Montréal Outgames:
The “In” Place To Be in 2006
Written by Steven Leclerc
March 16, 2005

It’s 7:56 p.m. The date is July 29, 2006. The city: Montréal, Canada.

A colourful and boisterous crowd of 60,000 festive gays and lesbians from around the world, and their straight friends, has assembled in Montréal’s Olympic Stadium. Exactly 30 years to the day after the Closing Ceremonies of the 1976 Olympics, all of Montréal is poised to welcome the world with open arms to yet another major sporting event: The international LGBT community’s 1st World Outgames. This is the image that pops to mind for Lucie Duguay, Co-President of the 1st World Outgames, when she is asked to imagine the 2006 event.

“With minutes to go, I believe that the atmosphere in the stands will be electrifying. Anticipation will grow as the last few moments tick away before the ceremonies begin… In the Stadium’s centre field, dozens of technicians and volunteers will be scurrying about to put the final touches to the dazzling show that is about to start,” says Lucie with an obvious look of anticipation spread across her trademark smiling face.

With 12,000 athletes, 2,000 cultural programme participants and hundreds of other guests from around the world waiting in the wings getting ready to march out on the field and celebrate with pride, the Stadium will indeed be a frenzied place. In addition to this fabulous crowd, Lucie Duguay is also proud to point out that hundreds of thousands of viewers will also be getting comfortable in their living rooms across Canada to tune into Radio-Canada’s (Canada’s National Broadcaster) live television coverage of the event. “Getting live coverage of an international LGBT sports event by a mainstream broadcaster is a first that we are very proud of,” she says with an obvious sparkle in her eye.

Montréal – know the world over as the City of Festivals, is quite the hotbed of talent when it comes to staging large scale cultural and sporting events. Montréal is home to such well-known events as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the world’s largest International Jazz Festival, the renowned “Just for Laughs” comedy festival, and it is the birthplace and base of operation for the ever-imaginative Cirque du Soleil.

The Outgames Organising Committee (aka Montréal 2006) is assembling a team of the best and the brightest talents in the city’s showbiz and special events community to stage what will be an unforgettable opening ceremony (more on the Official Opening Ceremonies in an upcoming issue of Montréal Chronicles).These ceremonies will undoubtedly set the tone for the energy-filled week-long sports competitions and cultural program to follow.

Louise Roy (CEO) and Mark Tewksbury (Co-President) of the 1st World Outgames Montréal 2006 Organizing Committe.
© Montréal 2006 | Olivier Samson Arcand (OSA Images)

A World-Class Event in a City with Flair!
Since 2001, Montréal has been preparing for these eight days of competition, pride and celebration. A team of 20 staff members and dozens of volunteers is hard at work under the adept leadership of Louise Roy, the Outgames’ GM. “The team of people I have the pleasure of working with at Montréal 2006 is one of the key reasons for our success. We are well aware of the fact that we are accountable to the people of Montréal and to the international LGBT community. With less than 18 months to go, everything we do on a day-to-day basis provides us with a better opportunity to see just how unique the 1st World Outgames will be,” says the former city councillor and events organiser who took up the challenge of producing these games right from the start.

The city, and particularly its Gay Village, have been sprucing themselves up and getting ready to stage an unforgettable event that will highlight individual achievements and team accomplishments. For many members of our community worldwide, making it to the Outgames and being a part of such a global LGBT event will be a dream come true.

Montrealers are well known for their warm hospitality and for their decidedly Latin Joie de vivre. As the largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris, Montréal’s attraction is universal and visitors are quickly drawn by its appeal. Jazz singer Holly Cole was quoted in a Québec newspaper in 2003 as saying “I feel like family in Québec and Montréal, and by the way, Montréal is my favourite city in the world! It’s the only place that combines all the good things about Europe and America, with none of the bad!”

