Canada’s PM Trudeau tearfully apologises for gay ‘witch hunt’ and decades of official discrimination

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday apologised on behalf of the nation to gays and lesbians for decades of discrimination based on their sexual orientation.

The government will also spend more than C$100 million (US$78 million) to settle a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of thousands of people who lost government jobs because of their sexual orientation, in what the prime minister called a “witch hunt” that “shattered dreams and lives.”

“For the oppression of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirit communities, we apologise,” Trudeau said in a speech in parliament.

“On behalf of the government, parliament, and the people of Canada: We were wrong. We are sorry. And we will never let this happen again,” he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

The apology was for people who were harassed or dismissed from the federal public service, the Canadian military, federal police and spy agencies from the 1950s to 1990s for what was then termed “abnormal sexuality.”

Authorities sought to expunge homosexual public workers because they believed they were susceptible to Soviet blackmail during the cold war.