Maurice

Mid 70s. This was taken at a Sunday brunch party at Stephen and Gary's. Maurice was one of the founders of GATE (Gay Alliance Toward Equality) in the spring of 1971. GATE was the first Vancouver gay group and one of the first Canadian gay groups to explicitly discuss and plan civil rights strategies for achieving gay and lesbian equality under Canadian law. GATE took the first gay rights case, against the Vancouver Sun, to the Supreme Court of Canada. Although they lost the case, it was a significant moment in the life of the Canadian gay liberation movement. The group was active until 1980. Maurice was a single-minded fighter all the way, sometimes more brusque and blunt than many people enjoyed. Woe to those who got into political debates with him on the wrong side!

Below: Maurice, centre focus, at a demonstration against wage controls. Although they didn't always get reciprocal support, GATE members frequently marched with other groups and supported their struggles.
                     -(thanks to Stephen  for supplying additional material for this post)