly important” to those who suffered discrimination.

“As a Canadian, I think it’s a great day for our country, but, also, it’s a day that we have to reflect that there is still work to be done,” Robinson said.

“We can’t roll back history, but certainly we can learn the lessons,” he said.

Robinson, elected in 1979, was the first openly gay politician to sit in the Commons. He recalled the torment of federal workers who came to him distressed about the workplace witch-hunts. The Canadian Armed Forces was “by far the worst,” he said.

Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of defence staff, said Tuesday that he was “deeply sorry” for how the military discriminated against personnel simply because of their sexual orientation.

“On behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces, I am deeply sorry to all of you who were ever investigated, charged or released from the military because of your sexual orientation,” Vance said in an internal message to personnel.

“You showed us honour and dedication, and we showed you the door. No apology or compensation can ever change the shameful way we instilled fear into your lives and took away your career,” he said.

In his statement, Vance highlighted recent developments, which have included allowing personnel to wear uniforms at Pride events and his own march in Ottawa’s Pride parade.

But, he noted, that it wasn’t long ago that the armed forces “was on a different path,” when personnel were “spied on, interrogated, and criminally pursued.

“We stripped away their dignity, before we ruined their livelihood,” Vance said.

Read more about: