Fonds MS-15-1 - Ross Boutilier fonds

Ross Boutilier is an LGBTQ activist and community volunteer who pursued a number of successful challenges to his federal employer to gain equal treatment and benefits for same-sex relationships. He and his partner, Brian Mombourquette, also challenged both federal and provincial legislation to gain equal access to marriage and became one of three couples married as a result of the 2004-09-24 Marriage Decision.

Born in 1956, Ross is a retired geophysicist with a 30-year career with Natural Resources Canada at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He began community work as a volunteer and resource person with the Metro Area Committee on AIDS in 1989-1993. From 1993-1998 he was a member, producer and coordinator of the editorial collective producing the Gaezette (now Wayves). He served as treasurer of Safe Harbour Community Church between 1993-2003 and as a volunteer, coordinator and city liaison officer with the Halifax Pride Committee from 1994-2003. In 1996 he founded Manna For Health special needs food bank, for which he also served as a treasurer and liaison officer until 2003. Ross was a steward and elected official with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada from 1996-2006—in that capacity he served in multiple roles, including as chair of the Human Rights Committee.