Divers/Cité Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival
© Tourisme Québec, Jean-François Leblanc

Montréal is also a city that prides itself in its diversity and its openness towards the LGBT community. In fact, this very safe city of 3.6 million people has one of the largest and most vibrant gay and lesbian neighbourhoods in the world. Countless cafés, bistros, boutiques, antique shops, family eateries, exotic restaurants, pubs and night clubs bring it to life day and night. One marvels at the idea that even with this great concentration of LGBT businesses in one city area, the biggest attraction of the Village is its eclectic neighbourhood life and the hospitality of the people who live and work there.

But don’t kid yourself. As a LGBT traveller to Montréal, you will by no means be confined to the Village. In fact, the whole city is your oyster! You need not worry. Wherever you go, you can show your pride. You can even camp it up if you like! You will be welcomed with a smile and a merry bonjour in this city where being different is elevated to an art form!

When asked how he feels about the city he has adopted, two-time Olympic-gold medal swimmer, Mark Tewksbury, who is also Lucie Duguay’s colleague as Outgames Co-President, is effusive. “Montréal is a great place to be gay! A great place to be out!” For the Outgames, Mark is definitely banking on Montréal’s flair. He states unequivocally that “Montréal 2006’s goal is to capture the hearts and minds of the world. True to the spirit of this city and its people, we will be presenting a show of human creativity, endurance and achievement that will foster camaraderie and will reward participation in sports, culture and the arts.”

The photogenic Olympian also adds that these Outgames will serve as a legacy and a source of inspiration for all those to come. “Never have we been able to garner as many sponsors and partners to stage this kind of LGBT event. Montréal has really come onboard and so have all three levels of government here – municipal, provincial and federal. Private companies – such as Air Canada and Labatt Breweries and many LGBT organisations worldwide – have also joined in this remarkable endeavour. The reception we are getting is really fantastic,” he states with an obvious sense of pride.

	Sport - Volleyball players in front of the Montréal Tower
	© Productions de l'Œil, Brent Stirton

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
Mark Tewksbury reminds us that the Outgames are clearly open to everyone, regardless of athletic or artistic ability, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, HIV status or nationality. And, “for these games, Montréal 2006 has pulled all the stops.” It has assembled an impressive sports programme, which includes a record 35 disciplines (see complete list on Montréal 2006’s web site – www.montreal2006.org). Newly added sports competitions since the last international LGBT games in 2002 include: Rowing, Dragon Boat, Racquetball, Beach Volleyball, Bridge, Table Tennis and Roller Racing (Rollerblading).

Also worth noting is Montréal 2006’s significant breakthrough in reaching out to mainstream sports organisations. Outgames organisers have signed to date a record number of sanction agreements with provincial, national and international sports bodies in a total of 22 disciplines. Even the International Rowing Federation (FISA) will include the Outgames competitions in its official roster of events for 2006. This means that Outgames athletic performances are being recognised by these bodies in record numbers. Records can be broken and will be registered!

Mark emphasises that “everybody who takes part in the Outgames will be a winner, no matter what their performance level is or their motivation for attending; we intend to make this event just as welcoming for an amateur athlete whose goal is to outdo his or her personal best. After all, that is what our participatory games are all about.”

Métro of Montréal (Jolicoeur Station)
© Tourisme Montréal, Pierre Gingras

Top-Notch Facilities
And, if you believe LGBT participants will be provided with second-class hand-me-down sports facilities, think again! The City of Montréal and the Québec government are providing, free of charge, top-notch sports facilities for the Outgames. In addition to the Olympic Stadium, Outgames venues include the adjacent Olympic pools and sports arenas, the Olympic Rowing Basin and Formula 1 race track (both set on the picturesque Île Notre-Dame across from Montréal’s Old Port), in addition to the Jarry Parc complex, which houses the world class Masters’ tennis stadium. And, the list goes on! All of these facilities are exceptionally well maintained and many are regularly used for international professional events and Olympic level competitions.

All venues are conveniently accessible and only minutes apart using Montréal’s modern underground Métro system (subway).

