A Pride flag was raised Tuesday at Regina City Hall on the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada. The flag will remain raised until May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
Bill C-150 decriminalized homosexuality and passed its third reading on May 14, 1969. On June 27, 1969, the Criminal Law Amendment Act (Bill C-150) received royal assent.
“Even in 2019, our rights as LGBT people are being threatened and so it’s really important to acknowledge that 50 years ago, 30 years ago, however far back you want to look, we have always been fighting for our rights and we will continue to be doing so,” said Dan Shier, co-chair of Regina Pride.
Regina was one of 50 Canadian cities to raise the flag to bring awareness to the “people and the struggles that led to the decriminalization of homosexuality 50 years ago,” said Pablo Rodrigues, minister of Canadian heritage and multiculturalism, in a statement.
The flag is a symbol of progress, but Shier says there is undoubtedly still work to be done when it comes to the acceptance of the LGBTQ2 community.
“It’s really important and symbolic to acknowledge our histories but also be very conscious and aware that despite our past, there’s still a lot of work ahead of us,” he said.
The flag will be raised again on June 10 at City Hall for Pride Week. This is the 30th year of Pride Week in Regina.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Regina Pride co-chair Dan Shier’s name.