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List of LGBT politicians in Canada

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Canada is known to be one of the most accepting countries when it comes to LGBT rights.[1] LGBT rights in Canada have been raising since the year of 1969 when same-sex sexual activities were legalized. The elected officials and politicians of Canada reflect the rights and laws that have been passed. The following is a list of openly LGBT politicians in Canada grouped by Senate, House of Commons, provincial legislatures, mayors, municipal councilors, and other. There is information included about what province they were elected in and from, what party they identify as, who they were nominated by, when their term began and ended (if it has), and any additional notes about the politician.

Senate

[edit]
Senator Party Province Nominated by Term Notes
Start End
Laurier LaPierre Liberal Ontario Jean Chrétien June 13, 2001 November 21, 2004 LaPierre became the first openly LGBT senator
Nancy Ruth Progressive Conservative (2005-2008)
Conservative (2008-2017) 		Ontario Paul Martin March 24, 2005 January 6, 2017 Ruth became the first openly lesbian senator
René Cormier Independent Senators Group New Brunswick Justin Trudeau November 10, 2016 incumbent
Kim Pate Independent Senators Group Ontario Justin Trudeau November 10, 2016 incumbent
Marnie McBean Non-affiliated Ontario Justin Trudeau December 20, 2023 incumbent
Kristopher Wells Non-affiliated Alberta Justin Trudeau August 31, 2024 incumbent

House of Commons

[edit]
MP Party Province Term Notes
Start End
Heward Grafftey Progressive Conservative Quebec March 31, 1958 June 24, 1968 Came out after retirement
October 30, 1972 February 17, 1980
Charles Lapointe Liberal Quebec July 8, 1974 September 4, 1984 Came out after retirement
Ian Waddell NDP British Columbia May 22, 1979 October 25, 1993 Came out after retirement
Svend Robinson NDP British Columbia May 22, 1979 June 28, 2004 Robinson became the first openly LGBT member of parliament when he came out in 1988
Réal Ménard Bloc Québécois Quebec October 25, 1993 September 16, 2009 First LGBT member of parliament from Quebec
Libby Davies NDP British Columbia June 2, 1997 October 19, 2015
Scott Brison (Progressive Conservative, later Liberal) Nova Scotia June 2, 1997 July 24, 2000 First LGBT member of parliament from Nova Scotia
November 27, 2000 February 10, 2019
Bill Siksay NDP British Columbia June 28, 2004 May 2, 2011 first LGBT member of parliament to be out at the time of election
Mario Silva Liberal Ontario June 28, 2004 May 2, 2011 First openly LGBT member of the House of Commons from Ontario
Raymond Gravel Bloc Québécois Quebec November 27, 2006 October 14, 2008
Rob Oliphant Liberal Ontario October 14, 2008 May 2, 2011
October 19, 2015 incumbent
Randall Garrison NDP British Columbia May 2, 2011 incumbent
Dany Morin NDP Quebec May 2, 2011 August 4, 2015
Philip Toone NDP Quebec May 2, 2011 August 4, 2015
Craig Scott NDP Ontario March 19, 2012 October 19, 2015
Sheri Benson NDP Saskatchewan October 19, 2015 September 11, 2019 First LGBT member of parliament from Saskatchewan
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Alberta October 19, 2015 October 21, 2019 First LGBT member of parliament from Alberta
September 20, 2021 incumbent
Seamus O'Regan Liberal Newfoundland and Labrador October 19, 2015 incumbent First LGBT member of parliament from Newfoundland and Labrador
Eric Duncan Conservative Ontario September 2, 2020 incumbent
Lisa Marie Barron NDP British Columbia September 20, 2021 incumbent
Blake Desjarlais NDP Alberta September 20, 2021 incumbent
Melissa Lantsman Conservative Ontario September 20, 2021 incumbent
Pascale St-Onge Liberal Quebec September 20, 2021 incumbent