	© Montréal International Jazz Festival, Caroline Hayeur
	© Tourisme Montréal

A Cultural and Festive Showcase
In addition to the nationally televised Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Outgames will feature a number of competitions and exhibition events for choirs, bands, cheerleading teams, and country western and square dancing groups. Festivities throughout the week will also feature various live stage performances at Rendez-Vous Square, right next to the city’s Gay Village, in addition to live shows at the other main venues. Rendez-Vous Square will, in fact, act as the central meeting place for visitors, residents and participants alike, providing information booths and food concessions, a ticketing office for the different competitions and parties, live stage performances and the official medals podium. Also, Radio-Canada plans to host a one hour daily wrap-up show live from Rendez-Vous Square.

The fact that Montréal knows how to throw a party is certainly a well-known fact throughout the global LGBT community. The BBCM’s Black & Blue Party in October and Divers/Cité, the city’s celebrated Pride festivities in the summer, readily come to mind. Montréal’s festive reputation will again be on display during the Outgames, since competitions will take place during the same week as the city’s Pride celebrations. In fact, the Closing Ceremonies will be held on the eve of Montréal’s annual Divers/Cité Pride Parade!

Montréal’s Gay Village will also be abuzz with activity. Cafés, restaurants, pubs, boutiques and bars will all join in the fun to make this an unforgettable week. Needless to say, visitors to the Outgames will have a wide range of cultural events and parties to choose from during their stay.

Montréal is one of North America’s oldest cities, yet its energy is youthful and its feel is decidedly modern. For a city that spends six months out of the year huddled in sub-zero weather, come spring, this place really knows how to turn up the heat! Just as quickly as Montrealers shed there winter frocks, city life bristles as sidewalk cafés, bistros and shops come alive.

Montréal is where the Old World meets the New, and summertime is when this metropolis transforms itself into the famed City of Festivals. Many downtown avenues and boulevards, parks and squares are cordoned off to make way for various outdoor stage events and parades, and to welcome tens of thousands of visitors from here and abroad. Jazz and blues, humour, French music, theatre and film, dragon boats, cycling, African and Creole culture, car racing, tennis masters, and many other events and festivals fill up the arts scene and special events calendar to make Montréal a definite people place throughout the heady days of summer.

Travellers may want to extend their stay in the city to take in some of these events. A key Outgames partner, Tourisme Montréal (www.tourisme-montreal.org), is a vital resource for anyone planning their stay in Montréal.

	Lucie Duguay, Co-President of the 1st World Outgames Montréal 2006.
	© Montréal 2006 | Olivier Samson Arcand (OSA Images)

Open and accessible to all
From the very beginning, Montréal 2006’s vision of the Outgames has been one of staging a grand celebration of sports and culture; one that will bring together lesbians and gays, bisexuals, and transgenders of all ages, and their straight friends too (we can’t forget them!), to celebrate diversity and to challenge stereotypes.

“The Outgames are open to all,” says Lucie Duguay. “By providing full access to everyone, regardless of differences, our city and its citizens are determined to bringing down barriers,” she says with confidence. Lucie also believes that Montréal’s Outgames will benefit the entire LGBT community by helping to advance rights and improve our quality of life everywhere. “These Outgames will show the world that a truly civilised society can respect all of its members.”

A High Profile International LGBT Rights Conference
As part of this goal, Montréal 2006 has decided to branch out beyond sports and cultural competitions. As such, for three full days prior to the Opening Ceremonies, Montréal will host a gathering of 2,000 delegates at the city’s Palais des Congrès (Montréal’s newly expanded convention centre) who will be attending “The Right to Be Different” International Conference – the largest international LGBT rights conference ever held.

Montréal 2006 has brought together a high profile International Scientific Committee co-chaired by Ms. Joke Swiebel from The Netherlands, who is a former Member of the European Parliament and the founding President of the Parliamentary Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights, and by Mr. Robert Wintemute, Professor of Law at London’s King's College School of Law in the UK. Mr. Wintemute is also a leading scholar in the area of human rights and discrimination. The Scientific Committee is comprised of some 40 people, many of whom are noted scholars, leading LGBT and human rights activists, lawyers and several past and present Supreme Court Judges from around the globe.

