The president of Timmins Pride is applauding the design chosen for a national LGBTQ2+ monument in Ottawa. It was announced yesterday by the federal ministers of heritage, and women and gender equality.
Matthieu Villeneuve calls it “fantastic” and “phenomenal”.
“It was the one that I actually voted for, since it went out to the public,” he adds.
Villeneuve says the design is cool because of the thunderhead cloud incorporated into it as a symbol of hope and a metaphor for the issues surrounding the LGBT Purge.
“I like the fact that it’s not only a place of celebration,” he says, “it’s also a place of reflection. So it’s a dual-purpose venue.”
He expects it to a place of both celebration and reflection.
“It’s a great opportunity for the Canadian population to have such a great heritage site where we can openly discuss and reflect on the LGBT Purge that took place.”
Villeneuve says the monument will be a point of celebration during Pride events, and hopes it helps remove the stigma from his community.