Echoes in Valour and Pride – Remembering the LGBT Purge at Beechwood
On November 10, 2025, Beechwood Cemetery, in partnership with the Rainbow Veterans of Canada, hosted Echoes in Valour and Pride - The LGBT Purge: Stories of Betrayal, Courage, and Memory at the Beechwood National Memorial Centre. The evening was one of truth, remembrance, and reconciliation, an opportunity to reflect on a painful chapter in Canada’s history and to honour those whose courage and resilience helped shape a more inclusive nation.
A Moment of Reflection and Recognition
The afternnon began with a quiet wreath-laying ceremony at the National Military Cemetery. Members of the Rainbow Veterans of Canada gathered to honour those who were persecuted during the LGBT Purge - 2SLGBTQI+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP, and the federal public service who were interrogated, dismissed, and discriminated against simply because of who they were.
As the wreath was placed, the moment was heavy with meaning. The silence that followed was profound—a collective acknowledgement of lives and legacies once pushed into the shadows, now finally recognized in the light of remembrance.
Bearing Witness to History
Inside the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, guests viewed the acclaimed documentary The Fruit Machine, a film that lays bare the sanctioned discrimination that took place between the 1950s and the mid-1990s. The screening brought to life stories of betrayal, pain, and perseverance - reminding all present that remembrance must include every story, even those that challenge us to confront the injustices of our past.
Following the film, a powerful panel discussion led by France Bergeron, veteran, Purge survivor, and author of Unwelcomed: Purged by the Church and the Canadian Armed Forces, provided an intimate window into the lived experiences of those directly affected. France’s testimony, along with the reflections of others, carried both heartbreak and hope. Their courage to speak transformed the evening from a commemoration into a collective act of understanding and resolve.
Honour on Remembrance Day
The next morning, during Beechwood’s National Military Cemetery Remembrance Day Ceremony, France Bergeron represented the Rainbow Veterans of Canada by laying the In Memoriam wreath. Her gesture served as a tribute not only to those who died in service but also to those lost to moral injury, the unseen wounds carried by those who endured discrimination and exclusion. Seeing her step forward on behalf of those once silenced was deeply symbolic. It reaffirmed Beechwood’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that remembrance includes every voice and every story.
Remembering with Pride
Echoes in Valour and Pride reminded all in attendance that remembrance is not static, it evolves as we open our hearts and minds to those whose service and sacrifices were once overlooked. It reaffirmed the responsibility we all share to protect dignity, equality, and humanity within the institutions that define our country.
For those wishing to learn more about this important chapter in Canadian history, The Fruit Machine is available for personal viewing through the LGBT Purge Fund: https://lgbtpurgefund.com/the-fruit-machine-available-for-personal-viewing/ .
At Beechwood Cemetery, we stand in solidarity and remembrance, honouring the service, the courage, and the love of all who wore the uniform. Because no one should ever be persecuted for who they love, and no one should ever be forgotten for how bravely they lived.