We’re sharing a special episode of the Canadian Time Machine podcast marking the 25th anniversary of the Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act, the landmark legislation that formally recognized same-sex couples under federal law. The Act represented a significant shift in how queer relationships were acknowledged and protected in Canada.
Writer and performer Steen Starr, whose art and activism captured the spirit of the time, joins former MP Libby Davies, who was in Parliament when the legislation passed. Together, they reflect on the debates that shaped this milestone and the freedoms that followed.
More episodes are available at https://lnkfi.re/canadian-time-machine. To read the episode transcripts in French and English, and to learn more about historic Canadian milestones, please visit thewalrus.ca/canadianheritage. There is also a French counterpart of this show called Voyages Dans L’Histoire Canadienne so if you’re bilingual and want to listen to more, visit https://lnkfi.re/Voyages-dans-lhistoire-canadienne.
This podcast receives funding from The Government of Canada and is produced by The Walrus Lab.