Provincial legislatures

[edit]
MP Party Province Term Notes
Start End
Richard Hatfield PC New Brunswick June 19, 1961 October 13, 1987 Outed only after death
Claude Charron Parti Québécois Quebec April 29, 1970 April 13, 1982 Came out after resignation from the legislature
Guy Joron PQ Quebec April 29, 1970 October 29, 1973 Was out among his caucus colleagues in the legislature, but not to the general public.
November 15, 1976 April 13, 1981
Keith Norton PC Ontario September 18, 1975 May 2, 1985 Came out after retirement from the legislature
Dave Cooke NDP Ontario June 9, 1977 January 19, 1997 Came out after retirement from the legislature
Ian Waddell NDP British Columbia May 22, 1979 October 25, 1993 Came out after retirement from the legislature
May 28, 1996 May 16, 2001
Phil Gillies PC Ontario March 19, 1981 September 10, 1987 Came out after retirement from the legislature
Maurice Richard Liberal Quebec December 2, 1985 September 12, 1994 First provincial legislator in Canada to be out as gay during his career in politics.
Ian Scott Liberal Ontario May 2, 1985 April 4, 1992 Came out after retirement from the legislature.
André Boisclair Parti Québécois Quebec September 25, 1989 November 15, 2007
André Boulerice Parti Québécois Quebec September 25, 1989 September 12, 2005 [2]
Mike Farnworth NDP British Columbia October 17, 1991 May 16, 2001
May 17, 2005 incumbent
Dominic Agostino Liberal Ontario June 8, 1995 March 24, 2004
Andrew Thomson NDP Saskatchewan June 20, 1995 November 20, 2007 Came out after retirement from the legislature
Ted Nebbeling Liberal British Columbia May 28, 1996 May 17, 2005
Tim Stevenson NDP British Columbia May 28, 1996 May 16, 2001
Agnès Maltais Parti Québécois Quebec November 30, 1998 October 1, 2018
Jim Rondeau NDP Manitoba September 21, 1999 March 6, 2016
George Smitherman Liberal Ontario June 3, 1999 January 4, 2010
Dale Eftoda Liberal Yukon April 17, 2000 November 4, 2002
Cecil Clarke Progressive Conservative Nova Scotia March 6, 2001 March 25, 2011 Not out during his term in the legislature; came out later while serving as a mayor.
Lorne Mayencourt Liberal British Columbia May 16, 2001 September 13, 2008
Jim Watson OLP Ontario October 2, 2003 February 1, 2010
Kathleen Wynne Liberal Ontario October 2, 2003 May 3, 2022
Doug Routley NDP British Columbia May 17, 2005 incumbent
Nicholas Simons NDP British Columbia May 17, 2005 incumbent
Cheri DiNovo NDP Ontario September 14, 2006 December 31, 2017
Paul Ferreira NDP Ontario February 28, 2007 September 30, 2007
Sylvain Gaudreault PQ Quebec March 26, 2007 August 28, 2022
Jennifer Howard NDP Manitoba May 22, 2007 April 19, 2016
Spencer Chandra Herbert NDP British Columbia October 29, 2008 incumbent
Jenn McGinn NDP British Columbia October 29, 2008 May 12, 2009
Mable Elmore NDP British Columbia May 12, 2009 incumbent
Glen Murray OLP Ontario February 4, 2010 September 1, 2017
Gerry Rogers NDP Newfoundland and Labrador October 27, 2011 April 17, 2019
Réjean Hébert Liberal Quebec September 4, 2012 April 7, 2014
Joanne Bernard Liberal Nova Scotia October 8, 2013 May 30, 2017
Manon Massé QS Quebec April 7, 2014 incumbent
Wade MacLauchlan Liberal Prince Edward Island May 4, 2015 March 26, 2019
Michael Connolly NDP Alberta May 5, 2015 March 19, 2019
Jennifer Rice NDP British Columbia May 14, 2013 incumbent
Ricardo Miranda NDP Alberta May 5, 2015 March 19, 2019
Estefan Cortes-Vargas NDP Alberta May 5, 2015 March 19, 2019
Julie Green Non-partisan consensus government Northwest Territories November 23, 2015 incumbent
Jill Andrew NDP Ontario June 7, 2018 incumbent
Terence Kernaghan NDP Ontario June 7, 2018 incumbent
Suze Morrison NDP Ontario June 7, 2018 May 3, 2022
Jeremy Roberts PC Ontario June 7, 2018 May 3, 2022
Youri Chassin Coalition Avenir Québec Quebec October 1, 2018 incumbent
Jennifer Maccarone Quebec Liberal Party Quebec October 1, 2018 incumbent
Janis Irwin NDP Alberta April 16, 2019 incumbent
Lela Evans NDP Newfoundland and Labrador May 16, 2019 incumbent
Uzoma Asagwara NDP Manitoba September 10, 2019 incumbent
Lisa Naylor NDP Manitoba September 10, 2019 incumbent
Lane Tredger NDP Yukon April 12, 2021 incumbent
Lisa Lachance NDP Nova Scotia August 17, 2021 incumbent
Janet Brewster Non-partisan consensus government Nunavut November 19, 2021 incumbent
Lise Vaugeois NDP Ontario June 2, 2022 incumbent
Kristyn Wong-Tam NDP Ontario June 2, 2022 incumbent
Elenore Sturko Conservative British Columbia September 10, 2022 incumbent
Nathaniel Teed NDP Saskatchewan September 26, 2022 incumbent
Brooks Arcand-Paul NDP Alberta May 29, 2023 incumbent
Court Ellingson NDP Alberta May 29, 2023 incumbent
Tyler Blashko NDP Manitoba October 3, 2023 incumbent
Logan Oxenham NDP Manitoba October 3, 2023 incumbent
Luke Randall Liberal New Brunswick October 21, 2024 incumbent
Rod Wilson New Democratic Nova Scotia November 26, 2024 incumbent

