National 2SLGBTQ+ Monument Unveiled in Ottawa Commemorating Historic Federal Purge Survivors

OTTAWA, ON — Hundreds of advocates, veterans, and federal dignitaries gathered on the banks of the Ottawa River Friday afternoon for the official dedication of the National 2SLGBTQ+ Monument, titled Thunderhead.

Monument Architecture and Historical Context

The prominent public memorial honours thousands of Canadian public servants, military personnel, and RCMP officers who were systematically interrogated, persecuted, and dismissed from federal service between the 1950s and 1990s in what became known as the "LGBT Purge."

Designed by architectural collective Public Work and artist Shawna Dempsey, the monument features a dramatic hollow column lined with mirrored glass and integrated lighting that evokes themes of resilience, rupture, and renewal.

Official Dedication Ceremony

"Today we ensure that the courage and dignity of survivors are permanently etched into the landscape of our nation's capital," Minister of Canadian Heritage Pascale St-Onge stated during the opening ceremony. The monument was funded through settlement funds resulting from the landmark 2018 federal class-action settlement.