Ebb and Flow

The first decade of the 21st century saw a number of dramatic developments, in particular the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada. In Thunder Bay, human rights complaints against the public school board eventually led to a move to change policy and to the development of Gay Straight Alliances in high schools. Several initiatives have evolved, including the Sexuality and Gender Equity (SAGE) working group in Thunder Bay, a province-wide program Rainbow Health Ontario, and Thunder Pride in 2011. In 2012 two new support groups were formed, The Other 10% youth group, and Trans* Support Collective.

2000
Backstreet Dance Klub closed its doors.
Bill C-23 (omnibus same-sex legislation to change 68 Canadian laws to include recognition of same-sex partners/couples) passed in the House of Commons, though marriage was still defined as between persons of the opposite sex.

2001
VooDoo Lounge opened in the previous Backstreet Dance Klub location.
The Gay Thunder Bay web site was established. This site disappeared a few years later.
The AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay rebranded itself as AIDS Thunder Bay.

2002
A Pride Weekend was held in March at Lakehead University, and the Pride flag was included in a permanent display in the Agora.
The Cambrian Presbytery of the United Church voted to become an "Affirming" presbytery.
Out & About was revitalized briefly, but soon faded from sight. Members attended the Pride events in Duluth on the Labour Day weekend.

2003
June 10 - The Ontario Court of Appeal upholds a lower court ruling to legally allow same-sex marriages. "The existing common law definition of marriage violates the couple's equality rights on the basis of sexual orientation under (the charter)," read the decision. The judgment follows the Ontario Divisional Court ruling on July 12, 2002. Hours after the ruling, Michael Leshner and Michael Stark are married in a ceremony in Toronto.Both men played a key role in the court case.
June 11 - Ontario attorney general Norm Sterling announces that the province will obey the law and register same-sex marriages. Nearly two dozen homosexual couples applied for marriage licences in Ontario on June 10.

2004
December - Gabriel Picard filed a human rights complaint against Lakehead District School Board. CTEACH (Community Partners Teaching and Encouraging Acceptance to Counteract Homophobia and Heterosexism) was formed to help with complaint. CTEACH held a media conference on December 21.

2005
Early in the year, activists in Thunder Bay attended Joe Comuzzi's town hall meeting urging him to support same-sex marriage. On April 8, a town hall meeting to discuss the issue was hosted by AIDS Thunder Bay and Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship.
June 28 - The Liberals' Bill C-38, titled Law on Civil Marriage, passed final reading in the House of Commons, in a 158-133 vote, supported by most members of the Liberal party, the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP. Joe Comuzzi, the minister responsible for Northern Ontario, resigned from the cabinet to against the bill. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said if his party formed the next government, the law would be revisited.
July 20 - Bill C-38 received royal assent and became law, making Canada the fourth country in the world, after the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, to officially recognize same-sex marriage..
In September, a mediated settlement was reached in the Gabriel Picard complaint.

2006
In July, a follow-up complaint to the OHRC was submitted by Gabriel Picard because of perceived lack of action by the School board on the earlier complaint.
Dec. 7 - A motion tabled by the ruling Conservatives to reopen the same-sex marriage debate was defeated in the House of Commons by a vote of 175-123. Twelve Tories,including five cabinet ministers, broke from party lines and voted against the motion, while 13 Liberals supported the motion.
Ellen Chambers Picard was honoured by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) for her efforts to combat homophobia.

2007

2008
The Sexuality and Gender Equity (SAGE) working group began meeting under the auspices of the Thunder Bay district Health Unit.
Rainbow Health Ontario was launched as a provincial program to promote LGBT health and wellness, and to improve access to services, with outreach workers in each of the province's 14 Local Health Integrated Networks (LHINs).

2009

2010
The Sexuality and Gender Equity (SAGE) working group marched in the santa Claus parade in late November.
In December a first meeting was held to begin planning for the first city-wide Pride event in Thunder Bay. Thunder Pride was planned for June, 2011.

2011
On February 14 Thunder Bay City council unanimously endorsed Thunder Pride 2011.
In May, SAGE sponsored a full page ad in the Chronicle Journal around International Day Against Homophobia, and launched the on-line directory, LGBTQ Community Resources.
May 31 saw Thunder Pride and rainbow flags raised at City Hall.
The first city-wide Thunder Pride took place June 5 - 12.

2012
The Other 10%, a support group for youth, began regular meetings.
Trans* Support Collective was formed.

2013
The first Thunder Pride parade was held, involving many people in the LGBT and larger community. The parade amde its way from Waverley Park down Red River Road, along Water Street into Marina Park, leading into the Pride in the Park Festival.