• The "fruit machine" resembled a dentist's chair, with a small camera on a pulley aimed at the subject's pupils. The suspected gay person was shown various photos, some of which had images that would ostensibly excite a homosexual. If their pupils dilated when looking at certain images, it was seen as an indicator of their homosexuality.

• The RCMP targeted hundreds of suspected gays throughout the 1950s and '60s, but one of the best known was John Wendell Holmes. He was a respected Canadian diplomat whose work was admired by many, including Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. After being grilled by the RCMP, however, Holmes admitted to his homosexuality and was quietly removed from public service in 1960. He went on to become a successful academic. This secret chapter in his life is recounted in a 2009 book by Adam Chapnick called Canada's Voice: The Public Life of John Wendell Holmes.