Pierre Trudeau Speaking Outside the House of Commons on December 21, 1967
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Discuss the meaning of Pierre Trudeau’s memorable phrase, “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
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Date December 21, 1967
Materials - Photograph
Historical Context
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- Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969, also known as the Omnibus Bill, legalized all sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private.
- Although the Bill was an important step in the journey to legal equality, numerous other provisions continued to be used to criminalize 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada.
- This interview with then-Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau makes an important distinction between acceptable public and private acts.
Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969, also known as the Omnibus Bill, introduced sweeping reform to laws governing divorce, abortion and homosexuality.
The provisions related to homosexuality proposed legalization of sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private. Passed in 1969, the Omnibus Bill is seen as a watershed moment for sexuality rights in Canada. At the same time, a number of remaining provisions around indecency were still used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by police in the years following the Bill’s passing.
In this segment of an interview outside the House of Commons, following introduction of the Bill, then-Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau remarked, “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
A second statement, about public sexuality, suggested that other forms of ongoing discrimination and criminalization of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community would remain after 1969.
In December 1967, then-federal Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969. Also known as the Omnibus Bill (a bill with multiple provisions, amending several pieces of existing legislation), it introduced sweeping reform to laws governing divorce, abortion and homosexuality.
The provisions related to homosexuality proposed legalization of sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private. Passed in 1969, the Omnibus Bill is seen as a watershed moment for sexuality rights in Canada. At the same time, a number of remaining provisions around indecency were still used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by police in the years following the Bill’s passing.
In this clip of a media “scrum” with Minister Trudeau shortly after introduction of the Bill, he remarked, “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
This memorable turn of phrase was inspired, in part, by a newspaper editorial of the time. It glossed over a second significant aspect of the interview. Minister Trudeau also speaks about public sexuality in different terms, hinting at its continued regulation and criminalization.
- Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969, also known as the Omnibus Bill, legalized all sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private.
- Although the Bill was an important step in the journey to legal equality, numerous other provisions continued to be used to criminalize 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada.
- This interview with then-Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau makes an important distinction between acceptable public and private acts.
Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969, also known as the Omnibus Bill, introduced sweeping reform to laws governing divorce, abortion and homosexuality.
The provisions related to homosexuality proposed legalization of sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private. Passed in 1969, the Omnibus Bill is seen as a watershed moment for sexuality rights in Canada. At the same time, a number of remaining provisions around indecency were still used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by police in the years following the Bill’s passing.
In this segment of an interview outside the House of Commons, following introduction of the Bill, then-Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau remarked, “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
A second statement, about public sexuality, suggested that other forms of ongoing discrimination and criminalization of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community would remain after 1969.
In December 1967, then-federal Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969. Also known as the Omnibus Bill (a bill with multiple provisions, amending several pieces of existing legislation), it introduced sweeping reform to laws governing divorce, abortion and homosexuality.
The provisions related to homosexuality proposed legalization of sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private. Passed in 1969, the Omnibus Bill is seen as a watershed moment for sexuality rights in Canada. At the same time, a number of remaining provisions around indecency were still used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by police in the years following the Bill’s passing.
In this clip of a media “scrum” with Minister Trudeau shortly after introduction of the Bill, he remarked, “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
This memorable turn of phrase was inspired, in part, by a newspaper editorial of the time. It glossed over a second significant aspect of the interview. Minister Trudeau also speaks about public sexuality in different terms, hinting at its continued regulation and criminalization.
Summary
- Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969, also known as the Omnibus Bill, legalized all sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private.
- Although the Bill was an important step in the journey to legal equality, numerous other provisions continued to be used to criminalize 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada.
- This interview with then-Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau makes an important distinction between acceptable public and private acts.
Essential
Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969, also known as the Omnibus Bill, introduced sweeping reform to laws governing divorce, abortion and homosexuality.
The provisions related to homosexuality proposed legalization of sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private. Passed in 1969, the Omnibus Bill is seen as a watershed moment for sexuality rights in Canada. At the same time, a number of remaining provisions around indecency were still used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by police in the years following the Bill’s passing.
In this segment of an interview outside the House of Commons, following introduction of the Bill, then-Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau remarked, “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
A second statement, about public sexuality, suggested that other forms of ongoing discrimination and criminalization of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community would remain after 1969.
In-Depth
In December 1967, then-federal Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced Bill C-150, The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–1969. Also known as the Omnibus Bill (a bill with multiple provisions, amending several pieces of existing legislation), it introduced sweeping reform to laws governing divorce, abortion and homosexuality.
The provisions related to homosexuality proposed legalization of sexual encounters between two consenting adults in private. Passed in 1969, the Omnibus Bill is seen as a watershed moment for sexuality rights in Canada. At the same time, a number of remaining provisions around indecency were still used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by police in the years following the Bill’s passing.
In this clip of a media “scrum” with Minister Trudeau shortly after introduction of the Bill, he remarked, “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
This memorable turn of phrase was inspired, in part, by a newspaper editorial of the time. It glossed over a second significant aspect of the interview. Minister Trudeau also speaks about public sexuality in different terms, hinting at its continued regulation and criminalization.