Mayors

[edit]
Mayor City Term Notes
Marianne Alto Victoria, British Columbia 2022–present
David Bailey County of Brant, Ontario 2018–present
Cecil Clarke Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia 2012–2020
2024-present
Eric Duncan North Dundas, Ontario 2010–2018
Kevin Haché Caraquet, New Brunswick 2015–2021
Lisa Helps Victoria, British Columbia 2014–2022
Julie Lemieux Très-Saint-Rédempteur, Quebec 2017–present First transgender mayor in Canada
Réal Ménard Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Quebec 2010–2017
Kevin Morrison Goderich, Ontario 2014–2018
Glen Murray Winnipeg, Manitoba 1998–2004
Ted Nebbeling Whistler, British Columbia 1990–1996
Colin Ratushniak La Ronge, Saskatchewan 2020–present
Maurice Richard Bécancour, Quebec 1975–1985
1995–2013
Jim Watson Ottawa, Ontario 1997–2000
2010–2022

Municipal councillors

[edit]
Councillor City Term Notes Ref
Dominic Agostino Hamilton City Council 1987–1995
Marianne Alto Victoria City Council 2018–2022
Keenan Aylwin Barrie City Council 2018–2022
Carle Bernier-Genest Montreal City Council 2006–2009
Raymond Blain Montreal City Council 1986–1992
Rebecca Bligh Vancouver City Council 2018–present
Evert Botha Prince Albert City Council 2016–2020
Paul Butler Trail, British Columbia 2018–present
Robin Buxton Potts Toronto City Council 2022–2022 [3]
Garett Cochrane Yellowknife City Council 2022–present [4]
Conner Copeman Cumberland, British Columbia 2011–present
Noah Donovan Quispamsis, New Brunswick 2021–present
Dakota Ekman Biggar, Saskatchewan 2020–present
Stéphane Émard-Chabot Ottawa City Council 1994–2000
Jeromy Farkas Calgary City Council 2017–2021
Brian Fralic Region of Queens Municipality, Nova Scotia 2012–present
Cameron Frye Tecumseh 1972–1980 Came out at final council meeting in 1980 [5]
Randall Garrison Esquimalt, British Columbia 2008–2011
Charlotte Gauthier Gillams, Newfoundland and Labrador 2020–present
Joy Guyot Golden, British Columbia 2022–present
Paul Harris Red Deer City Council 2010–2017
Julien Hénault-Ratelle Montreal City Council 2021–present
Alan Herbert Vancouver City Council 1996–1999
Darren Hill Saskatoon City Council 2006–2024
Aidan Johnson Hamilton City Council 2014–2018
Reece Van Breda Sioux Lookout, Ontario 2022-present
Helen Kennedy East York Borough Council 1988–1991
Cameron Kroetsch Hamilton City Council 2022–present [3]
Joy Lachica Peterborough City Council 2022–present [3]
Robert Laramée Montreal City Council 1994–1998
2001–2005
Howard Levine Toronto City Council 1988–1994 Not out during his political career.
Shawn Lewis London City Council 2018–present Deputy mayor 2022–present [6]
Cat McGurk Yellowknife City Council 2022–present [4]
Catherine McKenney Ottawa City Council 2014–2022
Sherry McKibben Edmonton City Council 1994–1995
Peter Meiszner Vancouver City Council 2022–present
Chris Moise Toronto City Council 2022–present [3]
Alex Munter Kanata City Council
Ottawa-Carleton Regional Council 		1991–1994 (Kanata)
1994–2000 (Ottawa-Carleton)
Michael Phair Edmonton City Council 1992–2007
Sarah Potts-Halpin Victoria City Council 2018–2022
Jasmin Parker Saskatoon City Council 2024-Present
Gordon Price Vancouver City Council 1986–2002
Kyle Rae Toronto City Council 1991–2010
Ophelia Ravencroft St. John's City Council 2021–present
Mark Renaud Tillsonburg, Ontario 2003–2014
Richard Ryan Montreal City Council 2013–2021
Serge Sasseville Montreal City Council 2021–present [7]
Mario Silva Toronto City Council 1994–2003
Krista Snow Halifax City Council 2003–2012
Tim Stevenson Vancouver City Council 2002–2018 [8]
Lenore Swystun Saskatoon City Council 2000–2003
Donovan Taplin Wabana, Newfoundland and Labrador 2013–2017 [9]
Ariel Troster Ottawa City Council 2022–present [3]
Sonia Williams Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador 2013–present
Alex Wilson Hamilton City Council 2022–present [3]
Kristyn Wong-Tam Toronto City Council 2010–2022
Ellen Woodsworth Vancouver City Council 2002–2011
Russ Wyatt Winnipeg City Council 2002–2018
2022–present 		[10]

