In the midst of the unending news firehose covering the Canadian government’s response to wars, weather and economic crises, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has quietly axed a little-known refugee policy.

LGBTQ+ refugees can begin new, safer lives here in Nanaimo because of the generosity of sponsorship group members, donors and community supporters.

Vincent came to Nanaimo from Africa with the support of ROAR. He sat down with ROAR volunteer and Board Chair Horst Backè to answer a few questions about where he's come from, where he is now, and where he's headed. His answers are shared in his own words, with his permission.

Pathways to safety are increasingly disappearing for LGBTQI+ people around the world.

On Saturday, July 11, a private garden in North Nanaimo filled with white linen, live music, and more than a little joy as we celebrated our tenth anniversary Picnic en Blanc.

If you drove out to Landalt Road on July 11, you may have looked for the rainbow flag we’d raised on the hydro pole at the turnoff — a bright marker to say: this way, you’re almost home. Sometime before the first guest arrived, it disappeared. We don’t know who took it, or why. Maybe it was a prank. Maybe someone simply wanted a flag and couldn’t be bothered to buy their own. We’re not here to accuse anyone of anything.

June 20 was World Refugee Day, though there was little to celebrate. Canada now stands as one of the few countries in the world that welcome LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers.

For most of the last twenty years, the global picture for LGBTQI+ people improved, slowly and unevenly. Countries decriminalized. Marriage rights spread. In many places, the law bent towards dignity.

Lately, that arc has stopped bending the way it is supposed to.

This year's Picnic en Blanc will feature something special: a set of four original postcards created by an artist whose sponsorship application is currently being processed by one of ROAR's sponsorship groups.

After nearly two years as an incorporated BC society, Reaching Out Assisting Refugees has reached a milestone we have been working toward since our earliest days: ROAR is now a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency.