Echoes in Valour and Pride - The LGBT Purge: Stories of Betrayal, Courage, and Memory 

• Monday, November 10, 2025 - 6:00 PM
• Beechwood National Memorial Centre 

Join us for a powerful evening of remembrance, resilience, and dialogue. We begin with a screening of the acclaimed documentary: The Fruit Machine: This film captures the harrowing truth of the “LGBT Purge,” where from the 1950s to the mid-1990s, 2SLGBTQI+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP, and the federal public service were systematically discriminated against, interrogated, and often dismissed from service — a sanctioned practice that left lifelong scars. (Film will be in English with French subtitles)

• Evening Program 6:00 PM – Welcome & Film Screening of The Fruit Machine
• 7:45 PM – Intermission with refreshments & light desserts (30 minutes)
• 8:15 PM – Panel Discussion

The Panel: Stories That Must Be Heard The centrepiece of the evening will be a powerful discussion led by France Bergeron — author of Unwelcomed: Purged by the Church and the Canadian Armed Forces, veteran, Purge survivor, and representative of the Rainbow Veterans of Canada.

It is an important opportunity to engage directly with lived experiences of injustice, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of dignity. This evening promises to be more than a screening — it is a call to witness, to listen, and to remember.

Admission is free, and all are welcome.

Beechwood Cemetery, The National Military Cemetery is proud to partner with the Rainbow Veterans of Canada to host this evening.