June 2

1950’s and 1960’s: the RCMP begins to keep tabs on all of the known “homosexual” people and patrons of gay bars in Ottawa and a number of other cities. They begin working with the FBI and their own surveillance of “homosexuals”; the RCMP alerts the FBI if there are “homosexuals” crossing over the border. They actively keep lists on suspected and confirmed “homosexual” people, for the purpose of forcing them out of government jobs, and/or denying them security clearance and promotions. This is part of the Red Scare in which gay and lesbian people are suspected of communist acts during the Cold War. This is still a very current issue. Indigenous, Black and POC communities are still being surveilled and over-policed. Queer and Trans BIPOC folks are at a higher risk to be targeted by the RCMP and local officers.

Check out the documentary "The Fruit Machine": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dLEn0h4hJI

Or coverage of recent surveillance of Black queer and trans organizers: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-military-intelligence-monitored-black-lives-matter-movement-claiming-pandemic-justified-such-actions