Other

[edit]

People who did not hold a political office at the federal, provincial or municipal levels, but have some other form of political significance.

Person Role Notes Ref
Enza Anderson Candidate for Mayor of Toronto, 2000
Penny Ballem City manager of Vancouver, British Columbia, 2008-2015
Betty Baxter Federal election candidate for the New Democratic Party, 1993
Pierre Bourgault Leader of the Rassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale, 1964-1968
Allison Brewer Leader of the New Brunswick New Democratic Party, 2005-2006
Lori Campbell Federal election candidate for the New Democratic Party, 2019
Keith Cole Candidate for Mayor of Toronto, 2010
Robert Douglas Cook Sole electoral candidate of the Gay Alliance Toward Equality, 1979
Ross Dowson Socialist political candidate
Éric Duhaime Leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, 2021-present
Jim Egan Representative for Electoral Area B (Comox North) on the Comox-Strathcona Regional District board, 1981-1993 See also Egan v Canada
Norman Elder Candidate for Toronto City Council
Jamie Lee Hamilton First known transgender candidate for political office
Kaj Hasselriis Candidate for Mayor of Winnipeg, 2006
Brent Hawkes Provincial election candidate for the Ontario New Democratic Party, 1995 See also Operation Soap, Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
Jamey Heath New Democratic Party of Canada strategist
George Hislop Toronto City Council candidate, 1980 See also We Demand Rally, Operation Soap
El-Farouk Khaki Activist, federal election candidate for the New Democratic Party in 2008
Trevor Kirczenow Activist, academic, federal election candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in 2019 and 2021
David Khan Leader of the Alberta Liberal Party, 2019-2021
Khelsilem First Nations band councillor
Amita Kuttner Interim leader of the Green Party of Canada, 2021-2022
Chris Lea Leader of the Green Party of Canada, 1990-1996
John Alan Lee Federal election candidate for the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, 1958
Greg Malone Federal election candidate for the New Democratic Party, 2000, and the Green Party of Canada, 2019
Peter Maloney First known gay candidate for political office
Christin Milloy Provincial election candidate for the Ontario Libertarian Party, 2011
Micheline Montreuil Federal candidate in 1984 and municipal candidate in 1993
Brenda Murphy First out LGBTQ Lieutenant-Governor of a province
Peg Norman Two-time federal election candidate for the New Democratic Party
Jeff Rock Federal election candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada See also Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
Mary-Woo Sims Federal election candidate for the New Democratic Party, 2006
Chief commissioner of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, 1996-2001
Douglas Wilson Federal election candidate for the New Democratic Party

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Rau, Krishna. "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights in Canada". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  2. ^ ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Politique- (26 June 2016). "Absence d'élus libéraux gais : pas de problème pour Stéphanie Vallée". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Dale Smith, "How queer and trans candidates fared in Ontario’s municipal elections". Xtra!, October 28, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Sidney Cohen, "Yellowknife elects new city council". CBC North, October 17, 2022.
  5. ^ "Victim of hate mail loses in bid for mayor". The Body Politic, December 1980.
  6. ^ Isha Bhargava, "'Our differences are our strengths': London's new mayor and city council sworn in". CBC News London, November 16, 2022.
  7. ^ Jérôme Labbé, "Ensemble Montréal perd un premier élu depuis les élections". Ici Radio-Canada Montréal, February 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Robin Perelle, "Pioneering gay Vancouver politician won’t run again". Xtra!, January 11, 2018.
  9. ^ Noah Laybolt, "Meet the politician who came out — to a town council". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, July 19, 2019.
  10. ^ Bryce Hoye, "1 new face joins Winnipeg city council, 2 former councillors return to office". CBC News Manitoba, October 26, 2022.
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