Campbellton, New Brunswick
Diane Pitre has been an advocate for 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans since she was released in 1980 from the Canadian Armed Forces as part of the LGBT Purge. She spent close to 40 years lobbying the government for an apology for the wrongful dismissal of her and other 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans. The apology was officially received on 28 November 2017. Diane now works to support 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans and ensure that they are recognized and respected into the future.
In 2017, she launched a Facebook page for survivors of the LGBT Purge. The site offers support and information to over 100 Veterans who were part of the purge and other Veterans in support of those Veterans.
She has participated in “In Her Boots” walks through VETS Canada in Ottawa, where she went to Women’s shelters to offer support to women Veterans experiencing homelessness.
She became part of the LGBT Purge Fund board of directors following the class action lawsuit settlement. There, she lends her personal experience as a Veteran, and her expertise in libraries and documentation, to honour her service to Canada and to help others do the same.
In 2019, Diane founded Rainbow Veterans of Canada. The mission statement of the organization is to “Provide a supportive and safe space for CAF Veterans impacted by the LGBT Purge along with other CAF Veterans who identify as 2SLGBTQI+ whilst educating and advocating for the rights, benefits, and recognition our members deserve.” Rainbow Veterans of Canada has become the voice for 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans in Canada.
She regularly attends meetings on behalf of 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans and speaks to groups about her personal experience; her support of Veterans extends to filling out forms, directing them to services, advocating for them, and ensuring their health and safety. Diane consistently works to increase the visibility of these veterans and accomplished an element of this recognition on Remembrance Day 2018 at the National War Memorial, where she laid a wreath to officially honour 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans.