Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he will
posthumously pardon a man imprisoned in 1966 for being gay who is
largely credited for bringing about a change in Canada’s laws on
homosexuality.
Everett
George Klippert (right) was deemed a dangerous sexual offender by the
Canadian government after he told police that he’d had consensual sex
with four men. Klippert volunteered the information during an arson
investigation. Klippert was charged with gross indecency and was
determined to be a dangerous sexual offender because a
government-appointed psychiatrist concluded that Klippert’s
homosexuality was “incurable.” Kilppert was sentenced to “preventative
detention” which was the equivalent of an indefinite term in prison.
CBC reports:
The sentence was backed up by the Supreme
Court of Canada in 1967, although Chief Justice John Cartwright
suggested the laws regarding homosexuality be clarified, and that
incarceration of harmless homosexuals was not their intention.
The Klippert case stoked considerable
media and political interest. Just six weeks later, Pierre Trudeau, the
Liberal government’s justice minister (who would later become prime
minister) introduced a bill that, among other things, called for the
decriminalization of private, consensual homosexual acts between people
over the age of 21.
Pierre Trudeau was of course Justin Trudeau’s father. One gay rights
advocate commented, “It’s great that the young Trudeau is finishing the
work that his father started.” More on the announcement of the pardon
from CBC:
“The prime minister intends to recommend
that a pardon under the authority of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy be
granted posthumously to Mr. Klippert,” Trudeau’s office said in a media
release.
The move was cheered Sunday by gay-rights advocates.
“It’s fantastic that he’ll get a posthumous pardon,” lawyer Doug Elliott told CBC News.
As well, the statement said the Liberal
government will also look to see whether pardons are “warranted” after
reviewing the cases of other individuals who in the past were convicted
on charges such as gross indecency and buggery.
“As Canadians, we know that protecting
and promoting fundamental human rights must be an imperative for
governments and individuals alike, and this includes gender identity,
gender expression and sexual orientation,” the weekend statement said.
Trudeau’s office credited Klippert’s case
for being “instrumental” in Canada’s decision to decriminalize
homosexual acts between consenting adults.
Klippert was released from prison in 1971, 5 years after being convicted. He died in 1996 at age 69.
Lawyer Doug Elliot criticized Trudeau’s father for not pardoning him during his lifetime:
“I never understood: Why didn’t Pierre
Trudeau let him out in 1969 when they decriminalized gay sex?” Elliott
said. “They kept the poor guy who was responsible for shining a light on
this issue in jail for another couple of years.”
Earlier this month, Justin Trudeau announced that he would become the first sitting Canadian prime minister
to attend a gay pride parade.
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