This conference will highlight issues that are dear to the LGBT community, such as essential rights, global issues, the diverse LGBT community, participation in society and creating social change.

Those interested in taking part in the International Conference can find out more at: www.montreal2006.org/en_conference.html.

The ABC’s of Travelling to Gay-friendly Canada
Montréal and Canada lend themselves conveniently to the ideals of diversity and openness espoused by the Outgames. For one, the city is quite accessible for any traveller. Only an hour’s drive from the US border (New York State), Montréal can also easily be reached by car, bus or train from any major north-eastern US city. The city’s newly expanded Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport also provides many direct or convenient connecting flights from Europe, the United States and elsewhere.

Montréal’s Outgames has several Official Travel Partners around the globe that will provide participants with reservations, booking information, travel packages and basic information on Montréal and Canada as gay-friendly destinations. The list of these Partners appears on Montréal 2006’s web site at: www.montreal2006.org/en_travel_packages.html.

Foreign nationals coming to Canada for the Outgames will also find that entering the country is quite simple provided they have proper passport ID, and where applicable, valid visas. US visitors need not have a passport, but they must show proof of citizenship and photo ID. In Canada, issues of sexual orientation are grounds for protection under the Constitution’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms and therefore cannot be used as a basis for refusing entry at the border.

In addition, visitors will not have to worry about submitting to photo or digital scans when they arrive; nor will they have to face health-related restrictions, such as those for HIV status. It is, however, required that all personal prescription medication be properly labelled and left in their original packaging. Visitors need to know that they should purchase appropriate health travel insurance prior to their trip since the Canadian health care system does not provide for foreigners. More detailed entry information can be obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency web site at: www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.

I do!
Canada in general and the province of Québec in particular are well-known for their openness to gays and lesbians. Québec was, in fact, the first jurisdiction in Canada to provide same-sex civil unions prior to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2003. Those visitors to the Outgames wanting to tie the knot will find it easy to access needed information and a venue. In fact, Rendez-Vous Square will be the place to be! Equipped with a wedding chapel, couples so inclined will be able to choose between a sacred union or a full-fledge civil wedding. Imagine getting married as you and your spouse run back and forth from one competition to the next!

	À Contre-Courant swimmer.
	© Productions de l'Œil, Jean-Eudes Schurr

Reaching Out: 4,000 and Climbing!
Already, Montréal 2006 is gearing up to be a huge success. Registration for the Outgames has topped the 4,000 mark and organisers are right on target for their July 2006 deadline. “We are very enthusiastic about those numbers and are pleased to see so many people registering at such an early date,” states Lucie Duguay.

Montréal 2006 has been putting a lot of effort into opening the Outgames to participants from the developing world too. “Many LGBT communities have been organising in countries around the globe,” says Mark Tewksbury. “But we must acknowledge that, for some, this is still a dangerous and risky venture, and we need to be there to support them.” Thus, Montréal 2006 will be setting up an Outreach Programme aimed at providing financial assistance for athletes and other applicants from developing countries. Details of the programme will be available in the coming weeks.

The registration fee for the Outgames, which includes participation in the first sport or cultural activity, attendance at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and lots more, is set at $295 CAD. Participants need to register individually even if they are part of a team, chorus or band. Some disciplines have limited space available, so early registration is a must. People who do not have Internet access can call or write Montréal 2006 to obtain registration information and forms by mail:

Registration Department
1st World Outgames Montréal 2006
4141, avenue Pierre-De Coubertin
Montréal (Québec)  H1V 3N7  CANADA

Telephone: +1 (514) 252-5858 ext. 5346
Fax: +1 (514) 252-5850
registration@montreal2006.org

In 2006, Montréal will definitely be in the “In” place to be. Don’t wait. Contact us now to start planning your trip to this energetic and scintillating city. À la prochaine !