Community news: 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors
2SLGBTQIA+ seniors community: Recent news
Chris Morrissey, OC, passed away
DSS is deeply saddened to report that Chris Morrissey, OC, passed away Monday April 14th 2025
Chris Morrissey was a Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ activist who successfully challenged Canada’s immigration laws in 1992 when her Irish-American partner’s application for immigration was rejected.
The pair launched a legal challenge alleging discrimination on the basis of gender, family and sexual orientation because Morrissey was unable to sponsor a partner the same way a heterosexual person could.
Hearing from other couples experiencing the same issue, Morrissey and her partner Bridget Coll founded the Lesbian and Gay Immigration Task Force (LEGIT) in Vancouver to assist same-sex couples of different nationalities find legal loopholes to enable their cohabitation within Canada.
In 2002, the federal government introduced new laws that allowed one common-law partner to sponsor another.
She co-founded and led Rainbow Refugee in Canada, an organization that assists 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals to leave countries where persecution exists and resettle in Canada.
Among Chris’s many accolades, she was a recipient of the Officer of the Order of Canada award and one of Dignity Seniors Society’s inaugural Q-Elders Project recipients.
From transition homes for women leaving violence, to our local 2SLGBTQIA+ community centre (now QMUNITY), Queer seniors advocacy, and disability justice at the City of Vancouver, there are so many ways that her work lives on through bettering the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada.
Chris passed away peacefully surrounded by her chosen family. Until her final days, she remained dedicated to supporting immigrants, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and other marginalized groups through her advocacy and community work.
Thank you Chris for your hard work in breaking down the barriers in Canada for 2SLGBTQIA+ immigration, and for your tireless work on behalf of queer seniors advocacy. 🙏
— Barb Snelgrove, for DSS
Images: Chris Morrissey (Q-Elders Project) | Barb & Chris
Passed away: Don Wilson (Little Sister’s) 🙏
“It is with great sadness that we inform you all of the
passing of Little Sister’s store owner ... our Don Wilson.”
Sad words to share via the above statement from Little Sisters Book & Art Emporium.
Don Wilson, General Manager and Owner of Little Sisters since the untimely passing of original co-owner Jim Deva, passed away the other day, no other information is available at this time.
Upon the loss of Jim Deva, Don stepped into the role of operating Little Sisters, a landmark business in Vancouver’s Davie Village, and a longstanding and beloved hub for Vancouver’s queer community.
True to the vision of the previous owners, Don carried on the tradition of providing a safe space for 2SLGBTQIA+ people to gather and shop. His presence was felt throughout the neighbourhood, and he was an active member of the business community and Business Improvement Association.
Dignity Seniors Society joins the local community and Vancouver as a whole, in mourning the loss of one of our community’s business leaders.
The lights of Davie Street glow a little dimmer today.
There will be a Celebration of Life event to honour the memory of Don’s passing:
Date: April 15th (2025)
Time: 2 pm
Location: The Junction pub on Davie (1138 Davie Street) Vancouver
QMUNITY 🌻Spring Fling! 🌷Thu Apr 03
QMUNITY Spring Fling 2025
A 55+ Celebration of Renewal & Community!
1 - 4 pm Thursday April 03
Creekside Community Centre
1 Athletes Way
Vancouver, BC V5Y 0B1
Join us at Creekside for free lunch, entertainment, door prizes, and more! Connect with community and enjoy the season!
Accessible space with elevator. Register here!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/qmunty-spring-fling--2025
Contact seniors@qmunity.ca with any questions
Event Timeline
(1:00 - 1:15) Check In
(1:15 - 1:30) L A and W, Band Introduction
(1:30 - 3:00) Serving food
(1:30 - 2:15) First Set
(2:15 - 2:45) Speech / QuIRK-E readings
(2:45 - 3:30) Second Set
(3:30 - 4:00) Door Prizes and Closing
If you need help with registration, please call our front desk at (604) 684-5307.
Northern B.C. researchers creating queer history documentary and archive for region
The Northern B.C. Queer Connection Society, a non-profit organization based in Prince George, has secured $299, 999 in federal grant funding from the Women and Gender Equality Canada [a DSS funder! 🙏] for their queer history project.
It will include two components — a documentary film and an accessible historical archive of documents, photographs and memorabilia to serve as a resource for researchers, educators and the public.
The project will run until March 2027 and collaborate with local historians and filmmakers.
The lead historian on the project is Tess Healy - whose own personal history has made a significant impact on the region.
Healy and Wendy Young became one of the first same-sex couples in northern B.C. to get legally married when they tied the knot on Aug. 30, 2003.
Story continues here.
QUEST+ Café for 2SLGBTQIA+ Seniors
Supporting older adults who identify with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community
This café is an opportunity to come together and connect with fellow 2SLGBTQIA+ older adults.
It will feature Indira (Indi) Riadi, who will be presenting the methods and findings of her Ph.D. research project, focusing on exploring the social determinants of mental health of 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors who live in Vancouver’s West End. …
Refreshments provided.
When: 2 - 4 pm Tuesday March 25, 2025
Where: Burnaby Neighbourhood House, 4460 Beresford Street, Burnaby
Contact / RSVP (e-mail): QUESTPlus@burnabynh.ca
Poster (pdf)